If you wanted the industry to see your cattle, you loaded them and hauled them to wherever the industry happened to be standing, writes Andrew Hunt, sharing a 55-year history of National Dairy Cattle Congress, which opened in October 1910 in Waterloo, Iowa.
Changing times, along with visionary dairy producers who recognized the need for a place where North America’s best herds could be seen and evaluated, created an opportunity in Madison, Wisconsin. They understood the importance of putting genetics on display, building reputations and giving producers a chance to see what makes a good cow.
Hunt shares the challenges, structural and promotional challenges that led to what is now World Dairy Expo. And, he says what was true in 1971 is not unfamiliar to today’s World Dairy organizers.
Source: The Bullvine, September 19, 2026. Link.
The founders’ lesson was never “build a great show and it stays great.” It was: keep deciding what you cannot afford to lose, and be willing to tear up the program to protect it. Every board, every breed association, every farm business restructuring right now is working the same problem the four founders worked in 1971.”
Editor’s note: This year’s World Dairy Expo closes Friday, October 2. The 2027 event takes place September 28 through October 1 at the Alliance Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
Leave a Reply