The Dairy Business Association (DBA) is generously supporting the Wisconsin Agricultural Education Center by investing $50,000 in the Create. Educate. Cultivate. capital campaign to build this new educational and agritourism destination.
This industry leader, who is committed to promoting the dairy community, is enthusiastic about the opportunity the center creates to engage the non-farming public about how food is produced. Further, this partnership celebrates the strong dairy heritage in Wisconsin and their shared goals to ensure nutritious and wholesome foods like milk, cheese, butter and many other delicious dairy foods are not only accessible but abundant.
“With people becoming further and further removed from farming, it is critical that we find ways to connect them to where their food comes from,” said Gordon Speirs, a dairy farmer and president of the DBA. “The center will provide an excellent way to demonstrate how farmers do what they do.”
A key educational theme within the Wisconsin Agricultural Education Center will focus on Wisconsin as America’s Dairyland. Within its hands-on learning experiences, the center will put an emphasis on the dairy community in Wisconsin, which is home to 9,400 dairy farms and contributes $43 billion each year to the state’s economy. Tours of a dairy farm will be offered and visitors will have the chance to watch the birth of calves at the center.
In recognition of DBA’s leadership gift, an exhibit within WAEC’s Discovery Center will be named in its honor.
“This gift is another testament of DBA’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the prosperity of America’s Dairyland,” said Annette Ostrom, co-chairwoman of the WAEC capital campaign. “With this gift we are at 82 percent of our $13 million goal. We hope other agricultural leaders who share our vision join us in building this important educational asset in our community.”