At the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board annual reorganization meeting held in early July. WMMB directors elected officers to lead the organization through the next fiscal year, which began July 1 and will conclude June 30, 2017.

Re-elected to serve as board chair was Connie Seefeldt (Coleman, District 2). Dean Strauss, (Sheyboygan Falls, District 18) will serve another term as vice chair. Also re-elected as secretary was Steven Sternweis, (Marshfield, District 8). The treasurer is Jay Stauffacher, (Darlington, District 23).

GETTING TO WORK: Ready to lead the WMMB are, from left, Ken Heiman, chair of the Channel Management Committee; Dean Strauss, vice chair; Kay Zwald, chair of the Policy/Bylaw Committee; Steven Sternweis, secretary; Jay Stauffacher, treasurer; Jeff Strassburg, chair, Communications Committee; and Connie Seefeldt, board chair.

Also elected to serve on the seven-person Executive Committee were Jeff Strassburg (Wittenburg, District 9) as chair of the Communications Committee; Ken Heiman (Marshfield, District 12) as chair of the Channel Management Committee; and Kay Zwald (Hammond, District 5) as chair of the Policy/Bylaw Committee.

Additionally, David Bangart (Greenwood, District 7) was elected to serve as chair of the Center for Dairy Research Liaison Committee. WMMB continues to support the efforts of the much respected CDR through funding, research, collaboration and technical support.

In April, the board of directors approved the $31,868,000 program plan and budget covering the 2017 Fiscal Year. The FY2017 budget is $1,532,000 greater than last year due to continued increases in milk production. The FY2017 plan covers in-state and national cheese and dairy product promotion; retail, food processing and foodservice marketing and education programs; national communications activities and administrative budgets.

The WMMB Board of Directors is comprised of 25 dairy farmers who are elected by their peers for three-year terms.  WMMB’s directors set policies and procedures, supervise business affairs and approve annual budgets. For more information about WMMB programs and promotions, visit WMMB.com.