The Wisconsin Dairymen's Association, one of the earliest organizations in the dairy field, was founded by William D. Hoard on February 15, 1872 in Watertown, Wisconsin. The Association incorporated in 1917, and received state aid from 1895 to 1913 and from 1917 until its dissolution due to lack of membership in 1955.
The Association's chief purpose was to guide and develop the dairy industry in Wisconsin through education and legislation. It promoted greater use of Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) materials through cooperative use of sires, production shows, breeding schools, and educational meetings promoting the greater use of dairy farm records, including herd analysis, brood cow and proved sire summaries, and the planning of breeding programs with co-operative groups of dairy farmers. In 1889 the Association secured passage of a bill establishing the Dairy and Food Commission, and in 1890 aided the University in establishing the first dairy school in the country. The first cow testing program was instituted in 1906, and by 1922 there were 122 cow testing associations in the state with a total of 3028 members. The Association was also active in the campaign against the use of oleomargarine in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin Dairymen's Association sponsored the Wisconsin Junior Dairymen's Association, which it organized in 1947 for the purpose of developing and training youthful leadership in dairying. A parallel junior board of directors carried on a program of district meetings, state conventions, extemporaneous speaking contests on dairy subjects, and education in all phases of dairying.
Sources used: Wisconsin Blue Book, 1954.
