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Midwest Dairy leaders elected to guide national checkoff strategy

April 28, 2026

2 minute read
Dairy Farmers elected to national boards in 2026

Minneapolis, Minn. – Three Midwest Dairy leaders are among the elected officers of Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI), the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB), and the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) elected to serve the industry for the 2026-27 term. They will lead national dairy checkoff strategies and programs to protect and grow sales.

UDIA officers elected were:

  • Chair – Charles Krause, Buffalo, Minn.
  • 1st Vice Chair – Kris Wardin, St. Johns, Mich.
  • 2nd Vice Chair – Audrey Donahoe, Clayville, New York
  • Secretary – Daniel Buttars, Lewiston, Utah
  • Treasurer – Tom Walsh, De Graff, Minn.

The UDIA is a federation of state and regional dairy farmer-funded promotion organizations that provide marketing programs developed and implemented in coordination with its members. The UDIA is overseen by a board comprised of dairy farmers elected by respective local and regional boards of UDIA member organizations.

DMI officers elected:

  • Chair – Marilyn Hershey, Cochranville, Pa.
  • Vice Chair – Mary Kraft, Fort Morgan, Colo.
  • Secretary – Roger Fluegel, Visalia, Calif.
  • Treasurer – Becky Nyman, Hilmar, Calif.

DMI manages the national checkoff program, which is co-funded by NDB and UDIA.

The NDB officers elected:

  • Chair – Lolly Lesher, Bernville, Pa.
  • Vice Chair – Marv Post, Volga, S.D.
  • Secretary – Arlene VanderEyk, Tulare, Calif.
  • Treasurer – Gail Klinkner, Viroqua, Wis.

The 37-member NDB, formed in May 1984 under the authority of the Dairy Product Stabilization Act of 1983, carries out coordinated promotion and research programs to help build demand and expand domestic and international markets for dairy products.

National Dairy Council officers elected:

  • Chair – Audrey Donahoe, Clayville, New York
  • Vice Chair – Perry Tjaarda, Shafter, Calif. 
  • Secretary – Sutton Rucks, Okeechobee, Fla.
  • Treasurer – Michael Ferguson, Senatobia, Miss.

Midwest Dairy® represents 3,600 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in our products and production practices. We are committed to Bringing Dairy to Life! by giving Consumers an Excellent Dairy Experience and are funded by farmers across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit MidwestDairy.com, and follow us on Facebook and YouTube.