Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative President Brody Stapel was re-elected and a new member was voted onto the board of directors during the co-op’s annual business meeting at the Dairy Strong conference. Stapel has been Edge president since 2018.
Brody Stapel has been re-elected as the Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative president. On his home farm, Double Dutch Dairy in Cedar Grove, he says the labor situation has been okay. His family’s dairy has diversified income with beef. He’s been preparing for higher input costs this spring.
He says dairy farmers will need every penny of today’s Class III milk prices to meet the increased costs of fertilizers, equipment parts and machinery this spring. These are the issues Edge members are facing that he’s taking with him to D.C. to advocate for policy around FMMO reform, workforce solutions and sustainability incentives.
Jay Stauffacher, co-owner of Highway Dairy Farms in Darlington, Wis., will join the board for the first time. Stauffacher has served on the boards of Dairy Management Inc. and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, including as chairman of the state organization. He’s also served as president of his county dairy promotions board.
Jim Winn, a Wisconsin dairy farmer who served on the Edge board since its inception in 2010, retired from the board.
Other board members: Michael Crinion of Ash Grove Dairy in Lake Benton, Minn., vice president; Heidi Fischer of Fischer-Clark Dairy in Hatley, Wis., secretary; Jamie Witcpalek of Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy in Kewaunee, Wis., treasurer; Mitch Davis of Davis Family Dairies in Belle Plaine, Minn.; and Justin Peterson of Creamery Creek Holsteins in Bangor, Wis. John Umhoefer of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and dairy economist Dr. Marin Bozic are advisory members.
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