South Dakota State University Hosts Midwest Regional Dairy Challenge® Event

Brookings, S.D., February 12-14, 2025 – The 2025 Midwest Regional Dairy Challenge, hosted by South Dakota State University concluded February 14 in Brookings, S.D. The event saw significant participation with 110 students from 13 schools, along with coaches and volunteers for an immersive learning experience.

Upon arrival, students attended educational seminars covering financial management, automatic milking systems, and emerging farm technology. They also had the opportunity to meet their mentor and teammates over dinner, followed by a brief team-building activity. Afterwards, teams received farm information and began analyzing data in preparation for their farm visit on February 13 and their upcoming presentation.

On the second day, students visited MoDak Dairy, Inc., where they toured the calf & heifer barn, lactating barn, and milking parlor. Guided by industry mentors, teams assessed various aspects of each facility at the dairy farm, including animal health, parlor management, transition pens, and feed management processes. Additionally, student teams conducted interviews with the producers to gain deeper insights into farm management practices and goals. In the afternoon, teams used the data collectedto develop their presentations. After submitting their work, all attendants, volunteers, and coaches gathered for dinner and a networking event.

The final day of the contest featured team presentations, evaluated by a panel of judges. Each team delivered a 20-minute analysis outlining the strengths and areas of improvement of the farm they had assessed. Additionally, students were able to attend a career and innovation fair, and educational sessions, including a DairyChallenge alumni panel and an informational session on The Future of Dairy Products by Dr. Prafulla Salunke, a professor at South Dakota State University. The event concluded with the presentation of student awards, marking the end of the successful 2025 Midwest Regional Dairy Challenge.

The judges awarded the following teams with the first and second place ranking on each farm among the 24 total teams participating.

 

Panel A

First Place: Team Number 5; (Front L-R) Ailish Koerpel-South Dakota State University, Abbygail Foster-Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (Back L-R) EmmaMathison-University of Wisconsin – Madison, Tyler Machin-Iowa State University

 

Second Place: Team Number 6; (Front L-R) Sophia Wendt-University of Minnesota, Alaina Weaver-Purdue University (Back L-R)Kylie Konyn-University of Wisconsin – Madison, Mackenzie Waschow-Iowa State University

 

 

Panel B

First Place: Team Number 11; (Front L-R) Courtney Glenna-University of Wisconsin – River Falls, Jenna Heeringa-Dordt University (Back L-R) Delana Erbsen-Iowa State University, Isaiah Eisert-Purdue University, Rhett Vander Dussen-Kansas State University (Not pictured)

 

 

Second Place: Team Number 9; (Front L-R) Kathleen Howdeshell-College of the Ozarks, Alexa Reavley-University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign, (Back L-R) Dillion Sparrgrove-South Dakota State University, Amelia Dauphin-University of Wisconsin – Platteville, Carson Corwin-Kansas State University

 

First Place: Team Number 17; (Front L-R) Sydney Haag-Purdue University, Addie DeMars-Southwest Wisconsin Technical College (Back L-R) Regan Kramer-Iowa StateUniversity, Cael Gooding-University of Wisconsin – River Falls, Aubree Topp-Northeast Iowa Community College

 

Second Place: Team Number 13; (Front L-R) Emma Eggenberger-South Dakota State University, Emma Wiedenfeld-University ofWisconsin – River Falls (Back L-R) Jeremiah Geise-Purdue University, Katelyn Sohrweide-University of Wisconsin – Madison

 

First Place: Team Number 23; (Front L-R) Emma Mulhern-South Dakota State University, Payton Van Schnydle-University of Wisconsin – Platteville (Back L-R) MeganMosgaller-University of Wisconsin – River Falls, Owen Pritchett-College of the Ozarks, Irene Nielsen-Iowa State University

 

Second Place: Team Number 24; (Front L-R) Brooke Meinholz-University of Wisconsin – Madison, Anne Simpson-Iowa StateUniversity (Back L-R) Briana Maus-South Dakota State University, Riley Case-College of the Ozarks, Li Chen-Kansas State University

 

– More –

The Midwest event is one of four regional contests sponsored each year by North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge® (NAIDC). These regional contests – plus anational event for about 250 dairy colleagues – are funded through generous support by 130 agribusinesses and dairy producers. Dairy Challenge has helped prepare over 10,000 students for careers as dairy owners or managers, consultants, researchers, veterinarians or other dairy professionals.

About Dairy Challenge

NAIDC is an innovative event for students in dairy programs at North American post-secondary institutions. Its mission is to develop tomorrow’s dairy leaders and enhancethe progress of the dairy industry, by providing education, communication and networking among students, dairy producers, agribusiness and university personnel. The 2025 National Dairy Challenge contest will be held in Gainesville, Florida from April 6 to April 8; details are at www.dairychallenge.org.