The 2026 Midwest American Dairy Science Association Undergraduate Student Division (ADSA-USD) Regional Meeting marked the second year of the event’s return. Hosted by the University of Wisconsin- Platteville from January 23-25, the three-day conference provided undergraduate dairy students with the opportunity to connect with other dairy clubs, compete in dairy-related contests, and explore the dairy community near Platteville, Wisconsin.
UW–Madison was one of nine schools in attendance, with fourteen students representing Badger Dairy Club. Students were selected through an application process to attend and participate in the weekend’s events.
Engaging Presentations & Career Networking
The conference opened with insightful presentations from industry leaders:
- Dr. Allison Gorr, Animal Nutrition Formula Manager at ALCIVIA, shared her experiences from undergraduate to PhD and career opportunities.
- A young professionals panel—featuring Lila Sloan, Emma Wallace, Travis Forgues, and Mari Brenner-discussed their transition from college to the dairy industry.
Later in the evening, students participated in club spotlights and socials, networking bingo, dinner, and then capped the night off with escape rooms and ice cream. There were eight different escape rooms all filled with different clues to breakout; every room used different dairy knowledge!
Competitions & Skill-A-Thon
Students tested their knowledge of dairy production, quality assessment, and industry practices through a series of competitions in a Skill-A-Thon format. Participants from UW–Madison were able to connect their learning in the classroom to the events tested in the Skill-A-Thon.
“The 2026 ADSA Midwest Regional Conference competitions are a welcoming opportunity for students like me, who did not grow up doing dairy related competitions, to gain new skills. This year I participated in dairy products evaluation for the second time ever and I placed third overall. This means a lot to me as I was not only able to refresh myself on knowledge, I already had through quiz bowl, but also able to practice skills I did not even know I had.” as reported by Sophomore Olivia Uttech, Dairy Science major.
The weekend concluded on Sunday with Dairy Bowl competitions, where UW–Madison was well-represented:
- Junior Team: Chloe Breunig, Kiara Konyn, Alexis Schultz, and Emily Schmidt
- Senior Team: Lauren Breunig, Clarissa Ulness, Jenna Gries, and Garrett Ulness
Congratulations to the Junior Dairy Bowl team for being the High Overall team in their respective competitions! Also, congratulations to Alexis Schultz for earning 3rd overall individual in the Skill-A-Thon contest and Olivia Uttech for earning 3rd overall in the Dairy Products Evaluation contest! Badger Dairy Club also earned 3rd place in the Scrapbook contest! We are very proud of our UW-Madison students and the representation of our university.
Exploring Wisconsin’s Dairy Industry
Saturday was dedicated to industry tours, allowing students to explore Southwest Wisconsin’s agricultural landscape. Badger Dairy Club members visited Platteville University’s Dairy Research and Teaching Unit. Kiara Konyn, freshman Dairy Science student, reflects on the university farm, as “a very unique experience to learn about how they operate their farm and the research projects their university is involved in.”
In the afternoon, students then split into groups to tour either Stonefront, Darlington Ridge Farms, Wilson Organic. These tours allowed students to connect with peers from other schools while exploring different agriculture outlets. The tour day concluded with going back to campus for Teck-Talks on ways to implement technology into the dairy industry and a night of entertainment watching members of ADSA be hypnotized.
The Teck-Talks consisted of six different options from different businesses including CowManager, Airborne Ag LLC, Zoetis, SmaXtec, Commodity Risk Management Group, and 3-D printing with Dairy. Each student selected one talk to listen to that interested them the most and got to learn more about the company and job opportunities within each.
Lauren Breunig, senior Life Sciences Communication student writes, “During ADSA, I attended the tour of Stone-Front Farm, where we learned how the Buttles family concentrates on breeding well-balanced cows, providing exceptional cow comfort, and working as a team. The tour highlighted their free stall barn and parlor, while also sharing future plans to improve manure handling and the feed center. I enjoyed hearing about how the landscape of the farm, which is in Lancaster, WI, influenced their barn design, heifer rearing and crop selection. Throughout the tour, I was also impressed by how they valued their team atmosphere, showcasing the employee’s competitive soccer team in the office and the family connections on the staff.”
Looking Ahead
Reflecting on the experience, the Midwest ADSA-USD Regional Meeting proved to be an invaluable opportunity for professional growth, industry networking, and hands-on learning. UW –Madison students returned home motivated and inspired, ready to apply their experiences to their studies and future careers in the dairy industry.
Alexis Schultz reflects on her time at Midwest ADSA: “I really enjoyed my time at the Midwest Regional ADSA Conference, where I had the opportunity to compete in Quiz Bowl and several skill contests alongside students from other universities. One of the most valuable aspects of the conference was networking with other students and professionals who share an interest in the dairy industry. We also heard from multiple guest speakers who shared their career paths and highlighted the wide range of opportunities available within the dairy industry. I think this conference was a great way to build my professional skills as well as my connections within the industry.” Schultz is a freshman studying Dairy and Food Animal Management.
With next year’s conference set to be hosted by South Dakota State University, Badger Dairy Club is excited to continue its strong presence in ADSA and help shape the future of dairy science!
