2024 WORLD DAIRY EXPO
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ALLIANT ENERGY CENTER
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MADISON, WISCONSIN, USA
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WWW.WORLDDAIRYEXPO.COM
EXPO Daily Edition
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
IN THIS ISSUE Commercial Exhibitors Spotlight Q&A page 5
Star Studded: Terri Packard
Larson Acres named Dairy Producers of the Year Quality cows, people drive success for sixthgeneration dairy BY STACEY SMART Staff Writer
page 7
Judging Contest Results pages 9, 10, 17
Dynamic Duos: Clark & Lois Woodmansee page 11
State-ofthe-art on display page 13
FLAVORS OF THE DAY Grilled Cheese
Double Smoked Cheddar from Saputo USA - Black Creek
EVANSVILLE, Wis. — From the care given to their cows to the appreciation shown to employees, the Larson family strives for excellence in all things. With their minds set on consistent quality and continuous improvement, the Larsons have built a farm they take pride in. As a result, Mike Larson, Ed and Barb Larson, Sandy Larson and Jim Trustem of Larson Acres were named World Dairy Expo’s 2024 Dairy Producers of the Year. “I was very honored, proud and surprised,” Mike said. “A lot of dairies do what we do.” The Larsons milk 2,800 cows and farm 5,000 acres on their sixth-generation family farm near Evansville. Three generations work side by side at Larson Acres, including brothers Mike and Ed, Ed’s daughter, Sandy, and Sandy’s and Jim’s children — Brooke, Dane and Luke Trustem. The Larsons live by three key words: quality, pride and family.
UW-Madison Cheese Stand next to the Arena Building
GEA Ice Cream Stand located in the Exhibition Hall
ATTENDEE INFORMATION
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#WDE24
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Mike Larson (front, from le ), Ed Larson, Barb Larson, Sandy Larson and Brooke Trustem; (back from le ) Luke Trustem, Jim Trustem and Dane Trustem, gather in one of the freestall barns on their farm, Larson Acres, near Evansville, Wisconsin. The family milks 2,800 cows and farms 5,000 acres and was named World Dairy Expo’s 2024 Dairy Producer of the Year. “We developed those words a long time ago, and they still fit us very well,” Sandy said. “Everything we do reflects those words. They help lead us and guide us.”
Growing from humble beginnings of 20 cows and 80 acres on the farm purchased by Don Larson in 1957, Larson Acres has evolved into a farm that is flourishing.
“Each generation has left its mark on the farm,” Sandy said.
Turn to LARSON | Page 3
A cruel twist of fate
Ice Cream
Caramel Collision Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough WI Campfire S'mores
Due to early print time, International Ayrshire Show Results will be printed in Wednesday's Daily Edition!
12-year-old Jersey breeder awaits heart transplant BY DANIELLE NAUMAN Staff Writer
CUMBERLAND, Wis. — Imagine that one minute, you are sitting in the stands, cheering on your daughter’s basketball team. The next, you are in a doctor’s office hearing the unthinkable — your daughter requires a heart transplant. That is the nightmare that Jamie and Tamala Anderson and their daughter, Lexi, are living. Lexi is the daughter of Jamie and Tamala Anderson, and the granddaughter of World Dairy Expo perennial exhibitors Roger and Darice Riebe of Meadow-Ridge Jerseys in Cumberland. Lexi has grown up a part of the family’s show-
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAIRY AGENDA TODAY
Lexi Anderson waits her turn to enter the showring with her Spring Calf during the Interna onal Jersey Show Sept. 30 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Anderson was diagnosed in December with restric ve cardiomyopathy, a rare disease that causes hardening of the heart muscle. was why she was stopping.” ing passion. The Andersons wondered Last fall, during basketball season, Lexi began having if Lexi was suffering from dehydration. They spoke to her trouble competing. “She would run halfway coach and devised a plan to up the court and stop like she help her. Then in November, was out of breath,” Tamala Lexi nearly passed out during Anderson said. “She told me a game, and her parents realthat she couldn’t see, which ized something was not right.
Printed and published in partnership with Dairy Star
An electrocardiogram done during a doctor visit showed what was described as a discrepancy between the top and bottom halves of Lexi’s heart. The Andersons were referred to a specialist at Marshfield Medical Center by their primary care physician. During that December appointment, the Andersons received the unthinkable news. “After doing blood work and an echo, the doctor came back in and asked to speak to us privately,” Anderson said. “He told us that he didn’t even know how to break it to us that Lexi had restrictive cardiomyopathy.” The Andersons learned that the muscles in their daughter’s heart were hardening and, eventually, it would become a solid block and stop pumping. Furthermore, the specialist told the couple there are no drugs and no treatments for the disease outside of a heart transplant. Turn to LEXI| Page 4
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