Dane County, World Dairy Expo Ink New Three Year Deal

March 28, 2008
Joshua Wescott, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 Lisa Behnke, World Dairy Expo (608) 224-6455
County Executive

Conversations Underway to Help World’s Largest Dairy Show Grow (Madison)….With a pair of dairy cows serving as witnesses, County Executive Kathleen Falk and Mark Clarke, General Manager of World Dairy Expo, signed a new three year contract today, assuring the world’s largest dairy show will continue to call Dane County home. “Agriculture is a $3-billion dollar a year industry to our county and with so many beautiful and productive farms here, Dane County is a perfect fit for World Dairy Expo,” County Executive Kathleen Falk said. “It’s so neat that every fall we become the cow capital of the world and host tens of thousands of visitors from across the globe.” Dane County has hosted every World Dairy Expo since the event started 42 years ago. Nearly 2,500 of the world’s premier cows along with more than 67,000 visitors from 90 countries attended the 2007 World Dairy Expo. The show has an estimated economic impact of $18.7 million in Dane County. This year’s event, themed “Building Bridges - Making Connections” will be held September 30th through October 4th. “No where else but World Dairy Expo can you see so many high quality cattle and talk to so many dairy enthusiasts all in one place,” Mark Clarke, General Manager of World Dairy Expo said. “World Dairy Expo is where the global dairy industry meets.” Falk also announced Friday that conversations are underway to help World Dairy Expo continue its growth and plan for the future. She noted the enormously popular event is growing in size and draws in more people and animals each year. For the first time in five years, Canadian dairy cattle will return to World Dairy Expo. Event organizers say they continue to get requests for additional stalling space for cattle. Clarke also notes that there are currently 278 companies on a waiting list to exhibit at the world’s largest dairy trade show. “Given the multi-million dollar impact of this event and what it means for agri-business for both Dane County and the State of Wisconsin, we look forward to continue working as partners to make World Dairy Expo bigger and better by the year,” Falk said. Falk and Clarke were joined at the event by two show heifers from Partee Holsteins and Jerseys in Marshall, Wisconsin. The farm is owned by Ken and Kathy Elliott.