Dairy Innovation Hub’s Sixth Annual Dairy Summit

In America’s Dairyland, it’s hard not to love all things dairy! I have a deep appreciation for the cattle, the farm families that take care of them, dairy products such as cheese and butter, and dairy research. The Dairy Innovation Hub harnesses research and development at UW–Madison, UW–Platteville, and UW–River Falls campuses to keep Wisconsin’s $52.8 billion dairy community at the global forefront in producing nutritious dairy products in an economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable manner.

On November 18, I attended the sixth annual Dairy Summit hosted at UW-River Falls. Approximately 175 people joined me in attending in-person, with an additional 75 participants joining virtually. From panel sessions to research talks, poster presentations and facility tours, “the Hub’s” newest projects were in the spotlight. This is one of two events that the Hub hosts throughout the year and is geared towards a general audience looking to learn more about dairy research, so the line-up of speakers and topics provided a little something for everyone in attendance. You can find the recorded sessions on YouTube to learn more. If you’re looking to learn about The Hub’s most advanced research and dive deeper into scientific topics, the annual Dairy Symposium event is just for you! Don’t miss this world-class dairy research gathering each May. All Hub events are free and open to the public to ensure that you can keep up with the latest dairy research. 

Sarah Hagenow, 78th Alice in Dairyland, and Randy Romanski, secretary of the WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, at the sixth annual Dairy Summit.

Some of my highlights from the Dairy Summit include networking with old friends and making new ones throughout the day, understanding more about the research projects that the Hub supports, and experiencing insightful campus tours at UW-River Falls. The high-impacts tours showcased the Wuetrich Family/Grassland Dairy Center of Excellence that creates dairy products sold right on campus, the meat plant that processes high-quality meat products, and the Humane Handling Institute. Each of these facilities and programs gives students hands-on experience, either with meat or dairy processing, and truly impacts career readiness once students graduate. For example, the Humane Handling Institute is the only of its kind in the nation that provides students with direct training for animal handling standards. With this connection and collaboration, the Hub is able to not only grow the next generation of animal science researchers but also enhance workforce development across the state.

There are several topics, disciplines, and research areas supported by the Dairy Innovation Hub. In fact, over 260 projects in four key priority areas have been funded by the Hub since its inception. One great example of a project is Dr. Lautaro Rostoll Cangiano’s research. Dr. Rostoll Cangiano is an assistant professor at UW-Madison, and he presented at the Summit on the role of colostrum in programming immune development of dairy calves. Calves are born immunologically naïve, meaning their immune system isn’t developed. They depend exclusively on colostrum for the transfer of immunity to help with protection against environmental pathogens during the first weeks of life, and as the calf’s immune system gradually matures over time. The goal of this research is to improve calf health and welfare, and develop best practice recommendations for Wisconsin dairy farmers, veterinarians, and dairy industry stakeholders on colostrum management.

The Hub helps move our Wisconsin dairy industry forward by advancing knowledge about cow care, dairy products, environmental sustainability, and everything in between. I'm looking forward to sharing more information about the Hub, their projects, and their impact throughout my time as the 78th Alice in Dairyland. If you are part of the academic audience or are interested in a more in-depth look at the Dairy Innovation Hub, be sure to sign up for the fifth annual Dairy Symposium happening May 12, 2026!

To learn more about the Dairy Innovation Hub and their research projects, visit https://dairyinnovationhub.wisc.edu.