CRI Hosts International Dairy Seminars

SHAWANO, Wis. - Cooperative Resources International (CRI) recently hosted two seminars sponsored by the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service Emerging Markets Program. Each seminar was designed to enhance and expand markets for U.S. agriculture and benefit the U.S. agricultural industry.

"CRI earned the opportunity to host the seminars through a competitive grant selection process," explained Keith Heikes, Vice President, International Programs, CRI. "The seminars provided international guests with valuable knowledge of U.S. agriculture and of the potential benefits from utilizing U.S. agricultural products. Hosting the seminars was also a great opportunity for CRI to demonstrate its leadership within the dairy genetics industry."

The first seminar was held in Washington, D.C., during March. Key dairy industry professionals from Brazil, Poland, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia and India attended along with agricultural attachés or embassy staff from the listed countries. The seminar, focused on genomics applied science, included presentations by USDA AIPL, the American Jersey Cattle Association, Holstein Association USA and CRI. Seminar attendees gained up-to-the-minute knowledge of developments in U.S. genomics and the inclusion of genomic information into sire evaluations.

CRI hosted 14 guests from India at the Dairy Genetics Summit held in Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin in early May. The USDA AIPL, American Jersey Cattle Association, Holstein Association USA and CRI again led educational sessions as did the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the United States Agency for International Development. While in Wisconsin, guests traveled to the University of Wisconsin, the CRI world headquarters and the headquarters of two CRI subsidiaries, Genex Cooperative, Inc. and AgSource Cooperative Services. The goal of this seminar was to illustrate dairy improvement in the U.S. and demonstrate methods to improving the profitability of Indian dairy producers through U.S. inputs.

These seminars represent another step in CRI's efforts towards international agribusiness development. For 40 years, CRI has been revitalizing agribusiness, adapting U.S. livestock technologies and facilitating trade around the world.

CRI, a member-owned holding cooperative, is comprised of three subsidiaries: Central Livestock Association, AgSource Cooperative Services and Genex Cooperative, Inc. The CRI mission statement summarizes the goal of CRI: "To provide products and services as effectively as possible to maximize the profitability of members and customers worldwide while maintaining a strong cooperative."

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