Name: Brianna Wanek
Year in School: Junior
Major: Dairy science with a certificate in environmental science
Hometown: Cashton
Why did you decide to join Collegiate Farm Bureau?
Growing up and working on a 400-cow dairy farm with my parents who were very active in Farm Bureau, specifically the Young Farmer and Agriculturist program, instilled my love for agriculture. I have fond memories of going to county Farm Bureau annual meetings and cookouts and getting to meet other members in the organization. As a very active FFA member, I attended FFA Farm Forum. I learned more about Farm Bureau and what the organization stood for. When I started college, joining Collegiate Farm Bureau seemed like the perfect solution to finding other students who share the same love for agriculture as I do. Currently, I serve as the UW-Madison Collegiate Farm Bureau’s vice president and second-year cheese stand chair.
Why should other students consider joining?
Collegiate Farm Bureau is not just for students who grew up on farms or in the agricultural industry. It truly is a group of people who love agriculture of all kinds and those who are interested in learning more about agriculture. The chapter goes on different trips throughout the year to learn about different industries and see things we may not have seen before. We have the opportunity to attend the YFA Conference every year, which allows us to network with Farm Bureau members and other Collegiate Farm Bureau members.
World Dairy Expo Cheese Stand
What is the cheese stand?
Every year, the cheese stand at World Dairy Expo is staffed by Collegiate Farm Bureau and Badger Dairy Club members and serves as our largest fundraiser. We sell grilled cheese sandwiches, chocolate shakes and many other items. A fan favorite is the specialty cheese sandwiches, where we get to showcase different cheeses from across Wisconsin. This is organized by staff at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. We also hold a coupon program that more than 40 trade show exhibitors participate in. Trade Show Exhibitors create a coupon to hand out at the show and we count the ones that are turned into the cheese stand and send an invoice to the companies. The companies have full creative control over what the coupons look like and it is always fun seeing what is created.
How many sandwiches and shakes were served this year?
We estimate that we sold more than 19,000 sandwiches and 15,000 shakes.
What do the proceeds from the cheese stand support?
The proceeds from the cheese stand are split between the organizations. Collegiate Farm Bureau uses the money for our spring trip. The spring trip’s purpose is to go to a different state and learn about that state’s agriculture industry. We go on agricultural tours and visit a college. It’s a lot of fun and a great learning opportunity for our members. The money also goes towards other activities during the year like Ag Day on Campus.
Any other information you want to share?
We could not do what we do without generous sponsors. All of the cheese and butter is donated by AMPI and Dinner Bell. We also get generous donations from Brevant, Cargill and this year, C.O. Next. We truly are grateful for their support.
Spotlight originally appeared in the December | January 2022-2023 Rural Route.
Leave a Reply