It may not be on the PGA tour, but in terms of participation and fundraising success, the 2009 Dairy Science Golf Classic on May 13 was a world-class event. For the first time since the event was offered, all 36 team slots (144 golfers) were filled. The event also had a record number of sponsors: 62 vs 44 the year before. The tally of proceeds is still underway, but the event raised more than $30,000, reports Ric Grummer, dairy science department chair. About two-thirds of that will go to support large scholarships to attract dairy science students to UW-Madison. The rest will go to support intercollegiate competitions — the Dairy Cattle Judging Team and the Dairy Challenge Team.

“It was an amazing show of support from the dairy industry considering it is going through tough economic times resulting from low milk prices,” Grummer says. “We sincerely appreciate their investment in training future leaders of the dairy industry.”