Minnesota DHIA

10/13/2026

Upcoming Dairy Auction:

10/06/2026

Looking for more ease and affordability for your preg checks? The Luehmann's started using MnDHIA for their preg checks 10 years ago and haven't looked back. Read about their experience here!

10/01/2026

Congratulations on your retirement, Malcolm!

After six decades with DHIA, it is hard to put into words the impact you have made on our organization, dairy farmers, and the many people you have worked alongside over the years.

It has truly been an honor to have you as part of the Minnesota DHIA team. Thank you for your incredible dedication, years of service, and commitment to the dairy industry.

A true DHIA legend. Wishing you all the best in a very well-earned retirement!

After 60 years, Malcolm Dirksen turned in his last set of milk samples. His career came about by accident, helping the area's milk tester after the previous tester had given his 30-day notice. When Dirksen went to put the equipment in his truck, he was turned away. 60 years later, he is putting the equipment away for good.

Read more about Dirksen on DairyStar.com: https://dairystar.com/stories/no-more-tests-dirksen-retires-after-six-decades,31398?

09/17/2026

Many of you may remember our long time and first Minnesota DHIA General Manager, John S. Halvorson. Sadly, we have learned that John passed away last week. We thank John for his many years of Leadership he dedicated to Minnesota DHIA.

John Sverre Halvorson passed away September 8, 2026, after a long and full life rooted in faith, community, and deep devotion to those he loved. Born January 19, 1939, on a farm in Big Bend Township, Chippewa County, John was the first child and only son of Palmer and Lavina (Eide) Halvorson.

John dedicated his career to agricultural education and service. He worked as a County Extension Agent in several Minnesota counties, supporting youth through 4-H and strengthening rural communities. He later served as Director of Agronomy Services for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and became the first General Manager of the Minnesota Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA).

His service earned numerous honors, including the National DHIA Martin A. Wilson Memorial Award (1996), the Minnesota DHIA Distinguished Service Award (1998), the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce Honored Citizen (2001), and the Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service (2002). John was a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.

08/26/2026

🎡 The Minnesota State Fair is officially underway! 🐄🌽🎠

Tonight, a new Princess Kay of the Milky Way will be crowned, kicking off another year of celebrating Minnesota’s dairy industry, agriculture and the incredible young people who help tell agriculture’s story.

At Minnesota DHIA, we’re proud to play a small part in supporting 4-Hers, dairy princesses, and their families as they learn, compete and showcase their hard work—including through youth judging (judging notebooks pictured below) and showcase opportunities at the Fair.

Here’s to a great State Fair, proud families, hardworking 4-Hers and another year of celebrating Minnesota agriculture! 💙🐮

08/19/2026

~~~ Cows For Sale~~~~
Contact Duane Laveau at 218.390.6202.

08/06/2026

🎉 Celebrating Malcolm Dirksen, Milbank SD! 🎉
Today, August 6, marks a truly remarkable milestone: Malcolm Dirksen’s 60th anniversary as a field technician—and his retirement from Minnesota DHIA!

When asked what it feels like to reach 60 years of service, Malcolm quietly remarked, “I don’t think it has quite sunk in yet!” And how is he celebrating the occasion? Fittingly, with an ice cream cone—a sweet tribute to the milk produced by the dairy farmers he has served throughout his extraordinary career. 🍦🐄

Malcolm, we are deeply grateful for the commitment, relationships, and history you have built along the way. This photo from 2007 documents one of those many occasions when Field Techs gather for training and relationship-building, an activity you never missed! (By the way, you haven't aged a bit!)

Six decades of dedication to dairy farmers in South Dakota and Minnesota is an accomplishment few can imagine, much less achieve. Congratulations, Malcolm, on 60 years of service and a very well-earned retirement!

Please join us in wishing Malcolm all the best in this next chapter! 🎊

06/26/2026

Congratulations to Scott & Michelle Herber of ShadyCrest Holsteins!

Congratulations to Scott & Michelle Herber of ShadyCrest Holsteins in Utica, Minnesota, on being recognized as a 2026 Platinum 7 lb Club Winner.
The 7 lb Club recognizes herds that produce exceptional levels of milk solids. To earn this recognition, herds must be nominated and verified to produce an average of 7 pounds of combined fat and protein per cow per day over an entire year.
We're proud to see a Minnesota DHIA herd receive this well-deserved recognition. Congratulations to the Herber family on this outstanding achievement.

06/24/2026

Last week, Minnesota DHIA staff had the opportunity to visit DRMS, (Dairy Records Management Systems), in Ames, Iowa, for hands-on training and a deeper look at the tools behind dairy herd records and reporting.

DRMS plays an important role in helping DHIA organizations turn milk testing data, herd records, and management information into useful reports and insights for dairy producers.

For Minnesota DHIA members, this continued training helps our team better support producers with record interpretation, software questions, herd management tools, and data-driven decision making. Whether it is understanding reports, navigating herd information, or finding ways to use individual cow data more effectively, our goal is to help members get more value from their DHIA records.

We are grateful for the opportunity to keep learning, strengthen our partnership with DRMS, and bring that knowledge back to better serve Minnesota DHIA members.

Pictured: Hannah Molitor, Dairy Technical Advisor; Paige Frenchick, Summer Intern; and Amy Loeschke, General Manager.

06/15/2026

Please join us in congratulating our 2026 Minnesota DHIA Field Excellence Award recipients!

The Field Excellence Award recognizes Field Technicians with 5 or more years of service who exemplify excellence in serving member herds and building trusted relationships with the dairy producers they work alongside each day.

Minnesota DHIA is proud to have field staff who choose to build long careers serving the dairy industry. Their experience, consistency, and commitment to producers are an important part of the value we provide to our members.

Congratulations to this year’s recipients:

• Pat Maciej, Holdingford • 36 Years
• Don Heise, Lake City • 20 Years
• Stephanie Tienter, Harmony • 13 Years
• Tracie Vikla, Lonsdale • 10 Years

Thank you, Pat, Don, Stephanie, and Tracie for your years of service and for the lasting impact you continue to make on DHIA members and Minnesota DHIA.