Delegate Adventures in Bulgaria By Terri Dallas, VP, Member Relations, GENEX
As a global cooperative, GENEX and its members, delegates, council members and employees have a unique opportunity to live out the cooperative principles outside the gates of their farm or ranch. Here, I share the story of a delegate’s and an employee’s recent travels. In May, GENEX delegate Raymond Diederich, a dairy producer from De Pere, Wisconsin, traveled to Bulgaria. The trip, taken alongside GENEX Global Dairy Product Manager Abby Tauchen, was part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Emerging Markets Program (EMP). As an agricultural cooperative, GENEX qualifies for EMP funds to help expand the export of U.S. products through technical assistance programs. Raymond and Abby represented the U.S. bovine genetics industry. The itinerary included visits to farms as well as a one-day seminar for 33 participants from across Bulgaria. During the seminar, Raymond presented a virtual tour of his farm and shared some of the challenges facing U.S. producers. Abby talked about the improving herds through genetics.
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GENEX Delegate Raymond Diederich of Wisconsin traveled to Bulgaria, visited dairy farms and presented Bulgarian cattle producers with a virtual tour of his farm.
After his return, Raymond shared his thoughts on the experience. Even though it was a couple months after his travels, it was easy to hear the enthusiasm in his voice. He explained how Bulgaria’s dairy industry is behind the U.S. in terms of technology, but in the same breath he noted, “It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, we all have the same challenges.” He chuckled as he told me of one young farmer who wanted to expand his operation, but his dad wouldn’t give him the money. This story hit close to home for Raymond, reminding him of past conversations with his own son. Raymond was surprised to see dairies located on the edge of Bulgarian cities rather than spread throughout the countryside as in the USA. He then realized the reason: power lines only reached to the edge of the cities. There
