University of Minnesota alumnus, students honored

ROSEVILLE, Minn. — Accepting the Gopher Dairy Club’s Golden Graduate Award Feb. 25, Lucas Sjostrom shared his philosophy to “be transparent, take the high road and do the right thing.” That mantra has allowed him to pursue a dairy-focused career since his University of Minnesota graduation in 2009.

Each year, at the club’s banquet, the club singles out a graduate who has put his or her degree to good use impacting the dairy industry, with Sjostrom as the 15th recipient. Incidentally, he was a member of the club’s executive committee when the award was established.

The Lafayette native has been executive director of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association for seven years but began his post-collegiate work in Vermont. There, he worked in government relations and communications for Holstein Association USA before moving to a role at Hoard’s Dairyman in Wisconsin.

By 2013, Sjostrom was back in Minnesota, pursuing a master’s degree in animal science and writing for Dairy Herd Management. At that time, he and his wife, Alise, moved to her home dairy farm near Brooten, where the couple started a farmstead cheese plant with Alise’s parents, Jerry and Linda Jennissen. Redhead Creamery has since won worldwide accolades for its artisan cheese.

Now, the foursome is preparing to launch Redhead Creamery Spirits, offering a value-added market for the farm’s whey through an on-farm distillery and restaurant. It is a business Sjostrom joked about as he accepted the GDC honor.

“We should all have learned how to make liquor from milk,” he said, drawing a chuckle from the crowd.

In some ways, he said, his role at the farm and creamery are similar.

“There are many, many times I can bring my experience to one of those hats from another,” Sjostrom said. “But, there are also times that I have to disclose my bias. Overall, it’s probably been one of the most useful understandings I’ve had — especially in my understanding of whey. I expect if you spent a few days in a whey plant and saw products go out the door, you’d get it. But as one of the largest profit drivers of the past three decades for Minnesota, I believe we can do more … to help innovate and push even further.”

Sjostrom’s credentials were presented by Robin Kinney of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, who praised his variety of work in the industry.

Kinney said Sjostrom is able to explain one of the most complex dairy issues — milk marketing — simply. His role with Minnesota Milk and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative has involved him in extensive lobbying and policy discussions, including the most recent Federal Milk Marketing Order hearings.

Sjostrom, for his part, urged the GDC banquet crowd to call their legislators and the University of Minnesota Board of Regents about agricultural issues. He said it is time to invest in the university’s efforts that stem from the St. Paul campus.

In addition, the club singled out student scholarship winners and recognized dairy judging and dairy challenge accomplishments.

The $2,000 Douglas Siem Memorial Award was presented to GDC’s highest-ranking scholarship recipient, Jacob Harbaugh, of Marion, Wisconsin. The club awards multiple scholarships each spring to incoming members of the club.

Three club members were recognized with awards reflecting their role in club activities. 

Ben Styer, of Menomonie, Wisconsin, received the R.W. Touchberry Award as outstanding junior in animal science.

Brady Gille was recognized with the Dylan Fulton Outstanding Rookie Award. Gille is from Sobieski. 

Winning the Dr. Bill Mudge Outstanding Senior Award was Isaac Rott of Elgin.