Groundbreaking ceremony held for SDSU dairy plant renovation

South Dakota State University, its dairy industry partners and private donors held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the dairy plant renovation project at SDSU on Friday, May 7.

The planned remodeling and additions will turn the 50-year-old plant into a modernized dairy processing research and education plant laboratory. Construction is expected to start in June and the project should be completed during the summer of 2011.

The net estimated cost of the project, including the building and equipment, is approximately $9.3 million. All but $1 million is privately funded.

The project is made possible largely because of financial support from members of the Jackrabbit Dairy Council, which is composed of dairy industry partners and private individuals from across the country.

“I want to thank the members of the Jackrabbit Dairy Council because it really is a partnership,” SDSU President David L. Chicoine said in his remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony.

“It demonstrates that by building these partnerships we can have impact and we can make a difference in the lives of our students, in the lives of our stakeholders, and more importantly, in the lives of agriculture and the dairy sector and in the economic well-being of all of South Dakota,” Chicoine said.

Jon Davis, chief operating officer of Davisco Foods International, Inc., agreed. “This has been a tremendous team effort to this point and it will continue to be,” Davis told the nearly 150 people who attended the ceremony.

Corporate and private council members include:

• The American Dairy Association of SD/Midwest Dairy Association;
• Davisco Foods International, Inc., headquartered in Le Sueur, Minn.;
• ECOLAB, headquartered in St. Paul, Minn.;
• Glanbia Foods, Inc., headquartered in Twin Falls, Idaho; 
• Hilmar Cheese Company, headquartered in Hilmar, Calif.;   
• Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc., of Milbank, S.D.;
• the Gonzenbach family of Milbank;
• Jerry Lohr, a 1958 SDSU alumnus and president of J. Lohr Properties and J. Lohr Winery, both located in San Jose, Calif.;
• SA Education Foundation; and
• Tetra Pak, with U.S. headquarters in Vernon Hills, Ill. 

In addition, the Institute for Dairy Ingredient Processing is a research component of the new dairy plant. The Institute was formed by a partnership between SDSU, the ADA of South Dakota, the Midwest Dairy Association and Dairy Management Inc.

“Research continues to show that dairy-based ingredients provide exceptional nutrition, functionality and flavor to meet consumer demands for convenient and healthier food choices,” said Gregory D. Miller, Ph.D., M.A.C.N. and executive vice president of research, regulatory and scientific affairs for Dairy Management Inc. (DMI). “We are committed to these research efforts and proud to be a partner in the development of this facility as we explore the next generation of dairy ingredients and provide even greater options for our industry partners and product innovation.”

The facility will contain state-of-the art filtration, evaporation and drying equipment that will be used to conduct applied research on dairy-based ingredients. The purpose of the Institute for Dairy Ingredient Processing is to expand the portfolio of dairy-based ingredients produced by the United States for domestic and international markets.

“From the dairy farmers’ point of view, we need to create research and information to enhance the competition of dairy worldwide,” said Ginger Hanten, chair of the American Dairy Association of South Dakota. “We need to develop student knowledge today to support tomorrow’s dairy industry. With obesity in the forefront in today’s world, we need ongoing nutrition and product research. What better place to implement these needs than right here at South Dakota State University.”

The SDSU Dairy Science program is one of only two in the United States that effectively combines both dairy production and dairy manufacturing, which is demanded by today’s global, science-based dairy industry.

In 1959, the state Legislature authorized about $800,000 in state money to build the current dairy plant building. Vikram Mistry, professor and head of the Dairy Science Department, called that decision insightful because similar departments at many other universities were being shut down.

“In the 50 years that have passed since this building was constructed, hundreds of students have gone through the program and, in fact, served the dairy industry of this country in ways that the designers of the building and designers of the program had never even imagined,” Mistry said, adding his thanks to the dairy industry leaders and individuals who have supported the renovation project.

“I want to thank you for having faith in us and I want to thank you for showing us the direction and letting us ride on your shoulders,” he said. “We look forward to working with you for many, many years to come.”

In addition to remodeling the existing dairy plant area of 7,050 square feet, the project will add 10,850 square feet of space onto the east side of the existing lab, creating a state-of-the-art facility totaling 17,900 square feet.

Mistry said the renovation will ensure that the dairy industry in South Dakota and the surrounding region will continue to be both cutting-edge and globally competitive and an international leader. The plant will enable the SDSU Dairy Science program to better compete for the best faculty and students, he said. The project also will contribute to new and expanded economic opportunities for South Dakota and the region.

The Dairy Plant renovation is one of many projects being funded by gifts and pledges made to the SDSU Foundation in support of the university’s comprehensive campaign, It Starts with STATE. The Foundation is in the leadership phase of the largest comprehensive campaign in South Dakota history. It Starts with STATE: A Campaign for South Dakota State University has a working goal of $190 million. The campaign is designed to increase scholarships for students, strengthen faculty excellence, support expanded research opportunities, build and revitalize facilities, and invest in athletics, museums, the arts and international experiences.