Junior Membership

Any youth 9-21 years of age who owns one registered Brown Swiss animal can become a junior member. Wisconsin Brown Swiss Junior Membership is $5/yr. Junior Membership allows youth to show at state shows, enter youth contests, become a junior officer, participate at junior outings/events and be eligible for the share a heifer program.

PHOTO CREDIT: Tammy Rule

 February 15

 February 20 

 February 25

Wisconsin Brown Swiss Junior Officer & Queen Profiles

President

Joseph Opsal, Blue Mounds, Wis.

Joseph Opsal is the 20-year-old son of Troy Opsal and Jane Sarbacker. He works on his family’s dairy farm, Opsal’s Ridge, in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. They currently milking 80 Holsteins and 2 Brown Swiss. He is pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Commercial Photography at Madison College, with plans to eventually take over the family dairy farm and have a photography business on the side. He recently completed his term on the Junior Activities Committee for the Wisconsin Holstein Association, and is very excited to bring those skills and experiences gained from this role to the Wisconsin Brown Swiss Junior Association serving as the 2019 President. He was also the 2018 Wisconsin Junior Brown Swiss President.

Vice-President

Natalie Roe, Monticello, Wis.

Hello! My name is Natalie Roe and I am honored to be the 2019 Wisconsin Brown Swiss Queen. I am the daughter of Dan and Sally Roe, and I have two younger brothers, Nick and Alex. I currently attend Monticello High School, where I am very involved at school, participating in many extracurricular activities which include FBLA, Spanish and Investment Clubs, Volleyball, and Track & Field. I have been an active member of the Washington Center 4-H Club for eight years, including serving as the current President. I am also a very active member of the Monticello FFA Chapter, having participated in many activities, such as dairy judging, soil judging, speaking contests, and more.

I have enjoyed showing Brown Swiss ever since I was little. My involvement in the Wisconsin Brown Swiss Association has grown and expanded my dairy knowledge, and my passion for Brown Swiss. I am very excited to represent the Wisconsin Brown Swiss Association this year as 2019 Wisconsin Brown Swiss Queen. I want to share with others the wonderful assets of this breed, be an advocate for our Association, as well as the dairy industry as a whole. I am excited to attend as many events as I can this coming year, and if you would like to see me at your event, please email me at natroe02@gmail.com. I am looking forward to meeting many of you this year!

~Natalie, 2019 Wisconsin Brown Swiss Queen & Jr. Vice-President

Secretary

Sarah Hagenow, Poynette, Wis.

Sarah Hagenow is the 16 year old daughter of Bob and Lisa Hagenow from Poynette, Wis. She is a sophomore at Rio High School, where she is involved in several activities, such as basketball, track, FFA, and FBLA. Outside of school, she has found her passion for dairy cattle, specifically within the Brown Swiss breed. She became involved with the brown cow in 2016, and has since started her own line of cattle with the prefix Sar-Boh. She is exstatic to be a part of the 2019 jr. officer team and she is looking forward to a great year ahead!

The Nelson McCammon Share-A-Heifer Program

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

The Share-A-Heifer Program is a special chance for youth to get involved with Wisconsin Brown Swiss. Founded by the late Nelson McCammon, of Monroe, the program is open to youth ages 9-19 for heifers and 9-18 for cows, as of January 1. Applicants must be Wisconsin residents and become members of the Wisconsin Junior and National Junior Brown Swiss Associations. Award recipients receive a grant for 50% (up to a $1,000 total) of the purchase price of a Registered Brown Swiss female of any age. Twelve youth have purchased Registered Brown Swiss heifers since the project started in 2013. Its mission is to help youth from all breeds, interested in working with dairy cattle gain hands on experience with high quality Registered Brown Swiss.

Applications and project reports will be due to the WI/McCammon Youth Heifer Program Committee , c/o Josh Hushon, W330 S5245 Meadowlark Lane, North Prairie, WI 53153 by Feb. 15th. Winners will be presented at the Wisconsin Brown Swiss Annual Meeting.  For questions - contact Josh Hushon at 920-342-0611 or josh2632@yahoo.com.

About  Nelson McCammon:

Nelson McCammon was born September 29, 1919 and passed May 21, 2012.  He was raised on a diversified dairy farm in southwest Indiana. He graduated from Carlisle High School and attended Purdue University. He earned a Bronze Star during his four years of service in the 38th Infantry Div. of the U.S. Army while stationed in the Pacific, New Guinea, and the Philippine Islands. Nelson worked for the Curtiss Candy Company Dairy in Chicago for seven years. He mainly worked with their show cattle and became Herdsman for their Brown Swiss and Holstein Herds. He later managed Rolling Acres Guernsey’s in Illinois, CB Farms Brown Swiss of Connecticut and Indiana. Nelson was in charge of the show herds for Norvic Farm Brown Swiss in Lake Mills WI, as well as Cold Springs Brown Swiss, Monroe, WI, and Red Brae Brown Swiss, Eagle, WI. He and his wife Lois bought her parents farm in Clarno Township, Monroe, WI which he named Nelsland. There he bred and developed several All American winning Brown Swiss. In 1959, Nelson won the prestigious Klussendorf award which honors ability, character and sportsmanship in the dairy show ring. A mentor to many, Nelson was always willing to help youth interested in Brown Swiss. He spearheaded the Wisconsin Brown Swiss Breeders Share-A-Heifer program which gave WI youth practical experience with cattle. He also annually supported national youth involvement through the Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders Association. 

2019 Grant Winners

(l-r) Heidi Heller-committee member, recipients-Josie Kinnard, Hunter Holewinski, James Wanke and presenter-Josh Hushon 
 

Congrats 2018 Bell Ringer Winners