The University of Illinois' Illini Dairy Club was founded in 1927 and has been running strong ever since. Today, our club is composed of around forty members.

The dairy club has meetings once a month during the school year, which are run by the president, but the floor is open to discussion and suggestions from the students at all times. Usually the Thursday before each meeting, the executive committee, meaning the officers and advisors for the club, meets to set up an agenda and discuss the upcoming meeting and any other issues the club has.

The club's activities during the fall include a Fall Call Out and Cow Olympiad. The Fall Call Out is the first meeting of the year, during which prospective members learn about our activities, advisors, club members, and officers. It is also a chance to reunite old members and catch up on the summer's events. The Cow Olympiad is held in early October and provides a chance for members to get hands-on experience with dairy cows and all they have to offer.

November brings the cheese sales activities in preparation for the Christmas season. Club members use the proceeds from the cheese sales to fund some of their activities. The November meeting also is the time for candidates for leadership roles in the club to begin looking forward to the December elections. In December, the seniors of the club get together and choose who they think would best fill each position, coming up with a "Senior Slate." The choices are presented at the December meeting and if everyone approves it passes, but it may also be voted down, and a regular election procedure follows.

The spring semester becomes very busy with activities. The beginning to middle of February marks the annual Midwest Regional ADSA-SAD meetings, which are held at a different state university each year. Our club hosted these meetings in 1995 and 2001.

Outgoing seniors put on the University of Illinois Invitational Judging Contest. The contest is open to all 4-H, FFA, U of I students and any others who wish to attend. There are even experienced and inexperienced collegiate divisions.

The Dairy Club Awards Banquet is held the same day as the judging contest and it honors and recognizes the club's outstanding members and achievements throughout the year. Proud parents, faculty of the Animal Sciences Department, scholarship donors and the person or persons whom the Pipeline is dedicated to attend the banquet.

Even though the school year is over, that doesn't mean the work is. During the Illinois State Fair, the Dairy Club, along with the U of I Dairy Farm, has an exhibit. The Dairy Farm shows their animals in the State Fair, while the Dairy Club puts on their Milk-A-Cow booth. This is the club's moneymaker and several members of the Dairy Club give up their summer freedom to work the booth and help with the exhibit at the State Fair.

This is only a piece of what the Dairy Club is all about. The Pipeline goes into more detail of the club's activities over the past year. If you are interested in the University of Illinois or in becoming a member of the Illini Dairy Club, please contact one of the following people: