Agricultural Adventurers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- West Springfield Mass. -- May 27, 2009
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MAURICE MIX RECIPIENT OF BIG E AGRICULTURAL ADVENTURERS AWARD
The New England Fellowship of Agricultural Adventurers presented Maurice Mix, of Brattleboro, Vermont, with the 2009 Agricultural Adventurers Award at the annual meeting of trustees of Eastern States Exposition, May 21, in West Springfield, Mass.
Mix led two of the most important departments of the Holstein Association USA, Inc. He began his career as the director of Classification Services in 1967. Under Mix's guidance, the classification program grew rapidly and became known as the best classification program of dairy cattle in the world.
In 1978, Mix was promoted to the position of director of International Affairs for the Association. In the role, he was responsible for the management of all international activities of the Holstein Association, with emphasis on market development, public relations, animal health standards and finance.
Integrity, fairness and knowledge, combined with the ability to effectively communicate with people of different cultures, and his willingness to help patiently, have always been Mix's trademark in international activities.
Known as "Mr. Holstein" throughout this country and the world, his relentless passion for educating foreign and domestic dairy industry leaders on the benefits and advantages of milking Holsteins as a profitable business or as a source of food in different countries is legendary.
Many dairy producers in the U.S. are benefiting today from the work Mix has done. Mix was instrumental in opening markets overseas for U.S. Holsteins during the 1970s and 80s, the period when the "Holstein-ization" of the world dairy industry occurred. He devoted much of his time to help foreign countries develop functional herdbooks as a way to maintain and grow the Holstein breed worldwide.
He also taught dairy producers to understand the U.S. classification system as a way to improve the genetics of their cattle. He understood that the main interest of buyers is good cattle from the United States with functional type and production supported by unbiased and reliable information contained in a registry certificate and pedigree.
The New York native graduated from Cornell University in 1950 where he was chancellor of Alpha Zeta Fraternity, a national agricultural honorary fraternity. While in college, he was a member of the Cornell Dairy Cattle and General Livestock judging teams. In 1994, he received the prestigious Cornell University College of Agriculture and Sciences Outstanding Alumni Award.
Mix has continually given service to the dairy industry and his community. He is a past member of the Board of Trustees of the Holstein Foundation and Board of Directors of the Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce, as well as a former member of the Brattleboro Rotary Club.
Although "officially retired," he continues to be actively involved in a number of industry and community associations.
He was honored with the World Dairy Expo's Industry Person of the Year award in 2005.
He and his wife Alice are the proud parents of two grown daughters and a son.
Since 1953, the Fellowship of Agricultural Adventurers has honored outstanding leaders in New England agriculture. A special committee, appointed by the trustees of Eastern States Exposition, selects its annual fellow on the basis of innovation, pioneering and lifetime dedication to the betterment of agriculture.
The Big E takes place September 18 - Oct. 4, 2009 in West Springfield, Mass.
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