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Careers in Dairy Manufacturing
SY~[P 0 SIU]~i
than any student how to teach a subject. But students think they know; nowadays, more than in years past, they are growing more vociferous ; the teacher takes unwarranted abuse. Many students who witness this situation avow they never want to be subjected to such ordeals. 7. I n respect to dairy research, some students look upon it as a drab, confining, unrewarding occupation. REWARDS IN
THIS CAREER
I t was 44 years ago next September that I took my first position as a dairy teacher at the University of Minnesota. Subsequently, I've worked in three other universities. I've undergone all the tribulations and ordeals just mentioned, but never for a moment have I regretted that I was engaged in Dairy Education and Research. The rewards have f a r outweighed the trials. And I'm sure there are dozens of my contemporaries and hundreds of younger men in this work who can submit the same testimony. Here, I am not intimating you should all contemplate this career. Most of you can and will achieve notable successes in other phases of our industry. But for all of you, I'd like to enumerate the rewards that can be anticipated in Education and Research. 1. Average salaries are adequate. Ethically, it might be preferable that a topic so mundane as salary not be mentioned first, but I shall not apologize. I'll not even propose it be considered of lesser importance. For a man of my limited abilities, and in view of the fact the services I have rendered have been only moderately effective, the monetary rewards have been highly satisfactory, at least to me. I'm not sure how my employers may have felt. Maybe some o~her phase of our industry could have afforded me greater re-
CAREERS
IN DAIRY
1949
turn. I don't know what other phase it could have been. 2. Education and Research work in a university offers a high degree of security. Although I would hope that such is not true, it is possible this job security may lead some staff members into a state of lethargy toward their work; they may tend to coast. 3. A university professor seldom is under the pressures and demands for results that are the bane of workers in some other phase of our industry. The fierce competition of industry is not encountered. 4. Unequalled social and cultural opportunities characterize the lives of university professors and their families. 5. By nature, workers in Education and Research in our industry are adept in maintaining contacts with farmers, breeders, plant owners~ operators, and dairy organizations, and in serving the individuals and groups. 6. Rewarding experiences in these contacts and services are inevitable. They are useful in the faculty members' teaching and research. 7. No man in any career can enjoy a greater reward than can a dairy research worker who,
by application of known scientific principles, can evolve procedures to avoid problems and improve practices in dMry production, processing, or distribution. 8. Effective professors find untold pleasures in the opportunity to work with students, to guide them in their development, to arouse their interests in obtaining further knowledge, to help advance these students in their careers. 9. And the culminating reward of all, in Education and Research, is to observe the quite universal successes of the former students who now are co-workers, as they progress in their careers in the dairy industry.
MANUFACTURING
It. :F. JUDI
Procurement of dairy raw materials. Purchasing of supplies and equipment. Plant supervision. Research and quality control. Engineering. Transportation. Accounting.
8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
Insurance.
Taxes. Legal. Personnel. Public relations. Sales. Executive Management.
II. Is your college training opening the doors for opportunity I n the processing division one needs training in dairy technology, with emphasis on the sciences for quality control and research and on business administration for company operation.
1950
JOUa~AL OF D~IaV SCIENCE
One hears a good deal about the curriculum for the dairy technology student. While I would not belittle its importance, I feel it is not nearly as important as the type of training the graduate gets after he enters business and how well he applies himself to a continued program of education. There is abundant proof of this when one considers the type of training that many successful men in the dairy business received while they were in the college or university. Some of the older successful college men now in the dairy business took a very general course in college; in fact, about everything that was offered. This curriculum was much different from what many would consider adequate today, but by application they became very successful. There are a number of earmarks of the college-educated man that are not measured on report cards. A man is seemingly born with a certain amount of the elements that involve what we call personality. The university should do everything possible to develop these personality traits. The teacher should stimulate the student to do his best and more than he has to do to get by. Every student, regardless of his major choice, should be given plenty of training in oral and written English. The lack of ability to sell oneself and the work one is doing is the major reason some people do not attain important positions. A college student has ample opportunity to learn to get along with all types of individuals and he should make the most of this opportunity. I n carrying on a busy program, both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities, the student has an opportunity to learn to plan his work and work his plan, to make the best use of his time. I n later life, this will be found extremely important. Another very important success essential that a man should start developing in college is the ability to make prompt decisions. Decisionmaking in business on the part of men in key positions may represent the difference between a profitable and unprofitable business. I I I . On-the-job qualifications: I n addition to the basic qualifications just mentioned, the dairy business requires: 1. Men with good health. 2. Clean habits. The man who is slovenly about his appearance has no place in a dairy plant. 3. Promptness and regularity. No plant can operate efficiently unless employees report to the job on time. Absenteeism for any avoidable reason can not be tolerated. 4. Job interest. A man must be extremely interested in his job and do more than
he has to to get by, and at odd times learn something about the jobs that lie ahead. 5. Cooperativeness. F o r smooth-running organization a man needs to have a happy disposition, get along well with his fellow workers, and be willing to do his share of the work. 6. Why and how. A man must know why as well as how his job should be done and as a supervisor be able to teach others. 7. Handling people. As a supervisor~ one must be able to handle people in a way that they will work for him, look up to him, and respect him. It is a fact that dairy companies, in general, have been woefully weak in handling and training college graduates. To help improve this situation, the American Dairy Science Association published a Dairy Industry Plant Training Manual about a year and one-half ago. Over 1,500 of these manuals have been sold to industry. Time prevents discussing this book in detail, except to say that if every one entering the dairy processing business makes all the studies and answers all the questions listed in this manual, he can not help having a more interesting and successful life. Every graduate entering the dairy processing business should purchase one of these manuals and whether or not the company with which he is connected uses the manual in installing a training program, the graduate by applying himself can do much to train himself by using this manual. IV. Advantages of the dairy industry for a life career. Among the many advantages of the dairy industry for a life's career are the following: 1. The industry provides steady employment. 2. The dairy industry is so widespread that one can work in it and live almost anywhere, in the country he chooses. 3. There is satisfaction to be gained in knowing one is working for the public good, since dairy products are so essential and so universally used. 4. The industry offers an infinite variety of work, all of which makes life very interesting. V. Remuneration and chance for advancement. Starting salaries in the commercial dairy business are equal to those in other fields, with the possible exception of engineering. I t is quite possible that key positions in the dairy industry, at least below those of top management, do not pay as high an annual salary as some of those operating on a higher percentage
SYMPOSIUM
of profit, and the defense industries. I t must be kept in mind that in the dairy business, as well as in other businesses, it generally takes time to attain a key position. A survey that I made just a few years ago in a number of companies showed that the time from start to what might be called a key position averaged about twenty years. Of course, there are certain things, such as marrying the president's daughter, that can alter this, but these cases are the
CAREERS
IN DAIRY
1951
exception rather than the rule. Patience is a great virtue and one must have it. VI. Outlook for the future. The trend is toward fewer but larger units, which are going to requLre men of high caliber to operate. Population is increasing steadily. This means ever-increasing consumption of dairy products. I t can truthfully be said that the future never looked brighter.
PRODUCTION
l=]:. A. HER~AI7, Executive Secretary National Association of Artificial Breeders, Columbia, Missouri I t is a pleasure to address the Student Section of the American Dairy Science Association and discuss briefly with you Careers in Dairy Production. There is no subject closer to my heart. As a dairy farmer and cattle breeder, as a professor of Dairy Production for nearly 25 years, and with some eight years of experience in my present position, I have formed some very definite opinions regarding the future. The ideas I present are gathered from experience and observation over the entire dairy production field. EUTURE
NEVER
I~IORE
CHALLENGING
I n my opinion, the future for a worthwhile career in dairy production was never more promising. At the same time, I am sure the man who is successful in this field in the future must be better prepared from the standpoint of knowledge, judgment, business sense, and courage than the dairy production major who graduated twenty years ago. This is largely because of the tremendous changes in our agricultural picture in the past twenty years. The dairy production picture has changed a great deal. As you know, in 1945 we had nearly five million farmers. Now we have only about three and one-third million. We had well over one million dairy farms selling milk or cream-now we have only about 985,000. Our average farm is larger by 100 acres. We have 25% less milk cows and some 25% fewer dairy farmers. I n 1916, our average DtIIA-tested herd was 16 cows. Now it is 44 head and still growing. The producer-distributor has almost disappeared. So have many of our small creameries. Our local cooperative creameries so vital to the dairy farmer 20 to 30 years ago have merged, joined with, or sold out, to a national dairy operation, or have folded up. I n this
milk business we have developed volume operations that result in the cheapest and best bottle of milk in the world, delivered to our consuming public. We have moved into an area where service and selling, as well as producing and processing, play a vital part~ At the same time, we have increased emphasis upon a quality product. I n the milk-producing business we would not want the quality picture otherwise. We also have come to recognize the dairy business, both production and products fields, as part of a highly developed and highly competitive field. I t is a business that requires more capital investment per worker than any phase of agriculture and, as you know, the investment per average farm worker is $27,000 and in industry it is only about $15,000 per man. I can cite you successful dairy production operations where the investment per worker is in the area of $30,000 to $50,000 per m a n - - l a n d , cattle, buildings, equipment, etc. Dairymen who recognize this challenge and meet it are making a living and a fair return on the investment. Any man who desires a career in dairy production can succeed if he has the correct perspective of the job ahead. I should be the last person in the world to criticize our teaching in agricultural colleges, but I do not hesitate to say that in my opinion there is often too much attention and time spent on minute details and the student never gets a glimpse of the broad picture he faces when he graduates. Frankly, I feel that any student who wishes to succeed in this field should bury his diploma good and deep, not haggle too much about starting salary and time off, and get a few years of good hard-headed experience--if he hasn't had it before--and then start to build his career. He then will find his college training invaluable and, along with good work habits, his career will begin to unfold.
than any student how to teach a subject. But students think they know; nowadays, more than in years past, they are growing more vociferous ; the teacher takes unwarranted abuse. Many students who witness this situation avow they never want to be subjected to such ordeals. 7. I n respect to dairy research, some students look upon it as a drab, confining, unrewarding occupation. REWARDS IN
THIS CAREER
I t was 44 years ago next September that I took my first position as a dairy teacher at the University of Minnesota. Subsequently, I've worked in three other universities. I've undergone all the tribulations and ordeals just mentioned, but never for a moment have I regretted that I was engaged in Dairy Education and Research. The rewards have f a r outweighed the trials. And I'm sure there are dozens of my contemporaries and hundreds of younger men in this work who can submit the same testimony. Here, I am not intimating you should all contemplate this career. Most of you can and will achieve notable successes in other phases of our industry. But for all of you, I'd like to enumerate the rewards that can be anticipated in Education and Research. 1. Average salaries are adequate. Ethically, it might be preferable that a topic so mundane as salary not be mentioned first, but I shall not apologize. I'll not even propose it be considered of lesser importance. For a man of my limited abilities, and in view of the fact the services I have rendered have been only moderately effective, the monetary rewards have been highly satisfactory, at least to me. I'm not sure how my employers may have felt. Maybe some o~her phase of our industry could have afforded me greater re-
CAREERS
IN DAIRY
1949
turn. I don't know what other phase it could have been. 2. Education and Research work in a university offers a high degree of security. Although I would hope that such is not true, it is possible this job security may lead some staff members into a state of lethargy toward their work; they may tend to coast. 3. A university professor seldom is under the pressures and demands for results that are the bane of workers in some other phase of our industry. The fierce competition of industry is not encountered. 4. Unequalled social and cultural opportunities characterize the lives of university professors and their families. 5. By nature, workers in Education and Research in our industry are adept in maintaining contacts with farmers, breeders, plant owners~ operators, and dairy organizations, and in serving the individuals and groups. 6. Rewarding experiences in these contacts and services are inevitable. They are useful in the faculty members' teaching and research. 7. No man in any career can enjoy a greater reward than can a dairy research worker who,
by application of known scientific principles, can evolve procedures to avoid problems and improve practices in dMry production, processing, or distribution. 8. Effective professors find untold pleasures in the opportunity to work with students, to guide them in their development, to arouse their interests in obtaining further knowledge, to help advance these students in their careers. 9. And the culminating reward of all, in Education and Research, is to observe the quite universal successes of the former students who now are co-workers, as they progress in their careers in the dairy industry.
MANUFACTURING
It. :F. JUDI
Procurement of dairy raw materials. Purchasing of supplies and equipment. Plant supervision. Research and quality control. Engineering. Transportation. Accounting.
8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
Insurance.
Taxes. Legal. Personnel. Public relations. Sales. Executive Management.
II. Is your college training opening the doors for opportunity I n the processing division one needs training in dairy technology, with emphasis on the sciences for quality control and research and on business administration for company operation.
1950
JOUa~AL OF D~IaV SCIENCE
One hears a good deal about the curriculum for the dairy technology student. While I would not belittle its importance, I feel it is not nearly as important as the type of training the graduate gets after he enters business and how well he applies himself to a continued program of education. There is abundant proof of this when one considers the type of training that many successful men in the dairy business received while they were in the college or university. Some of the older successful college men now in the dairy business took a very general course in college; in fact, about everything that was offered. This curriculum was much different from what many would consider adequate today, but by application they became very successful. There are a number of earmarks of the college-educated man that are not measured on report cards. A man is seemingly born with a certain amount of the elements that involve what we call personality. The university should do everything possible to develop these personality traits. The teacher should stimulate the student to do his best and more than he has to do to get by. Every student, regardless of his major choice, should be given plenty of training in oral and written English. The lack of ability to sell oneself and the work one is doing is the major reason some people do not attain important positions. A college student has ample opportunity to learn to get along with all types of individuals and he should make the most of this opportunity. I n carrying on a busy program, both in the classroom and in extracurricular activities, the student has an opportunity to learn to plan his work and work his plan, to make the best use of his time. I n later life, this will be found extremely important. Another very important success essential that a man should start developing in college is the ability to make prompt decisions. Decisionmaking in business on the part of men in key positions may represent the difference between a profitable and unprofitable business. I I I . On-the-job qualifications: I n addition to the basic qualifications just mentioned, the dairy business requires: 1. Men with good health. 2. Clean habits. The man who is slovenly about his appearance has no place in a dairy plant. 3. Promptness and regularity. No plant can operate efficiently unless employees report to the job on time. Absenteeism for any avoidable reason can not be tolerated. 4. Job interest. A man must be extremely interested in his job and do more than
he has to to get by, and at odd times learn something about the jobs that lie ahead. 5. Cooperativeness. F o r smooth-running organization a man needs to have a happy disposition, get along well with his fellow workers, and be willing to do his share of the work. 6. Why and how. A man must know why as well as how his job should be done and as a supervisor be able to teach others. 7. Handling people. As a supervisor~ one must be able to handle people in a way that they will work for him, look up to him, and respect him. It is a fact that dairy companies, in general, have been woefully weak in handling and training college graduates. To help improve this situation, the American Dairy Science Association published a Dairy Industry Plant Training Manual about a year and one-half ago. Over 1,500 of these manuals have been sold to industry. Time prevents discussing this book in detail, except to say that if every one entering the dairy processing business makes all the studies and answers all the questions listed in this manual, he can not help having a more interesting and successful life. Every graduate entering the dairy processing business should purchase one of these manuals and whether or not the company with which he is connected uses the manual in installing a training program, the graduate by applying himself can do much to train himself by using this manual. IV. Advantages of the dairy industry for a life career. Among the many advantages of the dairy industry for a life's career are the following: 1. The industry provides steady employment. 2. The dairy industry is so widespread that one can work in it and live almost anywhere, in the country he chooses. 3. There is satisfaction to be gained in knowing one is working for the public good, since dairy products are so essential and so universally used. 4. The industry offers an infinite variety of work, all of which makes life very interesting. V. Remuneration and chance for advancement. Starting salaries in the commercial dairy business are equal to those in other fields, with the possible exception of engineering. I t is quite possible that key positions in the dairy industry, at least below those of top management, do not pay as high an annual salary as some of those operating on a higher percentage
SYMPOSIUM
of profit, and the defense industries. I t must be kept in mind that in the dairy business, as well as in other businesses, it generally takes time to attain a key position. A survey that I made just a few years ago in a number of companies showed that the time from start to what might be called a key position averaged about twenty years. Of course, there are certain things, such as marrying the president's daughter, that can alter this, but these cases are the
CAREERS
IN DAIRY
1951
exception rather than the rule. Patience is a great virtue and one must have it. VI. Outlook for the future. The trend is toward fewer but larger units, which are going to requLre men of high caliber to operate. Population is increasing steadily. This means ever-increasing consumption of dairy products. I t can truthfully be said that the future never looked brighter.
PRODUCTION
l=]:. A. HER~AI7, Executive Secretary National Association of Artificial Breeders, Columbia, Missouri I t is a pleasure to address the Student Section of the American Dairy Science Association and discuss briefly with you Careers in Dairy Production. There is no subject closer to my heart. As a dairy farmer and cattle breeder, as a professor of Dairy Production for nearly 25 years, and with some eight years of experience in my present position, I have formed some very definite opinions regarding the future. The ideas I present are gathered from experience and observation over the entire dairy production field. EUTURE
NEVER
I~IORE
CHALLENGING
I n my opinion, the future for a worthwhile career in dairy production was never more promising. At the same time, I am sure the man who is successful in this field in the future must be better prepared from the standpoint of knowledge, judgment, business sense, and courage than the dairy production major who graduated twenty years ago. This is largely because of the tremendous changes in our agricultural picture in the past twenty years. The dairy production picture has changed a great deal. As you know, in 1945 we had nearly five million farmers. Now we have only about three and one-third million. We had well over one million dairy farms selling milk or cream-now we have only about 985,000. Our average farm is larger by 100 acres. We have 25% less milk cows and some 25% fewer dairy farmers. I n 1916, our average DtIIA-tested herd was 16 cows. Now it is 44 head and still growing. The producer-distributor has almost disappeared. So have many of our small creameries. Our local cooperative creameries so vital to the dairy farmer 20 to 30 years ago have merged, joined with, or sold out, to a national dairy operation, or have folded up. I n this
milk business we have developed volume operations that result in the cheapest and best bottle of milk in the world, delivered to our consuming public. We have moved into an area where service and selling, as well as producing and processing, play a vital part~ At the same time, we have increased emphasis upon a quality product. I n the milk-producing business we would not want the quality picture otherwise. We also have come to recognize the dairy business, both production and products fields, as part of a highly developed and highly competitive field. I t is a business that requires more capital investment per worker than any phase of agriculture and, as you know, the investment per average farm worker is $27,000 and in industry it is only about $15,000 per man. I can cite you successful dairy production operations where the investment per worker is in the area of $30,000 to $50,000 per m a n - - l a n d , cattle, buildings, equipment, etc. Dairymen who recognize this challenge and meet it are making a living and a fair return on the investment. Any man who desires a career in dairy production can succeed if he has the correct perspective of the job ahead. I should be the last person in the world to criticize our teaching in agricultural colleges, but I do not hesitate to say that in my opinion there is often too much attention and time spent on minute details and the student never gets a glimpse of the broad picture he faces when he graduates. Frankly, I feel that any student who wishes to succeed in this field should bury his diploma good and deep, not haggle too much about starting salary and time off, and get a few years of good hard-headed experience--if he hasn't had it before--and then start to build his career. He then will find his college training invaluable and, along with good work habits, his career will begin to unfold.