Seppi Appointed Dairy West CEO

This summer, Dairy West announced it had made a "significant step when it comes to shaping the future of dairy promotion and representation" with the appointment of Steve Seppi as the organization's new CEO.  Seppi said he brings decades of experience in Checkoff work, most recently as the Executive Director of the Dairy Farmers of Washington.  He noted he’s passionate about the dairy industry.

“You know, I had good relationships with farmers across the region from my time across there. And ultimately, you know, there was an opportunity to kind of approach this new regional growth and regional expansion," Seppi said.  "And so ultimately, I saw that as an opportunity and was encouraged by, some of the farmers here in Idaho and Utah and took the opportunity. And then ultimately, I'm looking forward to the future as we continue to expand and grow as a region.”

Dairy Producers Across The PNW Have Similar Concerns

Seppi added whether in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, or Utah, dairy producers across the region have more in common than differences.

“They're family businesses. They're working hard to feed the world. They obviously want to have a sustainable business where they can hand it down to the next generation. Ultimately, they have a lot of similar things as far as the mission that they set out to. And that really kind of helps with commonality between those different groups.”

Operations Joining Forces

With that in mind, the Boards of Dairy West and the Dairy Farmers of Washington also announced this summer a decision to move forward in partnership.  What does that mean for producers across the region, and what is the timeline for that partnership?  Find out by listen to our podcast with Seppi below:

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