DPNM President's Message

President's Letter
Gary Bonestroo
December , 2005

I want to start by saying it is an honor to be your new president and I will try to follow in the steps of my predecessors. As you know, they have all done a great job for all of us. I will continue to do all I can for the future of dairymen from our great state of New Mexico. However, there is no way I have the time or dedication that Jim Hoffman had. Many of you do not know how much time and dedication Jim has put into this industry. Therefore, I am going to pass along that information and let you know that if it were not for Jim, some things would not be as rosy for the dairies in New Mexico. Besides being a great husband, father and grandfather, which keeps any person busy enough, the following list is just a few of Jim’s accomplishments:

• Dairy producer in New Mexico since 1985.

• On Dairy Producers of New Mexico Board of Director’s since its inception in 1993. Served as President 1995-1997. Served as Treasurer 1999-2005. President June 2005–October 2005.

• Lobbyist for Dairy Producers of New Mexico for last several years.

• Attended numerous interim legislative committee meetings.

• Co-founder of Select Milk Producers and board member since its inception in 1994.

• Board member of Southeastern New Mexico Council of Governments.

• Leadership New Mexico Class of 2005.

• Past Vice President and Treasurer of Western States Dairy Producers Trade Association.

We are suffering a great loss of a good friend and fellow dairyman and we will miss him terribly. The board elected to grant a scholarship fund in Jim’s name as was done with Arie Breedyk, Sr.

There are dairymen out there, some are your neighbors; riding on your coat tails, benefiting from our time and money while you are doing your part in dues. So get out there and tell these non-members that you are tired of carrying them and help us make DPNM an even better organization.

I hope you all have a blessed Christmas and a happy, safe New Year and thank God for the good year we have had.