HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association honored Rob Waddell, Townville, Pa., and Irene Benner Osborne, Millerstown, Pa., with two of its top awards Feb. 20 during the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit in State College.
Waddell received the 2014 Charles E. Cowan Memorial Award and Osborne, the 2014 Distinguished Dairy Woman award.
Crawford Co. dairyman
The Charles E. Cowan Memorial Award honors Charles Cowan, who served as secretary and treasurer of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association for many years. The recipient of the award must demonstrate superior management capabilities and provide outstanding leadership qualities within the dairy industry.
Rob Waddell and his family own and operate Apple Shamrock Farms, a Crawford County “Dairy of Distinction” farm.
Read more about Rob Waddell’s farm in this 2011 feature story.
Their milking herd now has 500 milking animals and 1,600 owned and rented farm acres.
His involvement in the local community includes serving as an adviser for area dairy farm profit teams, as a past director of the county Farm Service Agency, and as a director of the Crawford County Conservation District.
Waddell has served as president of the Crawford County Farm Bureau and currently is on the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau board of directors. He is a past president of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association and is currently a member of the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program Board.
Osborne
Irene Benner Osborne and her family operated a dairy farm in Millerstown, Perry County, until last year.
She developed her interest in youth development at an early age when she was named as a Pennsylvania and National Distinguished Junior Member. Osborne has served as co-chair of the Pennsylvania Holstein Junior Convention and has been on countless planning committees for youth events.
She also serves on the Holstein USA National Junior Advisory Committee and has developed numerous young dairy leaders as a dairy bowl coach and 4-H leader. Recently, she was named as a trustee of the All-American Dairy Show Foundation.
The Dairymen’s Association was initially formed in 1871 to promote the general welfare of the dairy foods industry in Pennsylvania.
Oh my goodness! I was not aware of this award…Charlie Cowan was my grandpa and it warms my heart that he is still remembered throughout the community he loved!!