The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Farm and Industry Short Course selected George Barlass and Robert Cropp for its 2006 Service to Agriculture Awards. Barlass and Cropp attended a ceremony in Madison on January 28 to accept their recognitions.

George Barlass, who formerly operated Gil Bar Jerseys snear Janesville, Wis., has a long history of service to the state of Wisconsin. A 1950 graduate of short course and veteran of the Korean War, Barlass and his wife Shirley Elphick have four children and ten grandchildren. Two of his sons and one of his grandsons are also short course alumni.

“George Barlass has given unselfishly of his time to make Wisconsin and Rock County agriculture better for young people, and has helped shape the dairy industry in Wisconsin,” says Rick Daluge, an assistant dean of the UW-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Gil-Bar Farm is now operated by George’s son and daughter-in-law, Gordon and Michelle Barlass, but George remains active in the Jersey cattle business through sales, judging shows and volunteering at the World Dairy Expo.

He has has served as a director on the short course alumni board, was past president of the Wisconsin Jersey Breeders and is a past director of the American Jersey Cattle Association. He serves as a director of the Wisconsin Purebred Cattle Association and coached 4-H Dairy Judging teams for more than 25 years.

Barlass and his wife are active members of the Rock County 4-H and served on the 75th anniversary committee for the Rock County fair. He is also a former director of the fair board. George Barlass has hosted the UW and short course dairy judging teams at their farm as well as many other university judging teams from around the country for practice sessions. He has judged dairy cattle shows in 25 states and 8 foreign countries.

Barlass has received both the Honorary State and American FFA degrees, Wisconsin Outstanding Jersey Breeder Award, as well as their Distinguished Service Award. He was named the UW Badger Dairy Club Guest of Honor, Rock County Fair Distinguished Alumni, and Rock County Outstanding 4-H Leader.

Robert Cropp, who is well known in Wisconsin as well as nationally for his work with milk marketing and cooperatives, taught the short course dairy marketing course for fifteen years. Cropp has authored hundreds of publications, been quoted extensively in the popular press and has co-authored several books. Although he retired a few years ago, he came back to work almost immediately as interim director of the UW Center for Cooperatives, a position that he held full time before retirement. He also continues to teach the short course dairy marketing class.

Cropp served as the Dean of the College of Agriculture at Platteville for four years before coming to the UW-Madison in 1991. Prior to that he served as a professor in the Agricultural Economics department at UW- Platteville and in UW Extension from 1966- 1987. He has earned numerous awards for his work in Wisconsin dairy marketing, including the Friend of Cooperatives Award in 2004, the Friend of Growmark Award in 1995, the Friend of DHI Award in 2002, and Man of the Year for Tri-State Breeders (now Accelerated Genetics) in 1988. Other recognitions include the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, UW- Platteville, FFA, 4-H, UW Extension, and the American Agricultural Economics Association.

“Bob Cropp is most deserving of this Service to Wisconsin Agriculture Award,” says Daluge. “We salute him for all that he has done for the dairy industry of Wisconsin, for dairy farmers, and for his outstanding teaching and extension programs.”

Also recognized in the January 28 ceremony, Farm and Industry Short Course selected the Wisconsin State Farmer for its 2005 Friend of Short Course Award. Carla Gunst, the paper’s editor, accepted the recognition.

Celebrating 50 years of service to Wisconsin agriculture this year, the weekly paper, published in Waupaca, is a valued source of agricultural and rural news, says Daluge. He notes that John Oncken, a feature writer for the Wisconsin State Farmer, won the award in 2004.

“In addition to the paper’s excellent coverage of the short course program, alumni events and award winners, we also recognize the Wisconsin State Farmer for their support of short course events, outings and ceremonies,” Daluge says. “This continued support of Farm and Industry Short Course, along with support for the Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association, makes the Wisconsin State Farmer a true friend of short course.”