The late James B. (Jim) and Berdie Lou Cook, of Lowell, Mich., have been honored by the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation (MDMSF) at Michigan State University (MSU) for their years of dedication and devotion to their family and involvement in the dairy industry. Jim passed away at 57; Berdie survives him.Jim Cook was raised on Janeland Farms, a purebred dairy farm in Vergennes Township in Kent County, Mich., founded by his grandfather in 1921. His parents continued the farming tradition, but when his grandfather and father decided to sell their large herd when Jim was 10, the young boy acted as a co-conspirator with his mother to hide nine of the herd's best heifers at the neighbor's to escape from being sold. After the sale, the two returned the heifers to the farm and resumed farming.
Berdie was raised on a dairy and crop farm in Keene Township in Ionia County, Mich. She and Jim began their relationship in 1964 and were married in 1967. They were married 38 years and had three daughters, Jamie Beth, Jennifer Jo and Cindy. Together they enjoyed 41 years of prosperity, especially as it related to their herd of purebred dairy cattle and family.
The married couple increased their herd size to 500 head of registered Holsteins and farmed nearly 1,000 acres. When they decided to focus on conformation type and production, Jim and Berdie agreed with Jim, Sr. and Dora Jane (Cook) to build one of the first low-line tie stall barns in the area. The herd size was reduced to 100 registered Holsteins at that point. Type and production continually improved, and over the course of their dairying practice, they bred numerous Excellent- and Very Good-scored cows with state records for milk and butterfat production. Jim received the Progressive Breeders Registry (PBR) award from the Holstein Friesian Association of America (HFAA) from 1979 until 1991, as well as the Michigan Holstein Association Master Breeder Award.
The entire family Jim, Berdie and their daughters treasured the time together exhibiting cows at the district, state and national levels. They traveled to the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., and North American International Livestock Exhibition in Louisville, Ky. They also participated in the first years of the Great Lakes State Holstein Futurity held at the Michigan State Fair in Detroit. The family's show string earned numerous premier breeder and premier exhibitor awards, as well as grand champion, reserve grand champion, senior champion and junior champion honors. Jim also bred numerous All-Michigan and Reserve All-Michigan show winners.
The Cook's were active members of the District V Michigan Holstein Association and the HFAA. Jim served as president of both the district and state Holstein associations and, for several years, served as a delegate to the HFAA National Holstein Convention. Both Jim and Berdie were members of the Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA), and Jim served on its board of directors. The couple was honored in 1979 to serve as the MMPA Outstanding Young Dairy Couple.
In 1984, Berdie assumed responsibility for daily milking duties while her husband pursued his childhood dream of becoming an auctioneer. For nearly a decade, they continued to farm and conduct farm auctions. In spring 1992, with all three daughters now in or graduated from college and a successful auction business, the family dispersed its beloved Holstein herd.
The couple were avid supporters of their daughters' involvement in 4-H and FFA, and this support continues yet today. In addition, Jim served on the Vergennes Township Zoning Board of Appeals and was active in the Kent County Conservation Club. Jim was, and Berdie remains, a life member of the First United Methodist Church of Lowell.
During his 57 years of life and 38 years of marriage, Jim chose to focus on the things he loved: his family, farming and auctioneering. His family feels blessed knowing that he enjoyed life and lived each day to the fullest, and they pursue their lives following his example.
Recognizing a dairy industry leader for their service and contributions through the MDMSF requires a gift of $1,000 or more to the MDMSF and an 8 X 10 photo of and one-page biography about the honoree. Honorees (or family members when an award is presented posthumously) are personally recognized by the Foundation at an industry or MDMSF event. The names of MDMSF honorees are inscribed on a plaque on display in Anthony Hall at MSU, their biography and photograph are kept in permanent records in the MSU Department of Animal Science, and photographs of honorees are displayed at the MSU Pavilion.
Honoring individuals through the MDMSF recognizes individuals for their accomplishments in the dairy industry and invests in and provides support to future dairy industry leaders. As the MDMSF endowment grows, additional scholarships can be awarded to students to help offset the increasing cost of higher education, enabling them to achieve their dreams for the future. More than 180 individuals have been named MDMSF Honorees since the foundation's establishment over 50 years ago.
To learn more about recognizing a dairy industry leader through the MDMSF, contact any MDMSF board member or Dr. Miriam Weber Nielsen at 517-432-5443 or msw@msu.edu
11.13.2015