From left: Elisabeth Berndt, administrative specialist and Maria Woldt, director at the 2026 Lafayette County Breakfast at the Farm hosted by UW–Platteville Pioneer Farm. Photo by Jon Berndt
Maria Woldt | Director | Dairy Innovation Hub
As I reflect on another year of progress for the Dairy Innovation Hub, I am filled with gratitude. Our success is made possible by the many people who believe in this mission: faculty pursuing innovative research, students preparing for careers in dairy, industry partners sharing their experience, legislators who secure investment in the Hub’s work, and the farmers and dairy processors whose challenges inspire us every day.
This year was especially meaningful for me personally as I stepped into the role of director. While my new role officially began on June 1, my connection to the Hub began long before that. I joined the Hub as its inaugural program manager in 2020 and have had a front-row seat to its growth from the very beginning. Even before the Hub was established, I worked for the Dairy Business Association, where I was involved in advocating for the legislation that ultimately created the Hub. Watching that vision become a statewide initiative supporting research, education, and outreach has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
One of my primary goals since assuming the director role is to thoughtfully guide the Hub through this leadership transition. The change positioned the Hub for long-term success, and it also required care and collaboration. My focus is on preserving the elements that were working well, while addressing opportunities for growth and improvement. I am proud of how the transition has gone so far and fully recognize that we are just getting started. The success of this transition was also made possible by Elisabeth Berndt, the Hub’s administrative specialist. Elisabeth has been an invaluable member of our team for nearly five years, providing day-to-day support that keeps the Hub running efficiently and allows our faculty, students, and partners to focus on creating impact.
Looking ahead, I believe the Hub’s greatest potential is still in front of us. The visionary leaders who established the Hub got it right when they identified four priority areas to guide our work: ensuring animal health and welfare, enhancing human health and nutrition, stewarding land and water resources, and growing farm businesses and communities. As the dairy sector continues to evolve, new challenges and research questions will emerge across each of these areas.
Our role is to harness the research expertise and innovation of UW–Madison, UW–Platteville and UW–River Falls to help keep Wisconsin’s $52.8 billion dairy sector at the global forefront of producing nutritious dairy products in ways that are economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. By strengthening collaboration across our three universities and throughout the dairy supply chain, we can continue delivering meaningful benefits for Wisconsin while ensuring our research remains responsive to the needs of farmers and dairy processors.
Thank you for your continued support of the Dairy Innovation Hub. It is an honor to serve Wisconsin’s dairy community. Together, we are building on a strong foundation and creating a future where Wisconsin remains the global dairy leader for generations to come. I am excited for what lies ahead and grateful to be part of this important work.