About Us

The California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF) is a non-profit public research management corporation governed by a Board of Directors. The representatives of the Board of Directors are drawn from key producer and processor organizations. The Board represents multiple perspectives within the dairy industry.

CDRF manages many successful and unique programs, such as the world-class producers’ education program “California Dairy Quality Assurance,” the collaborative pre-competitive interactive “International Milk Genomics Consortium” and various “Industry Outreach” programs, including short courses and symposia that provide short- and long-term technical training and information technology transfer to all relevant parties.

We will continue to invest in these programs with fresh outlook and focus. Our programs will evolve with changing times. We will be proactive in our approaches and always be accountable to our hard-working dairy men and women.

Vision

Lead and deliver the best research and science-based educational programs supporting an innovative and sustainable California and U.S. dairy industry.

Mission

Manage, coordinate, and communicate research and science-based educational programs with stakeholders and support the implementation of effective state and national initiatives designed to increase consumer demand for California and U.S. produced milk and dairy products.

Strategic Objective

Promote and protect the consumption of dairy products based on their benefits throughout the entire value chain.

CDRF’s strategic plan focuses on research and science-based education programs in five core areas:

Board of Directors

Rich Wagner

Josh Zonneveld

Chairman
California Dairy Farmer

Jared Fernandes

Jared Fernandes

Vice Chairman
California Dairy Farmer

Chuck Ahlem

Chuck Ahlem

Secretary
California Dairy Farmer

Dante Migliazzo

Dante Migliazzo

Treasurer
California Dairy Farmer

Jared Fernandes

John Talbot

CEO, California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB)

Chuck Ahlem

Gregory Miller, Ph.D, FACN

Chief Science Officer, National Dairy Council (NDC)

Dante Migliazzo

Darrin Monteiro

Vice Presidents, Member and Government Relations, California Dairies, Inc. (CDI)

Denise Mullinax

Denise Mullinax

Executive Director

THE ORGANIZATION IS TAX EXEMPT UNDER SECTION 501 (C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO CDRF ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.