Distinguished Service Award

J. Lawrence Benson, New Lebanon, N.Y., has been chosen as the 55th recipient of the Distinguished Service Award presented by the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA).

The Distinguished Service Award is presented by the Board of Directors to as many living AJCA members and/or members’ families, who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, have rendered outstanding and unselfish service for many years and thereby have made a notable contribution to the advancements of the Jersey breed in the United States.

Formal presentation of the award will be made on June 24 during the 2005 AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Benson’s contributions to the breed include his involvement on local, state and national Jersey organization boards; auctioneering Jerseys sales across the country for state and national organizations; and countless trips to fellow Jersey breeders encouraging them to take part in the Association’s efforts to promote and improve the Jersey breed.

Benson’s start in the Registered Jersey™ business began in 1955 when he and his brother Tom purchased a Jersey cow and heifer from neighbor Stanley N. Chittenden, Fair Weather Farms.

Upon graduating from Cobleskill, Larry went to work at Fair Weather Farms, and in 1961 married Stanley’s daughter, Barbara. Prior to his employment, he had worked for another dairy in the area. These two employment opportunities were the only experiences Benson had in the agricultural industry.

When the couple married, they established Shaker View Farm with animals Larry owned and all that Barbara had accumulated from her years in 4-H. While Larry was away on one of his trips, it was Barbara that would see that things carried on smoothly at home. Their work with the herd at Shaker View allowed the Benson’s to be honored with one of the inaugural Young Jersey Breeder Awards in 1976.

Benson was an advocate of incentive programs for dairy producers. He, along with four other breeders in the area Stanley Chittenden, Paul Chittenden and his brother Tom, combined forces to persuade the cheese plant to implement an incentive program. The plant agreed, and set up a program for producers, paying them 15 cents for every point of total protein over 3.2%.

Benson continued his advocacy for incentive programs when he was elected to the AJCA Board of Directors in 1978. As one of the original 171 Equity investors of National All-Jersey Inc., and already receiving an incentive for his Jersey milk, Benson played a major role in Project Equity’s 800 in 80 campaign. He wanted all Jersey breeders to have the same opportunity of being paid what their milk was really worth. So Benson toured his district visiting farms and educating owners about Equity. He explained the benefits that would be seen in the industry and especially the breed.

“That is how I became an investor,” Dennis Egelston, Director of the Second District of the AJCA remembered. “He told me I needed to be on it and why, and for a lot of us that was all it took.”

Youth in his area also profited from Benson’s expertise. Larry has been actively involved in the local 4- H program, allowing meetings to be held at the farm and leasing calves to young Jersey enthusiasts to use for summer shows.

During his tenure on the board, 1978-1984, Benson sat on the Performance committee, holding the position of chair from 1980-1984. He also sat on the Marketing, Registration, Planning and Executive committees.

Benson is also a member of the Capitol District Jersey Cattle Club, the New York Jersey Cattle Club, the New England Jersey Cattle Club and the Massachusetts Jersey Cattle Club. Throughout the years Benson was more than a member as he held offices or served as a director in each organization.

Benson is also an accomplished auctioneer. He has auctioned sales for countless state associations. He has donated his talents to aid in the efforts of the AJCC Research Foundation, auctioneering benefits in the foundation’s name. He has also served as a ring man for All American and Pot O’Gold sales. Traveling to sales during his career allowed him to reach more people about the AJCA’s efforts.

“He is always there when something needs to be done,” Egelston said.

His contributions continued at the 2005 New England Spring Sale, the scheduled auctioneer for the sale became ill and was unable to sell the nearly 300 head of Jerseys. The morning of the sale, Benson was approached and asked to fill-in.

“He didn’t think twice,” Egelston said. “That is typical Larry Benson, if something needs done, he will do it, without giving it a second thought and never looking for the spotlight.”

Although, Larry’s daughter, Kristin and her family have added the Shaker View herd to their Celestial Jersey herd, Larry is still very involved with the Jersey cow. He can still be seen at the AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings, state association meetings and local sales—always there promoting the breed. “Larry is so giving of his time, all the time. He will always have an ear for you and will share his knowledge by always having a good word for you,” Egelston concluded.

Click here for a List of Distinguished Service Awards

May 2005—This column has been reproduced with the permission of Kimberly A. Billman, Editor, Jersey Journal, 6486 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068