BOAH-Dairy-Division-promotions
The Indiana State Board of Animal Health will have new leadership at the Dairy Division effective October first. Patrick Hash (right) moves from deputy director up to the director position, and Nathan Campbell (left) will be the new deputy director.
“They both have a good history with our division,” Denise Derrer, BOAH public information officer said, “and also on the industry side of things as well as other states. So, they’ve got some good background and a lot of ideas and new innovation they can bring here as well.”
Hash and Campbell move up with the retirement of Doug Metcalf at the end of this month after five years as Dairy Division Director and12 years as the agency’s Chief of Staff.
The Dairy Division of BOAH does work everyone in Indiana cares about, inspections of dairy farms and dairy processing facilities and milk haulers.
“So, these are important jobs,” Derrer told HAT. “Our number one goal in the Dairy Division is to emphasize food safety and protecting public health, so it’s a big job and there’s a lot to do. We produce 3.8 billion pounds of milk in Indiana every year, so this is no small task.”
The task gets more demanding as the dairy industry continues to grow in Indiana.
“We have been seeing a lot of growth particularly on the processing side, and while our number of farms continues to decline, the output and production of the farms we do have here in Indiana is continuing to grow and we’re getting a lot of expansion on the farms as well. So, that is a definite trend that we’re seeing, and with the soon to be open milk processing facility in the Fort Wayne area for Walmart, we’re only going to see more growth in that area as well.”
Hash first joined the Dairy Division in 2012 then left in 2014 to work for the Michigan Department of Agriculture as the Pasteurization Specialist. Campbell first joined the Dairy Division in 2008, he left in 2011 to work for Dean Foods as a Quality Assurance Manager. Campbell returned to BOAH in 2012 and currently serves as the Chief Milk Rating Officer.
“Leadership is important to the continued success of Indiana’s dairy inspection program,” said Indiana State Veterinarian Dr. Bret D. Marsh. “Having Patrick Hash and Nathan Campbell as part of the Dairy Division’s leadership team will prove a valuable asset to the dairy division and the industry, especially with the recent growth we have seen in Indiana.”
Indiana’s Dairy Division has been part of the Indiana State Board of Animal Health since 1995.