[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 7, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING MR. RICHARD L. COTTA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF DENHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor Mr. 
Richard L. Cotta on his retirement from the California Dairies, Inc., 
and to thank him for his dedication to the agriculture community.
  Since 2007, Richard L. Cotta held the title of President and CEO of 
California Dairies, Inc. (CDI). He spent his entire career in the dairy 
industry in virtually all aspects of the dairy business--from the dairy 
farm to genetics, to dairy processing and dairy politics.
  Cotta's career at CDI began in 1993, when he joined San Joaquin 
Valley Dairymen--a dairy processing and marketing cooperative--as its 
General Manager.
  In 1999, San Joaquin Valley Dairymen merged with Danish Creamery and 
California Milk Producers to form CDI. Cotta was named Senior Vice 
President of Producer Affairs and Government Relations at CDI, a role 
he held until he was named CEO in 2007. Under his leadership, CDI 
profits reached record levels.
  From 1984 to 1993, Cotta served as the CEO of Western United 
Dairymen, the largest producer trade association in the state. From 
1980 to 1984, he was the CEO of United Dairymen of California, a 
producer trade organization, until it merged to form Western United 
Dairymen.
  Cotta testified before the U.S. Congress and the California 
Legislature on behalf of the dairy industry. At the request of the 
Secretary of Agriculture, he participated in world trade missions to 
open the U.S. dairy market overseas.
  Previously, he worked as a sire analyst for American Breeders 
Service, a classifier for the Holstein Association of America and a 
principle in Genetics, Inc. For several years, he was a dairy 
consultant with many successful dairies on feeding, breeding and 
management systems.
  Cotta graduated with honors from California State Polytechnic 
University, San Luis Obispo, with a degree in Dairy Husbandry. He 
currently owns and operates Cotta Farms and is a partner in Terra Bella 
Farms, both almond farming operations.
  Cotta currently sits on the following boards--U.C. Davis Deans 
Advisory Council, California State University Chancellors Agriculture 
Advisory Council, Sacred Heart School Foundation, and the Innovation 
Center for U.S. Dairy. In addition, he sits on the Globalization 
Operating Committee for the U.S. Dairy Export Council.
  Past board seats include--California Creamery Operators Association 
(Chairman), Dairy Cares Board (Chairman) California Dairy Research 
Foundation, U.S. Dairy Export Council, National Holstein Foundation, 
DairyAmerica (Chairman) and Challenge Dairy Products.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in commending Richard L. Cotta for his 
hard work in the California Dairy Industry and in congratulating him 
upon his retirement from the California Dairies, Inc.

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