Wisconsin honors Hoard Wisconsin honors Hoard Sunday, October
10, 2010, marked the first official observance of W. D. Hoard
Day in the State of Wisconsin. Although this is the first
official recognition of W.D. Hoard Day, in reality, Wisconsin
residents have been observing this holiday for many decades as
dairy continues to be a major economic driver in the Badger
state’s economy. Agriculture accounts for 12.5 percent of the
state’s economy, representing $59.16 billion and dairy accounts
for $26.5 billion of that total or nearly 45 percent of
agriculture’s economic activity. “Governor Hoard was a great
champion of our dairy industry, and his hard work helped make
Wisconsin the dairy leader it is today,” said Governor Jim
Doyle. “I am proud to sign this bill into law to establish
Governor Hoard’s birthday as a holiday,” Doyle said at the bill
signing earlier this year. William Dempster Hoard was born in
Stockbridge, N.Y., October 10, 1836, and he migrated to
Wisconsin in 1857. An admirer of Lincoln, he travele