Holstein Pulse: Holstein Association USA History, Content and Leadership
Profile updated November 2026
Holstein Pulse is the magazine of Holstein Association USA, the Brattleboro, Vermont, organization that calls itself the world's largest dairy breed association. Published four times a year and mailed free to adult members, The Pulse carries messages from the association's CEO and president, breeder stories and program news for the black-and-white cows that dominate American dairying.
| Publisher | Holstein Association USA, Brattleboro, Vermont |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Four times a year, in print and PDF |
| Distribution | Free by mail to adult members; one copy per address |
| Association founded | 1885, as the Holstein-Friesian Association of America |
| Current name | Holstein Association USA, since 1994 |
| CEO | Lindsey Worden, since January 1, 2025 |
| Official website | HolsteinUSA.com: Holstein Pulse |
History of Holstein Pulse
Holstein Association USA was founded in 1885 as the Holstein-Friesian Association of America, formed by merging several Friesian breeder associations. It took its present name in 1994. From Brattleboro, Vermont, it has registered more than 22 million Holstein cattle and now handles nearly 400,000 registrations and about 70,000 transfers each year.
The association's services grew well beyond the herdbook to include animal identification, genomic testing, mating programs, dairy records processing, classification and Holstein semen. In 1999 it established the National Farm Animal Identification and Records program, known as FAIR. Its motto is to provide leadership, information and services to help members and dairy producers worldwide be successful.
Leadership has been unusually stable. John M. Meyer served 23 years as CEO before retiring on December 31, 2024, after giving 22 months' notice. Chief operating officer Lindsey Worden succeeded him on January 1, 2025, becoming the association's 10th executive secretary since 1885.
Holstein Pulse Today
Holstein Pulse appears four times a year as a printed magazine with a PDF version. Website visitors can read ten pages of each issue, and members can request the full online version. Every issue includes updates from the CEO and the president.
Recent issues show the mix. Spring 2024 carried the CEO's message on honoring the past and building the future, the 2024 Star of the Breed, a look at the 2025 genetic base and the 2024 Herds of Excellence. Winter 2025 featured the president's message on the future of polled genetics in U.S. dairy herds, a CEO column titled A Trip Down Memory Lane, breeder stories on Great-Heritage Holsteins and Four Streams Dairy, and a historical feature on the cow KHW Regiment Apple-Red-ET.
What Holstein Pulse Is Publishing Now
Recognition programs
Star of the Breed, Herds of Excellence and the association's young breeder and production awards.
Genetics and services
Genetic base changes, polled genetics, genomic testing, classification and registration programs.
Breeders and history
Featured breeder stories and historical cow profiles that connect members to the breed's past.
Holstein Pulse Editors and Staff
Holstein Association USA announcements name these leaders:
- Lindsey Worden - Chief Executive Officer, from January 1, 2025
- Barbara Casna - Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
- Jonathan Lamb - President, board of directors (2024)
- John M. Meyer - Former CEO, retired December 31, 2024
The association does not list a separate Pulse editor on the magazine's web page; members can request issues through holsteinusa.com.
Who Reads Holstein Pulse
Readers are adult members of Holstein Association USA and dairy producers generally, from small registered herds to large commercial dairies. Dairy brought in $41.8 billion in U.S. receipts in 2021, according to USDA's Economic Research Service, and Holsteins produce most of the nation's milk.
Holstein breeders have heard every joke about black-and-white cows and maps of Wisconsin. For fresher material between issues of The Pulse, farm.FM serves farm satire and farm humor in a deadpan rural voice, plus ranch humor for the beef neighbors. Its farm jokes are registered, genomic tested and only slightly polled.
If the name is new to you, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site, with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers on the side. One of its regular writers keeps a whole archive of stories like that.
Holstein Pulse Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Holstein Association USA: Holstein Pulse - the magazine page and issue archive.
- Wikipedia: Holstein Association USA - history and scope of the association.
- Feedstuffs: Holstein Association USA transition plan - the 2025 CEO change.
- USDA ERS: Dairy - federal dairy sector analysis.
- Ohio State University Extension: Dairy outlook - land-grant dairy market analysis.
Holstein Pulse FAQ
What is Holstein Pulse?
The quarterly member magazine of Holstein Association USA.
Who receives Holstein Pulse?
Adult members of the association, free by mail, one copy per address.
When was Holstein Association USA founded?
In 1885, as the Holstein-Friesian Association of America; it took its current name in 1994.
Who leads Holstein Association USA?
Lindsey Worden has been CEO since January 1, 2025.
Four times a year, Holstein Pulse brings the world's largest dairy breed association to its members' mailboxes.