March 2017 vol.2

 SPECIAL POST-BUSINESS CONFERENCE EDITION
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
 
 
THE 2017 PDPW BUSINESS CONFERENCE  not only marked the organization's 25th anniversary but also saw an unprecedented number of attendees, speakers, sessions and exhibitors - including 4 keynote speakers, 24 breakout sessions, 5 hands on learning sessions, 15 learning lounge session and the debut of a UW-Madison Dairy Research Stage. With 1,700 in attendance and 30 states represented, fellow dairy men, women, students and industry members gathered at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., Mar. 15-16, 2017 to take part in the two-day event.  A quick video of the of the event can be seen here.

A GROUND-BREAKING CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED opening morning of Business Conference with a press conference. Dairy AdvanCE™- a one-stop-shop for professional development training, tracking and reporting saw nearly 200 members signing up on-site over the next two days. Powered by PDPW, Dairy AdvanCE™ is designed to help dairy professionals discover dairy trainings, keep track of continuing education credits, and report through an individual's official transcript for use in business planning, financial meetings and showcasing professionalism to consultants, partners, and the community at large. Learn more at DairyAdvanCE.org.

FAITHFULLY FEEDING THE FUTURE  Artist Larry Schultz revealed an exclusive oil painting - in dedication to PDPW's 25th Anniversary. 
The painting is inspired by you. Through all our generations runs a common thread - of stewardship, of partnership, of perseverance. Sustained by our faith and by a sense of mission, we dedicate each day to caring for the land and for our herds, doing our part to feed our families...and all families...today and into tomorrow.
PDPW has prints and canvases available for purchase.  Please call the office at 800-947-7379 or visit our website so your home can have a beautiful piece of art inspired by your dedication to farming and your professional development organization - PDPW!

CONNECT WITH THE SUPPLIER YOU MET IN THE HALL OF IDEAS through PDPW's Virtual Trade Show. The 2017 Business Conference may be over, but access to our sponsors, exhibitors and important resources/programs are still available to you. Whether you were able to attend Business Conference or not, you'll find valuable information www.pdpw.org .
 
EXHIBITORS, remember to continue to update your information on this site for ongoing access to your customers and prospects. Reserve your Hall of Ideas booth spot TODAY for the 2018 show. For more information, call 800.947.7379 or email Julie at mail@pdpw.org.  The 2018 PDPW Business Conference is scheduled for March 14 & 15, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. 

Your Organization...

Your 2017-18 PDPW Board of Directors

THREE NEW MEMBERS join the PDPW
Board of Directors. At the PDPW Business Conference, members elected Andy Buttles, Lancaster; Katy Schmidt, Fox Lake; and Steven Orth, Cleveland, to serve a three-year term on the leadership board. Buttles owns and manages Stone-Front Farm with his wife, Lyn. The dairy is currently in the process of expanding to 1,200 cows. Buttles currently serves as the president of the Grant County Dairy Herd Improvement Association. Schmidt owns Tri-Fecta Farms Inc. with her siblings Kari and Nick. The operation has 500 cows and 2,000 acres of cropland. Katy is the on-farm manager for daily operations, including livestock and employees. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where she earned a degree in agribusiness. She is involved in the Waupun Area FFA Alumni. Orth is involved with the family partnership at Orthland Dairy Farm LLC, which includes his mother, Maxine, and brother Joel. The farm consists of 820 cows and operates 1,600 acres of land. Steven returned to the farm after graduating from Fox Valley Technical College, where he was instrumental in a recent expansion that doubled the size of the herd.
Upcoming Learning Opportunities...

BUILD A PROACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FOR YOUR FARM.  The fifth and final session of the Dairy's Visible Voice© winter series will be held on April 6 and will help you develop and execute a plan to build the public's confidence in what you do every day.  You'll leave the session with audiences, messages, activities, timing and expenses, as well as metrics to help you evaluate your activities. View the series flyer and register  here  or call 800-947-7379.

JOIN FELLOW DAIRY PRODUCERS FOR DAIRY DIALOGUE TOURS
 
on Thursday, April 20, 2017. This event is more than a tour, giving attendees the opportunity to engage one-on-one with the managers and team members of two high-performing dairies. Participants will see highlights and engage in discussions with the owners of Betley Family Farms of Pulaski, Wis., and the Jauquet family in Shawano County (Synergy Dairy). This chartered bus tour will be facilitated by Dr. Randy Shaver of UW-Madison, and is limited to the first 50 registrations with priority given to dairy farmers. The bus will depart promptly at 9:00 a.m. from Fleet Farm West Auto Center, 325 N. Taylor St., Green Bay, Wis., and will return at 3:30 p.m. Click here  for more information on the farms and to register.
 
LEARN HOW WEATHER AFFECTS THE GROWING SEASONS and markets in the next World Class Webinars series. The first in a 3-part series, "Weather: more than a guess" will be presented by Eric Snodgrass on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. CDT. Snodgrass, the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is also the co-founder of Global Weather and Climate Logistics, LLC., which recently merged with Agrible Inc., a precision farm management and predictive analytics company, where he serves as co-founder and senior atmospheric scientist. To register, and for more information on the next two webinars, click  here .

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DERBY IS just around the corner and all youth ages 15 to 18 interested in dairy should register soon. Featuring an action-packed agenda for participants that includes farm tours, dissections with veterinarians and other hands-on labs, this is one of the most popular programs PDPW offers. Students will engage in discovery breakout sessions of their choice, explore a variety of agricultural careers, and meet students from around Wisconsin with similar interests. Colby High School in Colby, Wis., is the location for the April 22-23 event, and advance registration is required.   Here's where to find more information including a program flier, or call PDPW at 800-947-7379 if you have additional questions.
Words To Live By...

It takes but one positive thought - when given a chance to thrive - to overpower 
an entire army of negative thoughts. --- Robert Schuller

A BIG Thank You...    
 
TO OUR PDPW SPONSORS who  support continuous improvement for the dairy industr y. T hey believe in producer leadership and place a high value on lifelong  education for those involved in the dairy industry. We deeply respect their commitment to PDPW and the members we have the honor to serve. It is by this partnership that we c ontinu e to build a strong industry filled with capable professionals. Click  HERE  to see a list of our sponsors. If you interact with any of these companies, please thank them for supporting PDPW! 

If you or a company you know is interested in participating as a sponsor, please contact one of our team members at abonomie@pdpw.org or call 800-947-7379.