PDP Manager's Memo

April 2026 Vol. 3

Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization^®

The Dairy Signal^®

Check out what's coming this week on The Dairy Signal!

April 21 - Post-Winter Forage Health: Corn Silage and Alfalfa

Winter weather can leave lasting effects on forage crops. As spring approaches, tune in for tips on evaluating fields for winter injury, stand thinning, and overall plant health to identify potential yield challenges and make timely management decisions.

Bob Wilms, Northeast Wisconsin District Sales Manager, Renk Seed

April 23 - Market Update

Join an interactive conversation on agricultural and dairy markets, including the potential impacts that weather, exports, international policy and more could have on the industry and your business.

Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst, AgResource Company

Access Now

Thank you to DLF for sponsoring The Dairy Signal in April. Success starts with the seed. That’s why farmers trust DLF, the world’s forage seed leader. Backed by cutting-edge research, DLF delivers high-yielding forage products with the traits you need to drive profit on your farm. Ask your retailer about high-performance alfalfa brands like Forage First, 5 Series and Alforex Seeds. Learn more at lacrosseseed.com.

Tune in every Tuesday and Thursday live from noon to 1 p.m. CT, or catch previous episodes on demand here.

Previously on The Dairy Signal

April 14

Hear about energy-efficient ventilation design to reduce heat stress risk in dairy facilities and practical tools for system planning. Learn about a recent study that introduced an interactive online calculator to assist with fan selection.

Neslihan Akdeniz, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Biological Systems Engineering, UW-Madison

April 16

Hear about SenseHub® Dairy Youngstock from Merck Animal Health, which is designed to monitor calf health and provide data that can help identify animals that may need additional attention, while also helping guide how time and labor are allocated when managing youngstock.

Dr. Jennifer Wilson, DVM, Monitoring Success Specialist Merck Animal Health
Jerod Henrickson, General Manager, Bella Holsteins, Platteville, Colorado

Opportunities to Learn

PDP ACCELERATE™

July 28, 2026

Madison, Wis.

TAKE YOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM TO THE NEXT LEVEL by registering students for PDP's Accelerate. Michael Hoffman will bring his high-energy, interactive style to this one-day workshop designed to enhance their skills and build confidence for their internship, job interviews and career. Learn more.

For Your Dairy

UNDERSTANDING THE ROI ON HEAT ABATEMENT technologies and practices is the goal of a new tool from UW-Extension. While the consequences of heat stress on dairy cattle are well-documented, producers face the challenge of understanding if the next investment in cooling technology will pencil out for their operation. The Heat Abatement investment Scouter is a new decision support to help review options. Learn more.

MONITORING BODY CONDITION SCORE is a practical tool to monitor and manage dairy cow body reserves through lactation cycles. An article from Ohio State Extension reviews how regular BCS monitoring throughout the lactation cycle helps identify problems early and allows timely nutrition and management adjustments. Late lactation is a critical window to manage BCS, with recommendations that cows should enter the dry period with a BCS of 3.0 to 3.5. Learn more.

Your Farm - Your Footprint®

BUILD A ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE.

Around the world, dairy buyers and consumers are demanding transparency. While our dairies are already among the most sustainable on the planet, we’ve been slow to gather the data that shows it.

The Your Farm – Your Footprint^® initiative is the first-of-its-kind, farmer-led program that helps you calculate your environmental footprint and gives you a customized roadmap for the future. Here’s what matters most:

✅ This is NOT government money.

✅ Your processor is NOT requiring it.

✅ YOU control your data.

✅ A grant will COVER up to $9,750 per farm (covering up to 2,500 acres).

Learn more and sign up today at www.pdpw.org/your-farm-your-footprint/.

Dairy Currents

AS BREAKFAST HABITS EVOLVE, dairy is well positioned to grow. Younger consumers are skipping traditional morning meals in favor of snacks and high-protein options to eat anytime. This shift toward convenience and nutrition is fueling demand for portable foods like burritos, bowls and handhelds, which are formats where dairy ingredients like Greek yogurt and cheese can shine. Learn more.

GEAR UP FOR A SAFE SPRING SEASON by reminding family members and employees to check equipment and follow safe driving practices. Questions to ask:

Is equipment labeled with slow moving vehicle (SMV) emblems in good condition?
Are all lights fully functioning and visible?
Is equipment outlined with reflective equipment to mark the wide points?

Find more items for your road safety checklist here and a downloadable graphic.

On the Road: H&S Tasty Acres

H&S Tasty Acres of Fremont, Wis., began when the families at Hoewisch Homestead Dairy and Steinbach Farms came together with a shared mission of raising and providing high-quality beef and pork to other families in their community and beyond.

Jake and Jennifer Hoewisch and their three small children Adalynn, Everlee and Garrett, farm together at Hoewisch Homestead Dairy, raising crops, dairy and beef cattle. They have a passion for building a high-producing registered Holstein herd of dairy cows and producing the highest-quality milk possible.

Curt and Karen Steinbach and their three grown sons Jake, Ben (and wife Jen) and Zach are the partners at work on the Steinbach farm. They grow corn, soybeans and wheat, and strive to maintain good soil health. They also raise pigs in the summer.

The Holstein x Angus beef is born and raised at Hoewisch Homestead with access to pasture year-round. Their ration is supplemented with farm-grown high-moisture corn during the finishing phase to enhance the flavor and tenderness of the meat. The pigs are raised to finish at the Steinbachs.

“All our animals are ethically and responsibly raised right on our farms, ensuring the care, quality and freshness that only small-scale farming can deliver,” says Jake Hoewisch. “We’re committed to offering wholesome, flavorful meat that our customers can feel good about eating and serving to their families.”

Locals can find H&S Tasty Acres at the Waupaca, Wis., farmers market every Saturday beginning in June. They also make appearances at the New London and Fremont farmers markets.

H&S Tasty Acres beef and pork is available in bulk or by specific cuts. In addition to standard cuts, they also have liver, heart, tongue and oxtail for sale.

Learn more and find an order form at www.hstastyacres.com. Customers can also see the options and order in person by scheduling a time to visit the farm. The order-by dates for bulk purchases of beef or pork can be found on the H&S Tasty Acres Facebook page.

For questions or tours call Jake at 920 810 5640; for direct sales, contact Karen Steinbach at 920 574 5950.