PDP Manager's Memo

June 2025 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. Tune in every Tuesday and Thursday live from noon to 1 p.m. CT, or catch previous episodes on demand here.

June 17 - Fire Safety 101

Tune in for a discussion of fire safety procedures and protocols. Chief Minor will walk through fire drills and critical safety measures to protect your team, animals, buildings and equipment. Presenter will be:

Gerald Minor, Chief, Pittsville Fire Department

June 19 - Managing Heat Stress in Non-Lactating Groups

As summer temperatures rise, ensure that you are keeping all animals cool and healthy. Hear strategies for managing heat stress in non-lactating groups of animals on your dairy farm. Presenter will be:

Dr. Jimena Laporta, Associate Professor of Lactation Physiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Access Now

Previously on The Dairy Signal

June 10

What’s the status of the 2025 growing season? The answer depends on where you live, of course. Dr. Goeser will offer advice for early-season adjustments to boost plant health and yield as needed. He’ll also discuss hay quality and tips to ensure consistency throughout the season.

Dr. John Goeser, Dairy Nutrition + Management Consultant, Progressive Dairy Solutions

June 12

As we near the halfway point of 2025, tune in for a discussion of the market, export and weather news that will drive dairy and agricultural markets this summer and for the rest of the year.

Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst, AgResource Company

Opportunities to Learn

PDP ACCELERATE™

July 22, 2025

Madison, Wis.

CALLING ALL AG INTERNS!

Get ready to step ahead of the pack with PDP Accelerate - a one-day workshop for all interns in the ag sector.

Build on the on-the-ground experience you are gaining this summer with a focused training session to position you for future career success.

World-class trainer Michael Hoffman will lead interactive, high energy sessions designed to help you develop a professional presence, elevate communications, networking and interview skills, gain insights from top industry leaders and position yourself as a standout candidate when applying for full-time positions.

Learn more and register today.

2026 INTERNATIONAL TOUR - NEW ZEALAND

February 2-15, 2026

Learn more.

PDP BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & ADVANCED FINANCE WORKSHOP

October 29-30, 2025

Sun Prairie, Wis.

Learn more and register.

MANAGERS ACADEMY FOR DAIRY PROFESSIONALS®

January 20-22, 2026

Puerto Rico

Learn more and register.

For Your Dairy

MANAGE NEGATIVE DCAD DIETS CAREFULLY TO PREVENT MILK FEVER. Feeding a negative dietary cation anion difference (DCAD) diet is a well-researched strategy to prevent milk fever, which can cost dairy producers approximately $150 per case. A UW-Extension article highlights the reasons why the diet is effective, including that it increases the availability of calcium that cows can access when needed at calving and provides guidance when formulating the diet and measuring its effectiveness. Key considerations include palatability, monitoring urine pH, testing forage mineral levels and creating a low stress environment in the dry cow and prefresh pens. Read more.

DETAILS MATTER WHEN SELECTING STARCH SOURCE AND PROCESSING METHOD. An article from Ohio State Extension reviews the process and considerations for grinding, ensiling and steam flaking corn grain and key quality metrics for each. When switching starch sources by types of processing, pay close attention to feed intake, milk yield, milk fat concentration, MUN and rumination in case you need to make adjustments like increasing NDF, forage NDF, or reducing starch and rumen fermentable starch. Learn more.

June Dairy Month Community Blood Drive

JOIN US THIS WEEK! PDP will host a community blood drive at our Juneau, Wis., headquarters from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18. Our second annual June Dairy Month blood drive will honor our hardworking dairy producer members and their commitment to feeding the world and provide much-needed blood supplies for our community. Donors can look forward to receiving a $15 gift card from the American Red Cross, as well as delicious dairy treats provided by the PDP staff (mac & cheese, ice cream, cheese and more!) after their donation. Learn more and schedule your donation time.

Your Farm - Your Footprint

HOW IS MY SCORE CALCULATED?

Your Farm - Your Footprint utilizes three environmental quantification tools to provide a full-scope look at your farm and its carbon intensity and greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in three scores unique to your farm. The farm data generated from Your Farm - Your Footprint is yours and yours alone, and is not shared unless you choose to do so. Visit the website or email croy@pdpw.org to learn more.

FARM ES has been developed by the National Dairy FARM program, and takes into consideration the following farm inputs:

Milk production
Herd data
Rations
Manure management
Energy use

Cool Farm Tool uses the following information to determine carbon intensity:

Crop data
Yield, acres, fertilizer application, crop protection
Livestock data
Herd size, feed, manure management, energy use

EcoPractices utilizes your farm data to determine greenhouse gas emissions, including:

Field boundaries
Field management practices
Crop rotation, tillage, nutrient application, yield

Dairy Currents

FOOD DATE LABELING CAUSES CONFUSION and contributes to food waste and insecurity. An online survey commissioned by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) found that 48% of Americans interpret food date labels such as “best by,” “best if used by,” and “use by” as indicators of quality, while 29% see them as safety warnings. Thirty-six percent say they discard food without assessing it once they notice the food label date has passed, while 54% report evaluating food to see if it is still good to consume. When asked for a preferred term if it were standardized on all food products, “best if used by” was ranked first, followed by “used or discard by,” “expires by,” and “best quality if used by.” Learn more in the survey report.

RESEARCH DOES NOT SUPPORT DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN REGULAR-FAT AND LOW-FAT DAIRY FOODS in dietary guidelines for adults and children. A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reviewed previous recommendations and the body of research evidence and stated that consuming milk, yogurt and cheese – regardless of fat content – is neutrally associated with cardiovascular disease risk. Authors recommend that a focus on a reduction of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods is more important to improve cardiovascular health. Read the full study to learn more.

Member Meanderings

TRI-FECTA FAMILY FARM MARKET

For years, the Schultz family heard from friends and community members who wanted to purchase beef from their farm. The Schultz family has been farming in Wisconsin since the early 1900’s, and has built a reputation for the highly quality care they put into their animals and the land. Keven and Cheryl Schultz began transitioning the farm to their children, Kari Gribble, Nick Schultz and Katy Schultz, and in 2008, the siblings took over the farm and began operating as Tri-Fecta Farms, Inc.

In early 2020, the family decided the time was right for direct-to-consumer beef sales. They began researching the process to obtain appropriate licenses, making butcher appointments and lining up product inventory. The Tri-Fecta Farms Family Market retail store is located in a small shed on the property where Katy Schultz lives and where the dairy’s youngstock is raised.

At first, the market was open multiple days a week, selling at farmer’s markets, and had online ordering and pickup. As the Market and consumer demand grew, the family reduced the operating hours to every Saturday for two hours, with private appointments during the week. Their customer base has grown steadily, almost exclusively through word of mouth and social media, along with the family’s comfort and confidence in managing inventory and sales.

The Tri-Fecta Farms Family Market is currently focused on selling beef from their farm as well as apparel. They are open to additional opportunities, especially as more family members become involved and share new ideas. In the meantime, they are excited to continue selling high-quality beef to loyal customers. Learn more on Facebook or their website.

PDP Podcast Weekly

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY WITH MICHAEL HOFFMAN

Michael Hoffman returns with his daughter Ali to share why it is so important to be part of a community.

Inspiration

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks and then starting on the first one."

— Mark Twain