PDP Manager's Memo

September 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!

Sept. 22 - Setting up silage for success

Make the most of this year’s silage season with a checklist of what to evaluate during and immediately after harvest to protect silage quality, as well as recommendations to set your operation up for success for the coming year.

Dr. Luiz Ferraretto, PhD, associate professor and ruminant nutrition extension specialist, UW-Madison

Sept. 24 - Leading when the pressure is on

With harvest underway and dairy producers juggling crops, cows, employees, equipment and family commitments, learn strategies to communicate, lead and delegate when everyone is stretched thin.

Michael Hoffman, President, Igniting Performance

Access Now

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

Sept. 15 - Staying sharp during harvest season

Tune in for tips to keep your body fueled and your mind fresh during the busy harvest season. Hear practical strategies for staying hydrated, managing caffeine, packing healthy snacks, fighting the afternoon energy crash and more.

Morgan Ekovich, Health and Nutrition Coach, Founder, Get Fit with ME

Sept. 17 - Market update

Hear the news and trends that will drive markets through fall harvest and the rest of 2026 and the potential impact on the dairy industry and your operation.

Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst, AgResource Company

Opportunities to Learn

EXPLORE IDAHO DAIRY TOUR

Tour with PDP as we travel the picturesque Southern Idaho landscape graced with dairies and agricultural businesses. Once you are on our bus, we will treat you to PDP-style hospitality. Open to all PDP members, but spots are filling quickly. Register today!

October 19-23, 2026

Learn more.

Featured programs

Find the full list of upcoming programs on our website.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT & ADVANCED FINANCE WORKSHOP

Sharpen business, financial and HR skills at a two-day workshop led by nationally-recognized expert Dick Wittman. Use case studies and real world scenarios to build strategies that will work for your business.

Sun Prairie, Wis.

Oct. 28-29, 2026

Learn more

STRIDE™ YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

Students ages 15-18 are invited to an interactive one-day event at UW-Madison to amplify their leadership and communications skills and explore ag career opportunities. Qualifies as an FFA "above the chapter level" activity.

Nov. 17, 2026

Madision, Wis.

Learn more

CALF CARE CONNECTION

Oct. 14, 15, 2026

Learn more

DAIRY WELLBEING WORKSHOP

Nov. 18, 19, 2026

Green Bay, Wis.

Learn more

FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR DAIRY®

Beaver Dam, Wis.

Level One:

Nov. 11-12, Dec. 1-2, 2026

Level Two:

Feb 2-3, 17-18, Mar. 9-10, 2027

Learn more

For Your Business Mind

CONNECTED EQUIPMENT, REMOTE CONTROLS AND BUSINESS SYSTEMS can create vulnerabilities to cyberattack across today’s dairy farms. An episode of The Dairy Signal took a deep dive into potential risks and steps dairies should take, including:

Create a list of all equipment and devices connected to the internet
Know what systems and equipment can be controlled remotely
Restart devices regularly
Review cybersecurity protections and liability provisions with equipment vendors.
Practice a business continuity exercise for operating offline or using equipment manually.

Watch the episode to learn more.

WHEN EMOTIONS RUN HIGH, leaders should pause before responding and separate the situation into three parts: What am I feeling? What are the facts? What action best serves the outcome I want? Taking time to step back can prevent impulsive decisions, protect relationships and create a workplace where people feel safe sharing difficult information. Read the full article to learn more.

Your Farm - Your Footprint®

PROTECT YOUR MARKET AND YOUR FUTURE

As market pressures change, stay ahead of the curve by learning how sustainability data is collected and see where your farm stands.

Here's what participating in Your Farm - Your Footprint looks like:

Upload data on nutrient management, crop yields, herd stats and electricity/water use
A third-party team runs the three recognized models
PDP’s grant funding pays for it
You receive your footprint score. Only you see it, and you control your data.

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

For Your Dairy

THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF SOCIAL HOUSING of calves was the focus of research in the Journal of Dairy Science. Researchers followed calves raised in individual housing, pair housing and groups of 10 for the first two months of life, then commingled among housing treatments and raised in groups on pasture. They observed that social housing reduced culling risk in lactation and resulted in greater milk yield in the first weeks of lactation. Learn more.

FEEDING SUFFICIENT AMOUNTS OF HIGH-QUALITY COLOSTRUM to calves at a young age is the most important management factor in determining health and survival of the calf. An article from UW-Madison reviews the critical role of colostrum and three steps to ensure strong colostrum management: test and pasteurize; administer proper volume early; and monitoring herd outcomes. Read the full article for details on each step.

Foundation Focus

WILL MCKINLEY brings a strong focus on the future of dairy farms and the industry to his new role on the Dairy’s Foundation board. As an agri-business attorney and president and CEO of Menn Law Firm, Ltd., he works with farm families on business matters and succession planning. His family also owns Comfort Hoof Care, a global manufacturer of hoof-trimming chutes for dairies.

McKinley joined the Foundation board because he believes in PDP’s mission, the importance of helping dairy producers adapt, grow and succeed, and sharing information about the value of dairy with consumers

“I very much value what PDP does, and being part of the Foundation enables me to help further the mission of empowering dairy producers to be successful,” he said.

He also sees the Your Farm - Your Footprint program as a very unique opportunity to provide greater awareness and resources for farms as they do their part in global sustainability efforts.

“The next generation of dairy producers that are taking over the reins are highly educated and very progressive,” he said. “The Foundation is in a position to continue to underwrite and offer programming that will be of use and interest to these producers who are always looking to learn and improve.”

Inspiration

"The measure of intelligence is the ability to change."
- Albert Einstein