October 2025 Vol. 2

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

Dairy producers need to establish their carbon footprint and emissions baseline as soon as they can, because they’ll soon be paid based on their progress toward these goals.

During the October 14 and 15 Carbon, Crops + Cows program, farmers will learn more about current models and measurement tools as well as how data points are gathered and sustainability scores determined. Non-government money is available right now for farmers to incorporate these changes, and all data and reports are private unless producers choose to share them.

Programs will be held:

• Tuesday, October 14 at Ruedinger Farms Inc in Van Dyne, Wis.
• Wednesday, October 15 at Maple Ridge Dairy in Stratford, Wis.

“The critical first step on a sustainability journey is for producers to get their baseline sustainability scores so they can track improvements and understand how investments in new management practices can impact their environmental footprint and bottom line,” said David Trimner, Athens, Wis., dairy producer and PDP board member.

Register today for the program; each on-farm workshop runs from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with lunch and program materials provided.



Trimner adds, “If you have questions about how the models work, what data is necessary for calculating scores or other related questions, the Carbon, Crops + Cows program is the perfect opportunity to learn from experts and peers in a farmer-friendly setting."

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.

October 14 - Succession Planning: Are You Next Generation Ready?

October 16 - Market Update

Previously on The Dairy Signal

October 7

Tune in for an interactive discussion of the factors that impact early pregnancy loss in dairy cattle and strategies for your dairy operation.

• Dr. Paul Fricke, PhD, Dairy Reproduction Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison

October 9

Join the conversation about corn silage production and management with a focus on the unavoidable and avoidable losses that happen throughout production, harvest, storage and feeding processes.

• Dr. Luiz Ferraretto, Assistant Professor and Ruminant Nutrition Extension Specialist, UW-Madison

Dairy Currents

BUILDING A SAFETY CULTURE ON YOUR FARM can set you apart as an employer and improve productivity.  A series of videos from UW Extension shares elements to building a culture – starting with communication and trust – and the development of a written safety policy and job safety analysis (JSA) of key tasks on the operation. Working through job safety analysis for tasks with your team members includes identifying all steps in a task and brainstorming potential hazards, how decisions are made to deal with risks and possible changes to reduce risks. Read more. 

YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED. Professional Dairy Producers members are invited to take a survey from the Beef Checkoff to share feedback on the program, along with what types of news and information you’d like to see regarding where your Beef Checkoff dollars are invested to drive beef demand. PDP has a board seat on the Wisconsin Beef Council, and your input and thoughts are appreciated. This will ensure the information shared from the national and state beef councils is timely, relevant, and valuable to you at Checkoff stakeholders. In addition, this will help our organization have a better understanding of our member’s opinions and knowledge regarding the local and national Checkoff programs. By completing this brief survey, you will be entered to win one of 50 insulated Klean Kanteen drink containers from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Click here to complete survey.

Your Farm - Your Footprint

For Your Business Mind

WHO SHOULD BE ON YOUR TEAM when you explore options for a value-added dairy business? An article from Penn State Extension highlights key questions to ask when considering opportunities, and recommends potential contributors to a value-added dairy team, including regulatory personnel, extension specialists, another value-added dairy entrepreneur, consultant, financial specialist, builder or engineer, as well as dairy industry professionals such as veterinarians, nutritionists and others. Surrounding yourself with people who can assist with weighing the options and providing constructive input can be beneficial for someone looking to get into the value-added dairy arena. Learn more.

DISCUSSIONS OF FAIRNESS VS. EQUALITY can be some of the most challenging in family businesses. As ownership and investments change through generations, key questions include:

• Should the next generation be given the same opportunities?
• Should ownership distributions, compensation, or decision-making power be equal?
• Or should they reflect each person’s individual skill set, contributions, responsibilities, tenure, or financial needs?

Read the full article from Family Business Consulting Group for more details along with tips for effective communication and establishing formal governance documents.

Foundation Focus

"Integrity is when our words and deeds are consistent with our values."

-Simon Sinek

Carbon, Crops + Cows

Oct. 14, 15, 2025

Calf Care Connection

Oct. 22, 23, 2025

Business Management & Advanced Finance Workshop

Oct. 29-30, 2025

Stride Youth Leadership Conference

Nov. 12, 2025

Financial Literacy for Dairy - Level 1

Nov. 12-13 and Dec. 3-4, 2025

Dairy Wellbeing Workshop

Nov. 19, 20, 2025

Financial Literacy for Dairy - Level 2

Jan. 14-15, Feb. 4-5 and Feb. 18-19, 2026

Dairy Managers Institute

Dec. 16-17, 2025

Managers Academy for Dairy Professionals

Jan. 20-22, 2026

International Tour - New Zealand

Feb. 2-15, 2026

Cornerstone Dairy Academy

March 3-4, 2026

2026 PDP Business Conference

March 4-5, 2026