November 2024 Vol. 2

Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®

Thank you for starting your week with our new weekly edition of Manager's Memo! In each edition, you’ll find the PDP Podcast, Dairy Signal, upcoming PDP programs, dairy news and more.

What You Put in Your Body Matters with Morgan Ekovich

In this week's PDP Podcast, personal trainer, nutrition and accountability coach Morgan Ekovich explores the importance of what we put into our bodies and how to make healthier choices, starting today. Learn simple, practical steps for improving your nutrition, from understanding portion sizes to choosing whole, nutrient-dense foods. She’ll break down where to start on your journey to better eating habits and why fueling your body with the right foods is crucial for both short-term energy and long-term health. This is the perfect epsiode for anyone looking to build a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

Check out what's coming this week on The Dairy Signal. Tune in every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday live from noon to 1 p.m. CT, or catch previous episodes on demand here.

Nov. 12 - Transporting Pre-Weaned Calves

Nov. 13 - The Importance of a Vision

Nov. 14 - Market Update

Previously on The Dairy Signal

November 5

Join the conversation in the “Coaching Corner” to learn about the importance of building anchors and traditions within your team and practical strategies to make it happen.

• Michael Hoffman, President, Igniting Performance

November 6

With silage and fall harvest wrapping up, what can you be doing to prepare fields for spring planting?  Hear about soil testing, cover crop planting and more.

• Todd Schaumburg, Part Owner and Agronomist, Tilth Agronomy

November 7

Make sure that your facilities are ready for the colder weather that is just around the corner! The discussion will focus on maintaining proper ventilation in calf, heifer and cow barns during winter months.

• Courtney Halbach, MBA, Outreach Specialist, The Dairyland Initiative

Opportunities to Learn

Carbon, Crops + Cows

November 12, 13, 14

Athens, Little Chute, Arlington, Wis.

There's still time to register! Don't miss the Carbon, Crops + Cows workshop for a day of expert insights on measuring and managing your farm's sustainability, helping you prepare for a more sustainable and profitable future. Attendees will also learn about the new grant opportunities through the Your Farm – Your Footprint™ initiative to jumpstart your sustainability measurements and understanding. Learn more and register here.

Dairy Managers Institute®

December 10-11

Juneau, Wis.

Two days. Three tiers of leadership programming. Learn from top trainers like Dr. Becky Stewart-Gross, Michael Hoffman, Dr. Kevin Bernhardt and Linda Swindling, and build your leadership, coaching, and negotiation skills at the 2024 Dairy Managers Institute. Simultaneous Spanish translation is provided for all tiers. Learn more and register here.

Managers Academy for Dairy Professionals®

January 7-9, 2025

Dallas, Texas

Pack your bags for Dallas, Texas, for the 2025 Managers Academy! Three days of top-level training, out-of-industry tour experiences and peer interaction will provide participants with the tools and strategies to strengthen their organization's culture. Registration is now open for this training program designed for dairy industry executives. Learn more here.

Cornerstone Dairy Academy®

March 11-12, 2024

Madison, Wis. 

Get a head start on your 2025 goals by applying for the Cornerstone Dairy Academy. Build your leadership and communications skills at this dynamic professional development training. Applications are due January 31, 2025, for the March 11-12, 2025 program. The event will be held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. Learn more in English and Spanish.

MENTOR PROGRAM PROVIDES NEW PERSPECTIVES, EXPERIENCES.

Abbygail Foster participated in the 2023-2024 PDP Mentor Program, spending a day at Mystic Valley Dairy in Sauk City, Wis. The Southwest Wisconsin Technical College student toured the farm owned and operated by Mitch Breunig, learned about its rich history of genetics as well as the innovative technologies, equipment and practices in place to raise and maintain its 400-cow milking herd. Foster also worked with the farm’s veterinarian to pregnancy check cows, diagnose and treat a cow with ketosis, and vaccinate calves.

“I had an amazing day at Mystic Valley Dairy and learned so much about operations and veterinary care at the dairy farm,” said Foster. “The more questions I asked, the more I learned.”

Applications for the 2025 PDP Mentor Program are due November 18, 2024. The program is open to students at four-year universities, technical schools and Short Course students interested in gaining hands-on experience on dairy farmers and building their network. For students new to dairy, the program offers a chance to gain valuable, firsthand knowledge of daily operations, while those with dairy backgrounds can experience different approaches and techniques.

More information and the quick application are available on the PDP website. Mentor farm matches will be announced by November 25, 2024, and students are expected to complete their visits by the end of January 2025. Students who complete the program requirements will receive a complimentary registration to the 2025 PDP Business Conference in Madison, Wis., on March 12-13, 2025.

COMPLETE SURVEY ABOUT PRECISION DAIRY TECHNOLOGIES. The Smart Farm Hub is a novel and multidisciplinary initiative from UW-Madison focused on developing materials to prepare farmers, students and dairy industry professionals for the digital agriculture era. They have developed a short (10-15 minute) survey for dairy producers about use and management of precision dairy technologies on farms today. The responses will guide the team’s future work and focus areas. All responses will be confidential and anonymous and all participants who complete the survey will be entered to win one of twenty $50 Visa gift cards. Learn more and complete the survey here.

Your Farm Your Footprint

DON'T MISS OUT! OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW GRANTS TO START YOUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY

Your Farm – Your Footprint™ is a pioneering, farmer-led initiative designed to help dairy farmers understand and manage their environmental impact, with Dairy’s Foundation and partial sponsorship from Nestlé. This program enables farmers to assess carbon and greenhouse gas metrics, offering access to simple, personalized reports and expert consultations to identify tailored improvement strategies. Participants can explore three sustainability measurement tools—FARM ES, Cool Farm Tool, and COMET—and engage in ongoing peer networking for shared learning. Farmers’ data is confidential, shared only with their consent. Learn more and sign up at www.pdpw.org/your-farm-your-footprint/.

Premier Suppliers and Supporters

Thank you to the partners and premier suppliers who support your professional development organization. Dairy's Premier Suppliers are those who faithfully exhibit and support PDP's Business Conference and are trusted, leading providers of high-quality products, services and solutions essential to the dairy industry. See below to see some of our milk processor and animal genetics premier suppliers.

Interested in becoming a part of dairy's premier suppliers? Submit your trade show contract for the 2025 Hall of Ideas and Equipment Show at the PDP Business Conference, March 12-13, 2025.

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

-- Mahatma Ghandi