PDP Manager's Memo

July 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.

July 22 - Cows & Robots: Motivating Voluntary Milking

Unlock the potential of automated milking systems with strategies to boost voluntary cow participation. Explore the roles of nutrition, housing and behavior in maximizing efficiency. Presenter will be:

Dr. Trevor DeVries, Ph.D., Professor and Canada Research Chair, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph

July 24 - Market Update

Tune in for the latest news, trends and insights on agricultural and dairy markets that will impact the industry and your business. Panelists will be:

Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst, AgResource Company

Access Now

Thank you to Dairy Management Inc. for their sponsorship of The Dairy Signal. Funded by America’s dairy farm families and dairy importers, the checkoff works to grow sales and build trust in dairy. Your dairy checkoff works through restaurant, retail and foodservice partners; youth outreach, research and product development and more. Connect and learn how we’re making every drop count at d airycheckoff.com.

Previously on The Dairy Signal

July 15

Hear the latest on Salmonella Dublin, including prevention, disease transmission, managing outbreaks, vaccination protocols, clinical signs and more.

Dr. Melissa Cantor, Assistant Professor, Precision Dairy Science, Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Erika Ganda, DVM, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Food Animal Microbiomes, Department of Animal Science, Pennsylvania State University

July 17

Dairy women daily tackle the challenges of juggling family, business and everything in between. Hear real stories and practical insights from three high-performing women on managing competing priorities without losing yourself — or your sanity — in the process.

Sandy Larson, owner and dairy producer, Larson Acres, Inc, Evansville, Wis.
Heather Moore, owner, Moore Family Farms, Moore Family Farms Creamery, Moore Local and Rockdale Locker, Maquoketa, Iowa
Suzanne Vold, dairy producer, Dorrich Dairy, Glenwood, Minn.

Opportunities to Learn

NEW LEARNING, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES ARE AHEAD with the 2025-26 program calendar from PDP. Check out the full range of hands-on, focused programming to ensure that everyone on your dairy team is future ready. Learn more.

PDP ACCELERATE WORKSHOP

July 22, 2025

Madison, Wis.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE! REGISTER INTERNS NOW FOR JULY 22 WORKSHOP.

Summer internships are an important part of preparing students for their careers in the agriculture and dairy industries.

The one-day PDP Accelerate workshop will give interns the skills they need to stand out from the crowd and success in today's workforce.

Facilitated by Michael Hoffman, the program will complement the on-the-ground experiences that interns have gained this summer, with a focus on:

Develop a commanding professional presence
Elevate your communication, networking and interview skills
Gain real-world insights from top industry leaders
Learn how to skillfully showcase your experiences in a way that attracts attention
Position yourself as a standout candidate

Learn more and register today.

ACE® ON-THE-FARM TWILIGHT MEETINGS

August 25, 26, 27, 28

Durand, Tomah, Newton, Watertown, Wis.

Learn more and register.

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.

Dairy Currents

GROUND MEATS DELIVERING STRONG PERFORMANCES, driven by flexibility and affordability for consumers. Ground meat and poultry generated nearly $18 billion in sales in 2024, according to the 2025 Power of Meat Report. Ground beef was the consumer favorite with high household penetration and high trip frequency, according to the report. Other grinds, such as turkey, pork, chicken, lamb and venison have a far lower household penetration and purchasing frequency. The report also noted that innovative products like pre-seasoned options for ground meat and poultry or mushroom and vegetables blended into the grind appeal to younger generations. Learn more.

STAY SAFE WHEN USING SKID STEERS. Skid steers are a versatile part of many farming operations because of their size and options for attachments, however, it is easy to underestimate the skill and knowledge required for safe operation. An article from Penn State Extension reviews the hazards of skid steer usage, including runovers, entrapments, roll backs and tipping forward. Suggestions for safe operations include:

No riders, either in the bucket or the driver’s lap
Learn the blind spots of operation
Never swing, lift or move a load over a person
Know the materials you are loading and potential to roll out or cause other issues
Use the 3-point method to safely enter and exit skid steer
When finished with skid steer, lower the bucket to park safely

Learn more about hazards and safety measures in the full article.

Your Farm - Your Footprint

BUILD A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE WITH YOUR FARM – YOUR FOOTPRINT^™

Sustainability isn’t just about the environment—it’s about building a balanced, thriving farm. Your Farm - Your Footprint (YFYF) helps you integrate all three pillars of sustainability into your operation:

Economic: Strengthen your bottom line by optimizing resources and improving efficiency.
Social: Foster a positive impact on your community and ensure a thriving workplace for generations to come.
Environmental: Reduce your footprint, conserve resources, and protect the land that supports your success.

YFYF brings together the tools, data, and expertise to help you measure your progress and take action. By balancing these three pillars, your farm can grow stronger today while planning for tomorrow.

Want to learn more? Visit the website or email croy@pdpw.org.

For Your Business Mind

A CLEARLY DEFINED ROLE AND PATH TO LEADERSHIP are key to success when integrating a rising-generation family member into a business. An article from the Family Business Consulting Group highlights strategies to involve new generation members into a business by creating meaningful, well-scoped roles that prepare them to take on responsibilities and empower them to carry forward the values, vision and spirit of the business. Families can build clarity by:

Define a role with intention
Clarify purpose and value creation
Define what success looks like

Read the full article to learn more..

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE? No one expects perfection at any level of leadership, but your team will be watching for how you respond and take accountability. In fact, handling the situation well can build trust. Strategies include:

Acknowledge the obvious – quickly
Own it without excuses
Share what you’re doing to fix it
Pay attention to the team’s reaction
Repair the trust – don’t just reset the plan
Don’t overcorrect out of guilt

Learn more about each strategy in the full article.

On the Road: Sassy Cow Creamery

For nearly 20 years, Sassy Cow Creamery has been making milk and ice cream from milk produced at the two farms owned and operated by James Baerwolf and Robert Baerwolf and their families. The brothers returned to the family’s dairy farm after graduating from UW-Madison in the 1990s, growing their 50 cow farm to the current 600 cows. In 2000, they also saw the growing interest in organic foods and developed a second farm that is managed as an organic herd. James and Robert began researching the value-added options for the dairy, and built the creamery in 2008.

The creamery’s on-site store is open seven days a with a viewing window to the milk bottling line. The store offers traditional milk and organic milk and ice cream as well as a large variety of Wisconsin products including cheese, eggs, bakery, chocolates and more. A shelter and tractor playground are available for guests to enjoy their treats outside!

Located just 20 minutes north of Madison, visits to the creamery, store and dairy farm have increased with the growing population of Madison and Dane County. The scope of Sassy Cow Creamery’s distributor base has increased, too, as they work with Wisconsin-based companies and businesses that sell in the Chicago market. Visit website and Facebook to learn more.

James and Robert have been involved in a number of PDP programs and conferences. “The Financial Literacy classes have probably had the most impact on our operation as it has made it easier to understand what is required for the business to continue and grow, and allows us to measure how the business has changed over a career,” said James.