|
January 2026 Vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
| | Check out what's coming this week on The Dairy Signal! | | Jan. 13 - 2026 Dairy Outlook: Quarter 1 | | Jan. 15 - Precision Matters with Every Dose | | 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 | | |
Jan. 6
Hear the “do’s and don’ts” for dairy feeding programs in a time of lower milk prices. John Goeser will also discuss 2025 corn silage outcomes, with a focus on fermentation.
-
John Goeser, Dairy Nutrition + Management Consultant, Progressive Dairy Solutions
Jan. 8
Tune in for latest news and analysis of agricultural markets and trends and a look ahead to the potential impacts on the dairy industry and your farm.
-
Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst, AgResource Company
| | |
CORNERSTONE DAIRY ACADEMY®
March 3-4, 2026
Madison, Wis.
YOUR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY STARTS HERE. It’s almost time! Applications for the 2026 Cornerstone Dairy Academy close on Thursday, Jan. 15. Complete the simple application in about 15 minutes, then join us for a life-changing two days of learning, networking and inspiration. All sessions simultaneously translated into Spanish.
| | |
2026 BUSINESS CONFERENCE
March 4-5, 2026
Madison, Wis.
DRAFT YOUR DAIRY'S PLAN FOR SUCCESS. Every session of the 2026 PDP Business Conference is designed to send you and your team home with practical, ready-to-use strategies that strengthen margins and sharpen decision-making.
The 2026 program is now available.
Just a few highlights:
- 50+ sessions in variety of formats: keynotes, breakout sessions, Hands-on Hub, Learning Lounges
- Powerhouse keynotes: John O’Leary, Dr. David Kohl, Gregg Doud, Dr. Edmond Seifried, Alex Weber
- Share ideas and network with forward-thinking producers, industry experts and leading researchers
- Music, food and drinks on Wednesday evening in a piano-bar setting
- Dive deep into the latest research on the Preview Stage
- Expanded talentCONNECT reverse career fair
- Simultaneous Spanish translation of all sessions
Join us March 4-5 in Madison to draft your dairy’s plan for success.
Register today.
| |  | |
FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR DAIRY®
Kewaunee, Wis.
Level Two -
Jan. 15-16, 2026
Feb. 4-5, 2026
Mar. 10-11, 2026
Learn more and register.
| |
INTERNATIONAL TOUR
Feb 2-15, 2026
New Zealand
Up to two spots are available for PDP's once-in-a-lifetime international trip. Learn more and contact Julie Gabris at 920-382-2012
| |
2026 Managers Academy for Dairy Professionals
January 20-22, 2026
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Learn more and register.
| | | |
TAKE ACTION TO PREVENT “FARM BLINDNESS” on your operation. When potential problems become invisible because they are routine, it can impact animal health, production and the bottom line. A Penn State Extension article highlights the issue and recommends benchmarking with peers, inviting consultants, tracking health metrics and monitoring technologies to help identify bottlenecks and improve overall herd health, welfare, and profitability. Read more.
| | |
FOCUSING ON SMALL WINS can be more effective than strict goals or resolutions. A Fast Company article suggests a BINGO card approach with achievable actions, which will reward consistency without demanding perfection and making progress feel more fun. It’s a practical way to balance ambition with adaptability while keeping goals front-and-center throughout the year. Learn more.
|
| Your Farm - Your Footprint® | | |
THINKING ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS TO YOU FARM?
PDP's Your Farm - Your Footprint can help identify opportunities and connect dairy producers with potential funding sources for improvements that boost sustainability. Get started today by getting your baseline score.
“Loading my data into the system was surprisingly simple. Not too difficult or time consuming. They asked for typical, on-farm data we already had available.”
Janet Clark, Rosendale, Wis.
Learn more and sign up today at www.pdpw.org/your-farm-your-footprint/.
| | |
LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS CAN HELP DAIRY PRODUCERS by summarizing research, drafting protocols, and organizing information to improve decision-making on the farm. Tools such as ExtBot and NotebookLM can take broad questions and generate practical options or translate complex research into actionable insights. An article from UW-Extension provides recommendations on effectively using tools, including writing clear prompts and always verifying AI outputs with trusted sources before making major management decisions. Learn more.
| | |
IN LACTATING DAIRY COWS DURING AN H5N1 OUTBREAK, a Journal of Dairy Science article reported that older cows later in lactation with higher milk production had higher odds of clinical disease. While infected cows produced significantly less milk and had elevated somatic cell counts weeks after onset, primiparous cows showed milder losses. Read the full article.
| | SCHOLARSHIP HONORS LIFE AND LEGACY OF ALAN KOEPKE | |
Dairy's Foundation has announced a new scholarship opportunity designed to support Wisconsin students pursuing higher education and careers in agriculture. The Alan Koepke Memorial Scholarship has been established through memorial contributions from family, friends, and colleagues into Dairy’s Foundation. Beginning in 2026, a $2,000 scholarship is expected to be awarded each year.
Applications are being accepted through Feb. 1, 2026. Details and online application are available here.
| | |
"Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow."
-William Pollard
| | Thank You, National Partners | | Thank You, Legacy Partner | | |
Professional Dairy Producers
820 North Main St.
Juneau, WI 53039
800-947-7379
| |
| | | |
