PDP Manager's Memo

May 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, Wednesday and Thursday live from noon to 1 p.m. CT, or catch previous episodes on demand here.

May 20 - 2025 Dairy Outlook - Quarter 2

Tune in for an update on what is happening in the realm of dairy markets and policy and what dairy producers should be thinking about and watching out for during these volatile times.

Leonard Polzin, Dairy Markets and Policy Outreach Specialist, UW-Extension

May 21 - Understanding Methane-Reducing Feed Additives

Methane reduction is a hot topic in today’s dairy industry. Hear the latest news and research around methane-reducing feed additives.

Joanne Knapp, PhD, PAS, Innovator and President, Fox Hollow Consulting LLC

May 22 - From Sandbox to Silo: Navigating Farm Safety from Toddlers to Teens

With the school year ending, children of all ages will be spending more time on the farm. Join a conversation about safety concerns for young people working on farms or potential distractions that could lead children to unsafe situations.

Melissa Ploeckelman, Outreach Specialist, National Farm Medicine Center at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute

Access Now

Previously on The Dairy Signal

May 13

Learn about research that models the impact of changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order and the impacts on farm milk prices, producer incomes and the dairy supply chain. Insights from this research will inform key policy discussions impacting the future of U.S. dairy.

Dr. Charles Nicholson, Associate Professor, Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences and Agricultural & Applied Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Jack Myers, PhD student, Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences, UW-Madison

May 14

Tune in for a conversation on best practices in organizing work for yourself and your team to make sure everything gets done.

Tim Schaefer, CFP, Certified Family Business Advisor, Certified Professional Business Coach, Encore Consultants

May 15

As we near Memorial Day and the traditional start of summer, hear the latest news and analysis for agricultural and dairy markets and a look ahead at the rest of 2025.

Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst, AgResource Company

Opportunities to Learn

2025 PDP INTERNATIONAL TOUR: NEW ZEALAND

February 2-15, 2026

COWS, KIWIS AND MORE ON THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME!

Just a few seats remain for a two-week, all inclusive adventure through New Zealand's North and South Islands with the perfect combination of natural beauty, iconic cities, agriculture and relaxation.

Learn more and register.

PDP ACCELERATE™

July 22, 2025

Madison, Wis.

HELP INTERNS SHARPEN SKILLS AND STAY ENERGIZED with a mid-summer development boost!

Sign up your interns for PDP's one-day Accelerate program for expert leadership training and professional development to enhance internship experience and set them up for even more future success.

Learn more and register.

Dairy Currents

MARCH U.S. DAIRY EXPORTS MARKED HIGHEST VOLUME SINCE FEBRUARY 2023, with year-over-year growth of 3% in dairy export volume. An update from the U.S. Dairy Export Federation notes that nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder had its best month since summer 2024, butterfat continued to surge, and Chinese low-protein whey buyers rushed to beat retaliatory tariffs. U.S. cheese also posted its second-best month ever, falling just short of the monthly record set in March 2024. Read more.

CHEESE BRANDS BUILDING MOMENTUM WITH SPORTS AND STADIUM PARTNERSHIPS. From grilled cheese options in concession stands to product giveaways, uniform branding and philanthropic events, cheese brands are finding unique ways to make the most of sponsorships of sports teams, stadiums and individual athletes. A Forbes article highlights several examples and notes that as stadiums work to elevate the culinary experience for fans on gameday, there will be continued opportunities for cheese to take the spotlight. Learn more.

June Dairy Month Community Blood Drive

EVERY PINT OF BLOOD DONATED CAN SAVE UP TO THREE LIVES. Help PDP honor the hard work of our fellow dairy farmers during June Dairy Month by giving back to our communities. PDP will host a blood drive at our Juneau, Wis., headquarters from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18. Donors can look forward to receiving a $15 gift card from the American Red Cross, as well as delicious dairy treats provided by the PDP staff (think mac & cheese, ice cream and cheese) after their donation. Learn more and schedule your donation time.

Your Farm - Your Footprint

TAKE THE NEXT STEP WITH TIER TWO OF YOUR FARM-YOUR FOOTPRINT.

The second phase of the PDP Your Farm - Your Footprint initiative announced at the 2025 Business Conference now offers financial incentives for implementing sustainability-focused farming practices. Cost-share funding is now available for eligible dairy farmers in specific milk sheds to receive financial assistance for adopting best practices that improve farm sustainability and operational efficiency. The program remains confidential and farmer-led, ensuring all farm data is private and producers have full control over their information. Participating producers have the opportunity to engage in peer groups to share insights and best practices.

The program is made possible by Dairy’s Foundation and sponsorship from Nestlé, furthering the commitment to achieving U.S. dairy’s sustainability goals. As a program sponsor, Nestlé’s involvement highlights the importance of industry-wide collaboration in achieving meaningful environmental progress.

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

For Your Business Mind

CO-OWNERSHIP PROVIDES OPTIONS AND FLEXIBILITY in farm succession planning but also requires careful forethought. Co-ownership can help lower the financial and management burdens of transitioning an operation and can be structured in stages. An article from UW-Extension provides insights on structuring co-ownership arrangements and questions to think through regarding ownership, management and decision-making responsibilities, voting rights, financial rights, guaranteed payments and more. Read the full article to learn more.

MAKE THE MOST OF ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS with team members by having a strategy for each session and insightful questions. Regular check-in meetings can become routine and miss opportunities to build trust and develop skills and confidence in team members. A SmartBrief article shares six steps to better one-on-ones:

1. Begin with the person, not tasks

2. Bring a plan, don’t wing it

3. Ask thoughtful questions, don’t dictate orders

4. Focus on the future, don’t dwell on past mistakes

5. Listen to understand, don’t hear and dismiss

6. End with clarity, not with confusion

Learn more and find questions for each step here.

Member Meanderings: Brey Family Beef

We're excited to add another new feature to Manager's Memo. Each month, we'll share a story of PDP members who are branching out with value-added products or experiences from their farm.

Over the past five years, the Brey Family Beef brand has become well-known in Door County, Wisconsin, introducing many area residents and visitors to the dairy farm that has been operating for multiple generations.

Tony and Moriah Brey own and operate Brey Cycle Farm with Tony’s brother Jacob and his wife Lauren. They milk about 1,500 cows, raise their own calves and heifers and custom-raise heifers. They began marketing beef raised on their farm under the Brey Family Beef brand in early 2020, just in time for demand for local foods and on-farm pickup to spike during the COVID pandemic. Customers can purchase at www.breyfamilybeef.com for local pickup and the retail farm store is open by appointment. They share information on Instagram and Facebook.

"Selling retail beef has been a way to reach the community in different ways and spark new conversations," said Moriah. Customers pick up their orders at a red barn across the road from Brey Cycle Farm, which provides an opportunity for questions about modern dairy farming and crop production.

Both Moriah and Tony have been involved with PDP since college, attending trainings themselves and sending team members to Cornerstone Dairy Academy, Business Conference and workshops throughout the year. They are also mentors in the PDP Mentor Program.

PDP Podcast Weekly

Being a Better Leader

Every community has ordinary people who take extraordinary interest in helping others. Dedicated teachers, coaches, advisors and other community leaders are shaping small towns.

As we hear from servant leadership trainer Tom Thibodeau, all of us depend on the goodness and thoughtfulness of our community leaders. All of us have success, but only when we work together!