PDP Manager's Memo

February 2025 Vol. 2

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.

Feb. 11 - Preparing the Next Generation

Tune in to learn how we can best prepare the next generation of employees, managers and leaders for success by developing their leadership skills and managing everyone’s expectations.

Nicole Bettinger Zeidler, Consultant, Family Business Consulting Group

Feb. 12 - Understanding Bovine Leukemia Virus

Learn about bovine leukemia virus, with a focus on how it is transmitted, protocols to prevent and manage it in a herd, and how the virus can impact a dairy’s bottom line.

Dr. Keith Poulsen, PhD, Director, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL), University of Wisconsin

Feb. 13 - Greenhouse Gases & Emissions Overview

Questions about the carbon marketplace? Tune in to learn about the basics of greenhouse gases and emissions, how they are calculated on dairy farms and the terms you need to know.

Carson Dugger, Agronomist, Eocene Environmental Group
Courtney Titus, M.S., Technical Services Manager, Eocene Environmental Group

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Previously on The Dairy Signal

February 4

Join Michael Hoffman in the “Coaching Corner” with a focus on working with and managing people who don’t play well in the sandbox. Learn tips and strategies for handling relationships with difficult co-workers and team members.

Michael Hoffman, President, Igniting Performance

February 5

Spring planting is just around the corner! A review of the 2024 season highlights key recommendations for farmers as they prepare for 2025 silage production.

Dr. John Goeser, PhD, Director of Nutritional Research & Innovation, Rock River Lab, Inc., and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison

February 6

Hear the latest news in commodity markets, export, weather and more that will impact the dairy markets and your business.

Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst, AgResource Company

For Your Business Mind

MASTER YOUR CORE WITH TAX, LEGAL AND WEALTH STRATEGIES. Having systems in place to protect your wealth and reduce tax liability while preparing for future generations is essential to successful dairying. Marissa Nehlsen, money and business strategist, certified speaker and coach, will share actionable strategies to safeguard your business and multiply your financial impact over time at the Day Two Breakfast Breakout session at the 2025 PDP Business Conference. View the conference flyer to learn more.

HIGH PERFORMING WORK TEAMS REQUIRE PRACTICE, just like high performing sports teams. An article from Fast Company “tackles” the myth that employees can perform at the highest levels at all times. Sports teams require practice time to learn, take risks, experiment and make mistakes in order to prevent burnout and develop skills. Business leaders should adopt a similar approach by building an environment that fosters learning, coaching and growth. Learn more in the full article.

BEAT THE FAMILY BUSINESS SUCCESSION STATISTICS with a long-term approach, communications and tapping into available resources. Less than one-third of family businesses survive into the second generation, and only 13% survive to the third generation. Family Business Consulting Group shared 15 guidelines for planning a succession, including:

Succession is a process, not an event
Present the business as an option, not an obligation
Hire into an existing job
Encourage the development of complementary skills
Recognize that you are not alone

Learn more about these guidelines to identify and develop family members for leadership roles, and build an effective foundation for transition success and 10 more in the full article.

Opportunities to Learn

PDP Dairy Wellbeing Workshop

Feb. 11 and Feb. 12

Green Bay, Wis.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE! REGISTER YOUR TEAM TODAY. Don't miss the opportunity for your team members to go behind the scenes to see how animal care impacts cull cow quality and hear from experts on best practices for human euthanasia and recognizing compassion fatigue and presenting burnout in co-workers. Pre-registration is required, so call 800-947-7379 today.

Learn more and register.

2025 Business Conference Corner

Just one month to go!

The countdown is officially on to the 2025 PDP Business Conference. Make plans today to join the best minds in the dairy business at dairy's premiere educational event March 12-13 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis.

Visit the 2025 Business Conference website for a preview of 50 precision-focused sessions along with Preview Stage, Nexus Innovation Stage, and the Hall of Ideas Trade Show.

Discounted hotel rates are available at several Madison hotels with deadlines throughout February. Learn more and register.

"Future of Success" sessions designed for future dairy leaders

Teens ages 15 through 18 can hone communications skills and discover how small actions make a meaningful difference in two high-energy, interactive sessions led by Michael Hoffman, founder and owner of Igniting Performance, Inc.

Be a positively outrageous influencer. Learn how to master people skills that have an instant impact and build your own brand of positivity to inspire others. (Day One, 8:30 to 9:45 a.m.)
Command confidence and clarity. Teens will leave this session with the ability to organize thoughts quickly, harness nerves and articulate ideas clearly, even in high pressure situations. (Day One, 3:45 to 5:00 p.m.)

TalentCONNECT Reverse Career Fair will open doors for dairy students, job-seekers

Answering the call for employers looking for skilled, quality labor, PDP will host the first-ever talentCONNECT® Reverse Career Fair at the 2025 Business Conference. The event will flip the traditional job-fair model on its head by giving students the opportunity to share their skills, experiences, and career aspirations with forward-thinking employers.

The application-based event is scheduled for Thursday, March 13, and will take place in the Hall of Ideas Trade Show. Each student will be provided with booth space to display their portfolio, resumé and other materials so they can effectively showcase their skills, experiences and career goals.

Interested students can learn more and apply by visiting the PDP website to complete an online application before February 18.

For Your Dairy

BEEF DAIRY CROSS CALVES CAN RECOVER FROM RESPIRATORY DISEASE with growth similar to peers, according to research published in the Journal of Dairy Science. Researchers evaluated 143 crossbred dairy calves, finding that calves diagnosed with lung consolidation at weaning had lower ADG up to 83 days of age, but when fed energy-dense diets, achieved compensatory gain by 238 days of age. Learn more in the full study.

WHY DO COWS CONSUME LESS FEED WHEN THEY NEED ENERGY THE MOST? Reduced feed intake, decrease in plasma iron concentration, fever, depression and lethargy are all responses to illnesses that might seem counterproductive, but are physiological adjustments that help a cow defend against pathogens. Understanding the biological rationale behind these responses can help dairy team members better identify and monitor illness in animals. Learn more in article from Ohio State Extension.

Vote for 2025-26 PDP Board Members

MAIL IN BALLOTS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY FEBRUARY 17! Active PDP farm members to vote for their PDP Board of Directors. Our grassroots, producer-led mission and vision equip PDP with a board of active dairy farmers who serve up to two 3-year terms.

The PDP Board has three available positions and each PDP farm member (one official ballot per farm entity) can vote for up to three candidates, according to our bylaws.

View the sample ballot on our website to learn more about each candidate.

You can cast your ballot in one of two manners:

In person - attend and submit at PDP’s Business Conference, March 12-13, 2025, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI.
By mail - postmarked by Feb. 17, mail to PDPW at 820 N. Main, Suite D, Juneau, WI 53039

Learn more here.

Your Farm - Your Footprint

ADD A SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT TO YOUR TEAM.

You rely on a trusted team of advisors to help chart the future of your dairy. Nutritionists, agronomists, lenders and accountants all help keep things running smoothly. Now, with Your Farm - Your Footprint (YFYF), you can add a sustainability consultant to the team.

YFYF is a hands-on program designed to help you measure, manage and improve your farm’s sustainability. From optimizing resource use to building a more sustainable future, YFYF provides the tools and expertise you need.

Learn more and sign up today at www. pdpw.org/your-farm-your-footprint/.

PDP Podcast Weekly

Passion with Purpose

It is the month of Valentines. This week, Tom Thibodeau helps us understand the act of living a life with purpose and passion.

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 learn more about some of our buildings 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.

Exhibit Here