February 2022 Vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
Opportunities to learn
2022 PDPW Business Conference
March 16-17
Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
The 2022 Business Conference is less than three weeks away. If you haven’t already, register today for dairy’s premier educational event. For full information, visit the 2022 Business Conference website. You can learn hotel and registration details, as well as information on exhibiting at the event. Access the conference flyer by clicking here.
PRESENTING SIMULTANEOUS TRANSLATION IN SPANISH! We’re excited to present simultaneous translation in Spanish for several sessions at this year’s Business Conference. We know your Spanish-speaking team members will find tremendous value in this resource – and that your entire dairy will benefit. More information about which sessions will be simultaneously translated will be given to all attendees at the on-site registration area. To access the Spanish-language Business Conference program and agenda now, click here.
Business Conference Snapshots
KEYNOTES OFFER BIG-PICTURE LOOK AT HOTTEST ISSUES in today’s dairy industry. The keynote sessions at the 2022 PDPW Business Conference will bring together some of the top minds in the country for compelling panel discussions on renewable-energy opportunities, consumer trends, markets and other essential subjects.

Day one’s opening session, “Distinguishing the coulds from the shoulds,” will showcase an eclectic group of thought leaders who will offer guidance to manage business amidst the vast array of current trends and ongoing opportunities. Starting with a first-hand look at lessons learned from the logging and timber sector, discussion points will center on renewable energies, new technologies and social expectations. The presenters will offer practical strategies to set a high standard for meeting moral and ethical obligations while enriching available resources for future generations. Speakers include:

  • Bruce Vincent, third-generation logger from Libby, Montana
  • Dr. Frank Mitloehner, PhD, professor and air quality extension specialist, Department of Animal Science, University of California-Davis
  • Dr. Richard Kyte, PhD, endowed professor and director of the D.B Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University
  • Tom Thibodeau, distinguished professor of servant leadership and director of the Master of Arts in Servant Leadership program at Viterbo University. 
“Bold tactics for trends, markets and weather” will feature a dynamic trio of presenters for the day two general session. They will equip dairy producers with the tools they need to identify and skillfully manage the complexities of extreme weather events, changing markets and fluctuating consumer perceptions. Speakers include:

  • Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist at Nutrien Ag Solutions
  • Charlie Arnot, CEO of the Center for Food Integrity
  • Dr. Marin Bozic, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Applied Economics at University of Minnesota and Associate Director of Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center
PDPW Prime Exhibitors are leading dairy-industry companies and service providers. We’ll continue to highlight several exhibitors in upcoming editions. 

 
Thank you, PDPW Prime Exhibitors. We appreciate your continued support!
 
Click here to view all PDPW Prime exhibitors
RESOURCE PROTECTION, GLOBAL INSIGHTS FOR FARM AND BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY take center stage in a variety of sessions to help producers optimize resources across the farming operation. Sessions focused on capturing new income streams, protecting water quality, more efficiently producing high-quality milk while also improving nutrient management and implementing soil-health practices include: 

  • “Carbon markets 101: offsets and credits,” by Patrick Wood, founder of Ag Methane Advisors, will delve into the central concepts of how carbon credits and offsets work and why this fast-moving market is evolving.
  • “Digging regenerative ag” will be presented by a producer panel committed to regenerative-ag practices on their farms. Learn how they consistently increase biodiversity, improve soil health and protect water while supporting high-yielding livestock and growing businesses. Panelists include Randy Ebert, Algoma, Wis.; Jason Mauck, Gaston, Ind.; and Walt Moore, West Grove, Penn.
  • “Globally sustainable milk production” will feature a panel of international experts examining current milk production levels and describing sustainability from a global standpoint. Panel members include Jay Waldvogel, senior vice president of strategy and global development at Dairy Farmers of America, Daniel Peerless, global sustainable sourcing lead for dairy, meat, poultry and eggs at Nestlé, and Mary Ledman, global dairy strategist at RaboResearch. 
  • “Crop input costs on the rise” will take a deep dive into the impact of rising nutrient and other cropping-input costs. This session will explore strategies for cropping rotations and ration selections for the year ahead. Panelists include Eric Birschbach, owner and operator of Ag Site Crop Consulting LLC; Matt Lange, business consultant for Compeer Financial; and James Bailey, owner of ProAGtive Dairy Nutrition. 
ANIMAL CARE AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE will be the focus of several sessions that include presentations by leading veterinarians and researchers in nutrition, lameness, the transition period, cattle housing and more. Sessions include:
 
  • “Cow-calf contact systems” will feature a panel discussion with a Scottish dairy farmer, a Norwegian veterinarian and a world-renowned animal-welfare expert to discuss perspectives on cow-calf separation and the newer models of cow-calf contact systems. Panelists include Charles Ellet, Dr. Julie Føske Johnsen, and Dr. Marina “Nina” von Keyserlingk.
  • “World view of animal welfare” Highlighting animal-care practices around in the world, this session will indicate areas in which animal care is meeting welfare standards and where it’s falling short. Presenters include Dr. Nigel Cook, BVSc, DVM, professor of food animal production medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, UW-Madison; Dr. Jennifer Walker, DVM, PhD, director of quality and care, Danone North America; and Dr. Nina von Keyserlingk, University of British Columbia. 
  • “Rethinking calf nutrition” will be presented by Dr. Robert James, PhD, PAS, professor emeritus at the Dairy Science Department at Virginia Tech, and owner of Down Home Heifer Solutions, Inc. Dr. Bob will share the latest research underscoring the dominant role calf nutrition plays in the adult cow’s productive life. This session is a can’t-miss topic for producers aiming to optimize return on investment in their calf-rearing programs.
  • “Take care of the pain in every stage” brings to attendees the experiences and teachings of Dr. Hans Coetzee, DVM, PhD, professor and head of the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at Kansas State University. In this session, Dr. Hans will review several events for which animal pain can be effectively mitigated. He’ll also provide practical answers for some of the daunting animal-care questions producers face.
  • “The latest in lameness technology” Showcasing how video and artificial intelligence can improve herd management and prevent lameness issues, this session will be presented by Dr. Dörte Döpfer, DVM, PhD, professor of food animal production medicine at the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. 
  • “These feet are made for walking” will feature an inside look at hoof structures using cadavers and offer practical take-home tips to prevent and correct the costliest culprits of lameness. The interactive session will be presented by Dr. Gerard Cramer, DVM, DVSc, associate professor at the University of Minnesota and Roger Olson, dairy account manager, Zinpro Corporation.
REMEMBER - VOTING FOR 2022 PDPW BOARD CANDIDATES IS STILL OPEN! The election of the PDPW Board of Directors is critical to the success of your dairy producer-led organization, and your voice is important. Five candidates are on the ballot, and three dairy producer members will be elected to seats on the 2022-23 PDPW Board. Bylaws allow one vote per dairy farm membership, and each dairy farm member can vote for as many as three candidates.
 
Ballots can be cast in person at the 2022 PDPW Business Conference, or mailed to PDPW. View the ballot here. 
Financial Literacy for Dairy
Level 3: Mar. 23-24
Juneau, Wis.
LEVEL 3 COURSE STARTS MARCH 23 to provide the tools and resources to take the financial management of your dairy business to the next level. The multi-level, multi-session financial development program provides dairy farmers, veterinarians, nutritionists and other agribusiness professionals a solid financial understanding and foundation – and then stretches their thinking to far broader concepts. The Level 3 session will be trained by Dick Wittman. Space is limited to 30 attendees per level, and pre-assessment is required to complete registration. Click here for more information.
Stride: Youth Leadership for Teens
Apr. 2
Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
A one-day program focusing on building the basics of leadership and communication skills is scheduled for Saturday, April 2, at Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Developed for youth 15 to 18 years old, PDPW Stride™ will help define and uncover each participant’s range of social and communication skills, emotional intelligence and ability to collaborate with different personalities. In addition, a mini career fair will showcase a broad range of career options and technologies.

Register at www.pdpw.org by March 27, 2022, or call PDPW at 800-947-7379. Pre-registration is necessary, and a health form and waiver will be sent to a parent or guardian for a signature.

Click here for the flier and more details.
For your dairy
WATER IS KEY TO RUMEN DEVELOPMENT for calves, according to an article from Penn State Extension. Clean water should be provided to newborn calves from birth, with attention paid to keeping water buckets clean and free of residue to encourage intake. A research study concluded that offering calves supplemental drinking water from birth resulted in better growth performance and improved rumen function. It also suggested increased water consumption had no impact on the number of scour events for calves. Learn more in the full article.
For your business mind
SMALL INNOVATIONS ADD UP QUICKLY to improve processes in a business. While big ideas and individual inventors often garner attention and headlines, it can be small and incremental changes – often made by teams – that make the most significant differences to improve an operation. Termed “micro-innovating,” the challenge is for owners and managers to encourage employees to look for ways to make small changes.
 
Tips to encourage “micro-innovating” include:

1.      Give others permission to speak up
2.      Ensure systems support people
3.      Always be learning
4.      Adopt an innovation mindset
5.      Take needed downtime
 
Learn more about each step in the full article.
The Dairy Signal
KEEP TUNING IN FOR DAIRY SIGNAL™ EPISODES. Join leading experts across dairy and agricultural industries, government and regulatory associations and universities for insights on the most pressing issues in today’s marketplace. The educational sessions air every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with recorded episodes available for free at pdpw.org. Click here to find archived recordings of sessions. 
 
Presenters and topics covered recently include:
Keeping calves healthy starts with effective sanitation protocols, including proper cleaning and disinfecting bottles, pasteurizers and other critical procedures. Learn how to develop and verify the effectiveness of your dairy’s cleaning standards.

  • Dr. Donald Sockett, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVIM (large animal), Veterinary Microbiologist/Epidemiologist, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL), University of Wisconsin
 
Multiple generations working in one workplace presents opportunities and challenges. Learn how differences in behaviors, outlooks and each generations’ expectations impact relationships and learn strategies to communicate effectively and bridge generational gaps.

  • Dr. Becky Stewart-Gross, President, Building Bridges Seminars
 
Gain insights on the latest news and analysis of agricultural markets and trends that will impact dairy producers and the agriculture industry.

  • Dan Basse, President of AgResource Company
 
Make the most of employee reviews by implementing strategies to effectively prepare for and deliver an informative review. In addition, learn how to deliver feedback in a positive and constructive way.

  • Liz Griffith, Market Development, Human Resource Consultant, Encore Consultants
  • Tim Schaefer, CFP, Certified Family Business Advisor, Certified Professional Business Coach, Encore Consultants
 
Carbon credits are making headlines and generating social media buzz, but how do you know what is the best option for your farm? Learn the basics of carbon credit contracts and what producers should look for and what you should avoid in these new opportunities.

  • Troy Schneider, Partner and Attorney at Twohig, Rietbrock, Schneider & Halbach Law Office
 
This episode of the “Rising Stars – Graduate Research Showcase” features a look at research to develop methods to assess individual-animal feed efficiency on commercial dairy farms. The work underway to measure individual-animal feed intake and body weight could help producers select for more efficient cow lines.

  • Leticia M. Campos, B.S., Direct Ph.D. Student in Dairy Science, Virginia Tech
  • Jacquelyn Prestegaard-Wilson, M.S., PhD Candidate in Dairy Science, Virginia Tech
  • Dr. Mark Hanigan, David R. and Margaret Lincicome Professor, Nutrition, Virginia Tech
Dairy currents
UNDERSTANDING GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS AT THE FARM LEVEL is the first step in helping meet reduction targets across the industry. U.S. agriculture is estimated to produce 10% of total GHG emissions. A new factsheet is available from Cornell University to estimate the inventory of primary greenhouse gases on dairy farms – carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide – and identify ways to reduce emissions through carbon sequestration and other methods. Read more. 
Quote
"The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action."
- Alexander Graham Bell
PDPW educational calendar
March 15-16
Cornerstone Dairy Academy™
Wisconsin Dells, WI

March 16-17
Business Conference
Wisconsin Dells, WI
March 23-24
Financial Literacy for dairy®: Level 3
Juneau, WI

Stride™ Youth Leadership Conference
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Thank you sponsors
Professional Dairy Producers
820 North Main St.
Juneau, WI 53039
800-947-7379