PDPW Manager's Memo

December 2022 Vol. 1

Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®

Opportunities to learn

Dairy Managers Institute^®

Dec. 20-21, 2022

Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

GIVE THE GIFT OF BETTER LEADERSHIP to yourself and your teams by attending the 2022 PDPW Dairy Managers Institute® set for Dec. 20-21 at Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Program facilitators Dr. Becky Stewart-Gross, Michael Hoffman, Dr. Kevin Bernhardt and Linda Swindling will equip today’s managers with the skills they need to be effective team leaders. Topics include leading and managing with insight, providing positively outrageous service, and mastering financials and negotiation. Simultaneous Spanish translation will be provided for tiers one and two. Learn more and register here.

Managers Academy for Dairy Professionals®

March 14-15, 2023

Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

BUILDING RESILIENCE FOR THE NEW YEAR AND BEYOND. There’s still time to register for the 2023 Managers Academy for Dairy Professionals® in Savannah, Georgia, Jan. 10-12, 2023. The three-day executive-level training and networking program will focus on building resilience in our changing world and help position you and your business to innovate, advance and prosper. Classroom training, networking opportunities and executive-level tours make this the perfect program for dairy owners and managers, CEOs, industry directors, processors, marketers and distributors. Learn more and register here.

NEXUS®

Application Deadline: January 16, 2023

DO YOU HAVE THE NEXT BIG IDEA FOR DAIRY? The NEXUS® stage at the 2023 PDPW Business Conference on March 15-16, 2023, will feature five finalists presenting their technologies and innovations. Each finalist will receive 15 minutes of stage time in the presence of the industry’s most forward-thinking dairy farmers. Attendees will have five minutes to engage in Q&A with the presenters for more details. Learn more and find the application here.

Application deadline is January 16, 2023.

Financial Literacy for Dairy

Level Two: Jan. 18-19, Feb. 8-9 and Mar. 1-2

Level Three: Mar. 22-23

Juneau, Wis.

REGISTER TODAY FOR LEVEL 2 OF FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR DAIRY. With Level 1 sessions concluded, it’s now time to register for Level 2 of dairy’s only financial literacy program. The first of three two-day sessions will be held Jan. 18-19, 2023, at PDPW Headquarters in Juneau, Wis. The multi-level program is built to equip dairy farmers, veterinarians, nutritionists and other professionals with the tools they need to understand their financial numbers and make the best decisions for their businesses. Attendees will be prompted to take an online pre-assessment upon registration; the results ensure placement into the appropriate level. Registration is limited to 30 attendees per level to provide the best experience. Learn more here, including session dates, rates, concepts taught and other registration information

PDPW CARBON CONFERENCE

January 31, 2023

Madison, Wis.

UNEARTH THE POTENTIAL OF CARBON for your farm, your bottom line and the dairy industry as a whole with information from the 2023 PDPW Carbon Conference. The one-day event will feature experts in measuring, managing, and marketing carbon credits and incentives to help you determine the right opportunities for your operation. Presenters and panelists will provide updates on this fast-evolving marketplace as well as the potential opportunities and risks for farms of all sizes. Learn more and register here.

Cornerstone Dairy Academy®

March 14-15, 2023

Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

THREE PILLARS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT are facilitated by leading experts, including Dr. David Kohl, Holly Green, Hank Wagner, Dr. Richard Kyte, Tom Thibodeau and Rachel Wagner will be held at the 2023 PDPW Cornerstone Dairy Academy®. Applications are now being accepted for the program to be held March 14 and 15, 2023, in conjunction with the PDPW Business Conference at Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. View the flier here to learn more about the topics explored in each pillar.

For more details and to apply before the January 31 deadline, click here.

PDPW Business Conference

March 15-16, 2023

Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

EMPOWERING SUCCESS AT THE 2023 PDPW BUSINESS CONFERENCE. Make plans to attend dairy’s premier educational event March 15-16, 2023, at the Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Featuring two days of education, networking and connecting with like-minded, forward-thinking dairy producers and leading experts, it is dairy’s can’t-miss educational event of the year.

In advance of the conference, all members will receive ballots to elect three new PDPW board members to the 2023-2024 PDPW Board. As terms for Katy Schultz, Andy Buttles and Steven Orth come to a close, members will elect three of the following candidates:

Scott Brenner, Hunter Haven Farms, Pearl City, Ill.

Patricia Dolph, Dolph Dairy LLC, Lake Mills, Wis.

Jordan Ebert, Ebert Enterprises, Algoma, Wis.

JJ Pagel, Pagels Ponderosa Dairy LLC, Kewaunee, Wis.

Laura Raatz, Wagner Farms, Oconto Falls, Wis.

More information on the candidates, the election process, and conference sessions and speakers will be available in the coming weeks by mail and at www.pdpw.org.

For your dairy

DESIGNING A CALF STARTER FOR FINICKY EATERS is the focus of an article from the University of Kentucky Extension. Calf starter is key for rumen development, but it can be a challenge to design and manufacture a starter that calves like, consume readily and provide important nutrients. Key points to remember include:

Calves do not like fines
Calves are picky eaters and natural feed sorters
Grains may be processed
Calves thrive on consistency
On-farm starter management drives calf growth and future production

Learn more about each point in the full article.

NUISANCE BIRDS CAN CAUSE FEED LOSS and pose health risks to both livestock and humans. Just as humans and livestock are looking to stay warm and go indoors as temperatures drop, birds like sparrows, starlings and pigeons also begin darting into dairy barns and feed-storage areas. An article from Ohio State Extension notes a small flock of 1,200 starlings can consume up to one ton of protein and grain each month from a dairy farm, and studies have shown the economic cost of bird infestation can be more than $8,000 a year. Prevention methods can include netting, visual-scare devices, distress calls, roosting adaptations and health modifiers.

Click here to learn more.

AUTOMATIC FEEDER DATA CAN BE A USEFUL SCREENING TOOL to detect disease in dairy calves, according to research published in the Journal of Dairy Science. Researchers monitored 599 dairy calves with visual health scores and reviewed AMF data. As total milk intake and drinking speed increased, the risk of calves being sick decreased. More research into developing a model is needed. Learn more by reading the full article.

For your business mind

ADD THIS IMPORTANT ITEM TO YOUR YEAR-END CHECKLIST: a meeting with your accountant for year-end tax planning to develop strategies for 2023. In fact, scheduling regular quarterly meetings with accountants can relieve the year-end stress with more accurate estimates and payment of quarterly taxes. Clear communications can also ensure you are maximizing the following tax-saving strategies:

Identifying deductions
Restructuring income
Purchasing needed equipment earlier than planned
Contributing to qualified retirement plans

Learn about these strategies and more in the full article.

IN TIMES OF TROUBLE, IGNORING YOUR INSTINCT to interfere may help strengthen your team and set your business up for future success, according to an article in Kellogg Insight. Instead of jumping in and trying to solve a team’s problems, leaders should show restraint and allow team members an opportunity to work through challenges and build confidence. Army Colonel Fred Maddox recommends letting go of being a hero, trusting your team and avoiding confirmation bias in situations when high-priority projects are in jeopardy. Read more here.

SUCCESSION PLANNING REQUIRES ALLOWING NEXT-GENERATION LEADERSHIP the opportunity to take on leadership roles and management tasks, which can often be difficult for current leaders. An article from Family Business Consulting Group highlights four actions that NextGens can take to transition into higher-level roles:

Leverage your current leaders as mentors
Share your strategic vision and present specific recommendations for changes
Champion innovative projects to improve the business
Be respectful of your leading-generation executives’ positions and ultimate decision-making power

Read more in the full article.

The Dairy Signal

KEEP TUNING IN TO THE DAIRY SIGNAL. If you haven’t made a habit of it yet, now’s a great time to start. Valuable information is presented three times a week through The Dairy Signal™ during this hour-long program that brings together leading experts across dairy and agricultural industries, universities, and government and regulatory associations for insights on the most pressing issues in today’s marketplace. 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:

December 6

Learn more about the ins and outs of autogenous vaccines, including what they are, how they’re made, and how they work in the animal’s system. Discover answers to questions about when and how these custom vaccines are beneficial to a dairy’s overall herd health and production.

Dr. Justin Kieffer, DVM, PhD, Clinical Veterinarian, Associate Professor, The Ohio State University

December 7

With just a few weeks left of 2022, let’s reflect on the year in terms of dairy markets and take a look ahead to the big supply, demand and production questions of 2023. The episode also outlined specific strategies and tools to manage risk and position for success in the new year.

Will Babler, Principal, Atten Babler Commodities LLC

December 8

Listen to an interactive discussion on the latest news in dairy exports, pricing, markets and supply in The Dairy Signal’s bi-weekly market update. Hear about the factors that will drive global dairy markets in 2023 and how they’ll impact your operation.

Ben Buckner, Chief Grains and Dairy Analyst at AgResource

December 13

As temperatures drop and snow begins to fall, ensure your entire team stays safe and healthy during the winter season. Tune in for the training, equipment and resources you need to prevent dehydration, frostbite, hypothermia and other cold-weather hazards.

Jim Versweyveld, MS, Farm Management Outreach Specialist, Division of Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison

December 14

Take a deep dive into business transition planning, including what a business-transition plan should include, best practices, timelines and strategies for succession plans in passing the baton to the next generation. Attorney Twohig also addressed other situations that impact transition planning including the formation of an LLC, family matters such as living trusts, long-term care and planning for fair treatment of non-farm spouses going through divorce.

George Twohig, Partner and Attorney at Twohig, Rietbrock, Schneider & Halbach law office

December 15

Learn about farm lending from the other side of the banker’s desk in this episode. Two experienced lenders join us to share their perspectives on the processes, rules and parameters in lending decisions and how farmers can better prepare for discussions about loans and financial operations.

Jim Moriarty, Director Dairy Lending and Dairy Consulting, Compeer Financial
Dave Coggins, SVP Ag Banking, Nicolet National Bank

Dairy currents

CONSUMERS ARE CHANGING THE WAY THEY BUY FOOD due to inflation, with 85% of consumers saying they are either very concerned or extremely concerned about rising prices, according to an article from Winsight Grocery Business. In-store shopping trips have increased year-over-year as consumers shop more frequently to reduce their per-visit spend amounts; large stock-up trips to stores have declined. Private-label purchases are also on the rise, and – not surprisingly – shopping in 2022 increased at “dollar stores.” The findings also show that 72% of consumers have become more conscious of their level of food waste following the pandemic.

A NEW GENERATION OF AUTOMATION IN AGRICULTURE has the opportunity to help producers overcome labor shortages across the dairy industry and other sectors of agriculture. John Shutske, PhD, UW-Madison, reviewed a number of new technologies being tested, including small-scale robots for weeding and cover-crop seeding, utility robots and more, in a recent episode of The Dairy Signal®. He also outlined safety risks and regulatory challenges as new technologies move toward commercialization. Watch the full episode here.

U.S. VOTERS SUPPORT LOWERING FOOD PRICES THROUGH IMMIGRATION REFORM, according to a national tracking poll commissioned by the International Dairy Foods Association. The poll found that 88% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans said it was important to them to address food costs with bipartisan immigration reform. The Senate is considering the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which proponents say would provide a more reliable labor force for the agriculture and food industry. Read more here.

Book review

LOVE AND WORK: HOW TO FIND WHAT YOU LOVE, LOVE WHAT YOU DO, AND DO IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. We’ve all been given the advice to “do what you love,” but finding the perfect opportunity and career path for your skills and interests is often more difficult. This book helps readers decode their own loves, pinpoint what makes you stand out and choose roles in which you will excel. Learn more here .

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