January 2020 vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization
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CORNERSTONE DAIRY ACADEMY
Applications due TODAY!
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LAST CHANCE FOR 2020 PDPW CORNERSTONE DAIRY ACADEMY APPLICATIONS!
Don’t miss your opportunity to participate in the application-based professional development program to be held March 17-18, 2020, in conjunction with the PDPW Business Conference.
Applications are due by end of day Friday, January 31!
With three training pillars to choose from, this program equips dairy professionals with the tools to communicate, collaborate and lead more effectively. Learn more and complete applications
here
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PDPW WORLD CLASS WEBINAR: ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT
February 5, 2020
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HOW CAN YOU SET YOUR DAIRY APART?
Financial management strategies are critical to successful dairy businesses, but what specific strategies are the best dairies putting to work? Join Jason Karszes, Senior Extension Association with the PRO-DAIRY program at Cornell University, for the second webinar in his PDPW World Class Webinar Economic Management Series to learn about the management and financial strategies that the top 20 percent of dairy farms from 2013-18 used to set themselves apart.
Watch the session live
on Feb. 5 at 1
2:00pm central time or view a recorded version at your leisure. Click
here
to learn more and to register.
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PDPW DAIRY WELLBEING WORKSHOP
February 12 &13, 2020
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TOUR THE AMERICAN FOODS GROUP PROCESSING FACILITY
and hear from plant management, beef buyers, market experts and USDA inspectors.
Don Höglund, DVM, will talk about human-animal interaction
to boost employee safety and the well-being of animals on the dairy.
Dr. Kurt Vogel will present a session comparing how U.S. dairy compares to the rest of the world. Two separate one-day workshops will be held on Feb. 12 and 13 at the Tundra Lodge Resort in Green Bay, Wis. Learn more and register
here
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FINANCIAL LITERACY - LEVEL 3
March 24-25, 2020
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REGISTER NOW FOR LEVEL 3 OF PDPW Financial Literacy for Dairy
®
.
Dig deep into advanced concepts in financial management during the
Level 3 session of PDPW Financial Literacy for Dairy, scheduled for March 24-25 at PDPW Headquarters in Juneau, Wis. This program will be led by Dick Wittman of Wittman Consulting and TEPAP Ag Executive Program faculty and focus on use of budgeting tools for planning and performance monitoring, trend analysis, key metrics to monitor, and benchmarking. Participants will also learn best practices in capital investment and protocols for record sharing. Space is limited to 30 attendees per course and an online placement test is required ahead of registration. Click
here
for more details.
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2020 PDPW BUSINESS CONFERENCE
March 18-19, 2020
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HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT THE 2020 PDPW BUSINESS CONFERENCE LINEUP?
The full schedule and speaker list for the FOCUS 2020 conference is now available. Click
here
to review the full slate of keynote speakers, specialty sessions, breakout sessions, Learning Lounges and Hands-On Hub sessions, all packed into two days. Register today for
dairy’s premier educational event.
March 18-19 in Madison, Wis.
Learn more and register here
.
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HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT PDPW PRIME?
You’ll find a one-stop-shop of digital storefronts for hundreds of dairy’s premier suppliers,
including farmer specials, product highlights and key contact info.
Click here
and search for industry sectors, products or companies.
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SUBSCRIBE TO DAIRY ADVANCE TODAY!
With the PDPW Business Conference just around the corner, now’s the time to check out the resources available through Dairy AdvanCE. This award-winning program allows you to find, track and report the training programs from vetted education providers, which will advance your personal knowledge and your career. Program subscriptions are free to dairy farmers and students -
sign up now!
Learn more and watch a video at
DairyAdvance.org
.
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MILK MID-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY COULD ALLOW
dairy producers to better predict a cow’s likelihood of conception to first insemination. Researchers analyzed 6,488 spectral and milk production records from nearly 3,000 cows from 19 Australian dairy farms using seven models with different combinations of variables. They studied MIR-derived traits including milk composition, milk fatty acids and blood metabolic profiles along with other on-farm data. The results published in the
Journal of Dairy Science
indicate that MIR and other on-farm data could be used to classify cows of good and poor likelihood of conception with promising accuracy. Click
here
to read the full study.
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STANDARDIZING EVALUATION AND CARE OF CALVES
will speed the identification of sick calves, improve survival rates and ensure optimum milk production for the animal’s lifespan. While experienced calf managers can usually identify potential health issues quickly, training is necessary for all employees. The University of Kentucky Extension has developed a checklist of factors to review in evaluating each calf’s health, which can be a great starting point for developing a specific set of SOPs in your own dairy. Click
here
to review the list and download a printable worksheet.
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EFFICIENT DESIGN, PROPER MAINTENANCE DELIVER RETURNS
on
dairy-barn ventilation systems. While ventilation systems can consume up to 20 to 25 percent of a dairy’s energy use, cutting corners on system design and maintenance can have a detrimental effect on animal health and well-being. Poor maintenance and lack of cleaning on fans can reduce efficiency by as much as 40 percent, taking the same amount of power to move less air. Cleaning is recommended on a monthly basis, or 3-4 times a year at a minimum. Click
here
to read an article from Penn State Extension on optimizing ventilation design and maintenance.
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INTROVERTS CAN MAKE THE MOST OF NETWORKING
events by planning ahead and using their listening skills and ability to focus. While the crowds and format of networking events can be overwhelming to introverts an article from the Kellogg School of Management recommends four steps to thrive at events:
· Prepare a repertoire of questions, but maintain a curious mindset.
· Choose conversation partners wisely
· Focus on relationships, not business cards
· Know when to move on from a conversation
Learn more about each tip in the full article
here
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WHAT DO SENIOR MANAGERS AND NEW HIRES HAVE IN COMMON?
In many cases, they are reluctant to ask for help in the workplace. Management doesn’t want to appear out of control, and new hires don’t want to start on the wrong foot, but their inability to ask for help can impact productivity and even safety. In reality, seeking assistance is a sign of savviness and a focus on problem solving. A SmartBrief article outlines that requests for information should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-Related) and that high-performing teams build a culture of sharing information and asking questions. Read more in the
full article
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“RULE OF THREE” PROVES TIMELESS EVEN IN TECHNOLOGY AGE.
For centuries, leaders have communicated their priorities in groups of three items (Remember “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”?) Even as technology has changed the way we communicate and share information, our brains are still wired to process information in patterns. A pattern of three items is the smallest and most easy to memorize. As business managers and leaders, summarizing necessary actions or goals into the most important three points will help team members remember and repeat them more easily. Click
here
to read more.
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FACTORS THAT WILL INFLUENCE U.S. DAIRY EXPORTS IN 2020
were outlined by the U.S. Dairy Export Council in a recent blog post. Eight “signposts” that will provide insights on the direction and performance of U.S. products in the global marketplace include:
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Impact of USMCA and Japan trade deals (and further talks with Japan)
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Depleted EU intervention stocks, U.S. reclaiming share
· Progress to resolve the U.S.-China trade war
· The status of African Swine Fever and Chinese herd recovery
· China and Southeast Asia’s dairy appetites
· Buyer (and consumer) willingness to spend more for dairy
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Milk production is coming back, but growth will still be modest
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Global economic growth and geopolitical flare-ups
Read the full article
here
to learn more about each of the signposts and how they have evolved in recent years.
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STARTING THE NEW YEAR SAFELY
should be a priority at your farm or business. A
set of checklists available
from the University of Wisconsin Extension provides safety evaluations for every aspect of your operation from tractor safety to manure safety and inspections of dairy facilities. Taking time to review your facilities and safety practices, and developing clear processes and protocols for all family members, employees and contractors will pay off in 2020 and years to come. For farms with children, review the
Child in Agriculture checklis
t
from the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
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STUFFED CHEEZ-IT PIZZA, STARBURST YOGURT, AND COCA-COLA TIC TACS
are just a few of the food products that are part of a growing trend by both packaged food companies and restaurants: co-branding food products and menu items. By combining familiar tastes with also familiar products, companies are hoping to tap into loyal following from both of the mashed-up brands.
Click here
to learn more and read about examples of mashup products that you may be seeing on grocery store shelves.
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HOW TO LEAD IN A WORLD OF DISTRACTION: FOUR SIMPLE HABITS FOR TURNING DOWN THE NOISE
In today’s world we face an epidemic of distraction both at work and in our personal lives. Author Clay Scroggins shares four habits to cancel the noise and chaos of daily life: finding simplicity, speaking to yourself, getting quiet and pressing pause. By building these habits into your life, you can tune out distractions and developing an awareness that will lead to a calmer, more fulfilling life. Learn more
here
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“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”
Alexander Graham Bell
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PDPW Educational Calendar
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February 5, 2020
On-line
February 12 & 13, 2020
Green Bay, Wis.
March 17-18, 2020
Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
March 18-19, 2020
Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
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March 24-25, 2020: Level 3
Juneau, Wis.
April 4-5, 2020
Juneau, Wis.
April 14, 2020
Madison, Wis.
January 12-14, 2021
Managers Academy
Location TBD
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Thank you to the agribusiness leaders that stand alongside our nation's dairy farmers supporting your professional development organization. Their support allows PDPW to execute best-in-class producer training and has enabled us to become the go-to resource for outreach initiatives. See the full list of generous sponsors
here.
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