March 2020 vol. 2
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization
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We live in extraordinary times – and we get to work for the most extraordinary people. On the heels of the first-ever Virtual Business Conference, we humbly say “Thank you” to all our sponsors, exhibitors, board members and attendees.
It’s refreshing to see how resilient and forward-thinking our Business Conference supporters are. So many of our loyal exhibitors have already submitted contracts for the 2021 Business Conference. Like farmers faithfully planting seeds and anticipating the next crop, you’ve shown a belief in PDPW – and that the need for education and idea-sharing is as great now as it ever has been.
The show will continue to go on! Check out
PDPW Prime™
for a listing of dairy’s Premier Suppliers, and the products and services they have for you. These industry leaders helped make possible the switch to a virtual event, and they’re in your corner, too.
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PDPW has a history of working behind the scenes with allied industry to mitigate and respond to crisis situations when they arise. In light of the ever-changing information available regarding COVID-19, we’d like to direct you to the following resources:
- The Department of Homeland Security is updating a “living document” when new information becomes available at their website.
- The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection website lists up-to-date COVID-19 information and recommendations at this webpage.
- For a toolkit and extensive list of additional resources from DATCP, as well as a checklist farmers should review for their own businesses, click here.
- Farms and related food-supply-chain businesses are designated by the federal government as essential. However, it is recommended that farms provide their workers with essential certification letters to travel to and from work. Click here for a template.
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WHAT WILL THIS GROWING SEASON BRING?
Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist at
Nutrien Ag Solutions, will share the latest weather analysis and forecasting tools to help you create plans for the upcoming season. He’ll analyze how the weather has impacted markets during the growing season and provide the latest long-range weather forecasts.
Watch the session live
at 12pm central Wed., April 15, o
r view a recorded version after the live webinar concludes. Click
here
to learn more and to register
.
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MAKE NEW CONNECTIONS WITH PDPW PRIME.
Dairy producers have access to the digital storefronts of hundreds of dairy’s Premier Suppliers all year long, through this online catalog. Built so users wouldn’t need to search all over the internet for the suppliers of resources they’re looking for, Prime™ exhibitors also have 24-7 access to update their company information to highlight new product launches, services or resources.
“In a time where so many things are changing and creating some challenges, PDPW-Prime businesses are stepping up to walk hand-in-hand with us producers,” said Fox Lake, Wis., dairy producer and PDPW Board vice president Katy Schultz. “These are elite businesses offering their services – and they are keeping the dairy industry alive and thriving.”
Check it out today! Click
here
.
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“I want to compliment your team [PDPW] on the high quality online conference you pulled off in a matter of days. I watched about half of the sessions live and look forward to watching the recordings of those I missed. I was especially excited to have the opportunity to see all the sessions. In the live format, I often find myself networking and miss some sessions I intended to see. It was a great conference!
Anne Proctor, Ph.D.,
Dairy Technical Specialist, Form-A-Feed, Inc
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EFFECT OF TEAT-CUP REMOVAL STRATEGIES on milking duration and strip-milk yield were evaluated and published in the
Journal of Dairy Science. The objective of researchers was to estimate the amount of milk left in quarters and udders as well as the milking duration for a variety of teat-cup removal strategies. They found that using an end-of-milking protocol to remove the teat cup at 50% of the quarter’s rolling-average milk-flow rate reduced milking duration by 24 seconds (0.4 minute) and increased strip-milk per quarter by .08 kg (0.176 pounds), compared with the removal of the teat cup at 30% of the quarter’s rolling-average milk-flow rate. Click
here to read the full journal article.
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UNDERSTANDING, CONTROLLING AND TREATING S. DUBLIN in dairy calves is becoming more important as the disease is becoming more common in the United States. S. Dublin is the cattle host-adapted strain of Salmonella. The highest incidence is in the western U.S., but laboratories in the upper Midwest are reporting increasing number of diagnostic samples.
Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Dublin (
S. Dublin) most often presents as a respiratory illness compared to common
Salmonella infections usually present as gastro-intestinal diseases. Calves younger than 3 months are most susceptible to infection and practices to minimize contamination and growth of bacteria in colostrum are critical. Click
here to read an article from Michigan State Extension with more information and resources.
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TRAINING YOUR BRAIN
to focus, adjust and manage in today’s hectic world will give you an advantage on your farm and at home. At the 2020 PDPW Virtual Business Conference, Holly Green presented several strategies for adapting your brain to thrive amid constant change, information overload and interruptions. The brain’s neuroplasticity, or ability to change as a result of experience, means that we can build new neural pathways that help us better focus. Start by doing these things each day:
- Take 30 seconds to be intentional
- Think about what you are thinking about
- Prompt yourself to consider other perspectives
- Look around … ponder, wonder and explore.
Learn more in this
blog post
.
PDPW members can also participate in the new on-demand Management Development Institute - Elite Manager Series presented by Holly Green. This exclusive program will feature interactive content delivered through a variety of forums over 12 months.
Click here
for more information.
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LESSONS LEARNED DURING A CRISIS was the topic of a panel discussion featuring Wisconsin dairy farmers Jim Kroeplein, Rachel Kroeplein and Marty Hallock at the 2020 PDPW Virtual Business Conference. Sharing details from disaster situations at their farms in recent years, they provided recommendations to other farmers to be prepared in case of disaster – and for managing the situation during and after the unexpected:
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- Work with local emergency teams and first responders prior to a crisis so they’ll know locations of power sources and understand how to access facilities and other equipment.
- Have multiple copies of emergency contact information for all employees, family members, vendors, consultants and insurance agents.
- Identify your emergency team in advance and assign their roles and responsibilities
- Update and review insurance policies and crisis plans regularly.
- Manage the media. You don’t have to provide access to property or answer every media request – or even provide a statement immediately. Assign one spokesperson to handle all requests and give consistent statements based on facts.
- Have prepared statements written in advance describing your farm, your values and what you do.
- Take care of your people. Make sure everyone receives medical evaluation and ensure that meals, drinks and a place to rest are available for everyone involved in response and cleanup efforts.
- Document everything. Taking photos and carrying a notebook to document every conversation and event will make insurance and other interactions easier later.
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CHANGE A HABIT, ONE STEP AT A TIME
. Looking to change a habit or add something new to your work or home routine? Start small, by improving one thing each day and adding that to your daily activities. Once you’ve added a new positive habit, you can piggyback additional items or activities to the routine. Start by adding recognition for employees to weekly team meetings, organizing one extra file at your desk or email box, or add other small tasks to boost productivity. Read more
here
.
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HANDWASHING ON DAIRY FARMS
is essential now and every day to protect farmers and employees from diseases carried by animals, and to protect animals from diseases that are spread by humans. Standard Operating Procedures for handwashing for your farm can be created to ensure hygiene practices are followed. Resources are available from the Center for Disease Control in
English
and
Spanish
, including videos, posters and scientific information. Additional hygiene topics to review with your team are procedures on glove usage, designated work clothes, cleaning boots, eating and drinking in the barn, wound care and reporting illnesses to management. Provide appropriate handwashing facilities with posted reminders and instructions by sinks, and make hand sanitizer available when other facilities are not available.
Read more
from Penn State Extension.
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U.S. LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION INCREASING EFFICIENCY OF WATER USAGE,
according to new research released by the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute. The amount of water used to raise livestock in six sectors – beef, pork, chicken, turkey, milk and eggs – dropped 36 percent from 1960 to 2016. The size of animals has increased, resulting in more food from each animal. In addition, improvements in the crops used for animal feed have reduced amount of water needed to grow them, and despite the total weight of U.S. livestock products increasing 48% over the 56-year period, the weight of their feed rose by just 8%. Read the
summary
and the full
research article
.
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USDA SETS GUIDELINES FOR “HEALTHY” LABELS
on food products. Products regulated by the USDA will be able to add “healthy” to their label if their fat profile contains predominantly mono and polyunsaturated fats or a serving has at least 10% of the government-set daily value of potassium or vitamin D. These guidelines only impact foods regulated by the USDA, including meat, poultry and eggs. All other foods are under the jurisdiction of FDA. Click
here
to read the full article.
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PODCAST WEEKLY: Persevering during Covid-19
The infamous Covid-19 has left many people feeling worried and nervous for what the future has to hold.
On this week's podcast, Dianne Deaton Vielhuber reminds us to stay positive and persevere during these uncertain times. Take a moment to listen to her suggestions on how you can serve others and care for yourself.
Listen to this weeks podcast on the
PDPW website, on Spotify or iTunes.
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BOOK REVIEW: UPSTREAM: THE QUEST TO SOLVE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY HAPPEN
Putting out fires, dealing with emergencies, solving problems. In our personal lives and businesses, we are often caught in a cycle of responding to problems. Author Dan Heath takes a new perspective, sharing examples from unconventional problem solvers who found ways to prevent problems rather than reacting to them. He provides practical solutions based on data, predictions and switching mindsets. Learn more
here
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"We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves;
otherwise, we harden."
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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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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