PDP Manager's Memo

June 2024 Vol. 1

Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®

Your Farm - Your Footprint

Your farm is your livelihood, and Your Farm – Your Footprint™, the ﬁrst-of-its-kind, farmer-led sustainability initiative that empowers dairy farmers to know and understand their environmental footprint, offers solutions to shape the future of your farm. Dairy’s Foundation is the initiative’s first sponsor, with Nestlé sponsoring in part.

Identifying your farm’s carbon and greenhouse gas metrics is a critical first step, and with Your Farm – Your Footprint, participants have access to:

Easy-to-understand reporting accompanied by technical consulting during which one of our experts personally reviews your farm’s report with you and offers customized improvement recommendations. Your data is protected and won’t be shared with anyone else without your consent.
Opportunity to test-drive three sustainability measurement platforms, including FARM ES (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management - Environmental Stewardship), Cool Farm Tool, and COMET (CarbOn Management & Emissions Tool).
Ongoing practical learning and idea-sharing through a peer networking group specific to Your Farm – Your Footprint.

Learn more and get started today at www.pdpw.org/your-farm-your-footprint/.

Opportunities to Learn

2024 Hoof Management Workshop

June 20, 2024

Waunakee, Wis.

REGISTER TODAY! ANIMAL HANDLING, FOOTBATH MANAGEMENT and treatment options and protocols for chronic lameness are all on tap for the hands-on, on-farm sessions at the 2024 Hoof Management Workshop. Hoof trimmers, herdspersons, nutritionists, veterinarians will all benefit from sessions led by world-class presenters Karl Burgi, Save Cows Network; Ashlynn Kirk, Humane Handling Institute at UW-River Falls; and Laura Solano, DVM, PhD, UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine.

Learn more and register here.

Accelerate™

July, 24, 2024

Madison, Wis.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR ORGANIZATION’S INTERNSHIP PROGRAM by registering your summer interns for the PDP Accelerate one-day training event. Agriculture sector interns will network with fellow students and industry professionals and hone their leadership and communications skills as they prepare to enter the workforce. Michael Hoffman will facilitate the interactive session that combines hands-on learning, peer networking and interactive skill practice to ensure interns build the skills they need. Learn more about PDP Accelerate and register interns here or call 800-947-7379.

PDP Stride™ Youth Leadership Conference

Sept. 21, 2024

Platteville, Wis.

SAVE THE DATE! PDP's Stride™ Youth Leadership Conference is headed to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for an interactive program for future-minded 15- to 18-year-olds. This single-day program is for high school students looking to amplify and excel in their leadership skills while preparing for the future and discovering opportunities in the dairy and agriculture sectors. Learn more and register here.

June 19 Blood Drive

COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE TO BE HOSTED AT PDP HEADQUARTERS to give back to the local community. Coordinated by the American Red Cross, the blood drive will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19, at 820 N. Main Street in Juneau. In celebration of June Dairy Month and our dairy-producer members, PDP will offer milk and cookies, grilled cheese sandwiches, yogurt, ice cream and more. The American Red Cross will also provide a $15 gift card to each donor. Click here for more details and to schedule your donation.

For Your Dairy

WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF SELECTIVE DRY COW THERAPY for dairy farms? In a research article published in JDS Communications, researchers conducted an observational study on 37 large dairy herds in Wisconsin to examine this question. They reviewed data collected over one year and included the number of cows dried-off and types and prices of IMM antimicrobials used. While costs varied based on treatment protocols, researchers found that in herds with good udder health and controlled contagious pathogens, adopting selected dry cow therapy based on SCC and health history can reduce antibiotic use and direct costs of dry cow therapy. Read more here.

USING RUMEN-PROTECTED METHIONINE DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD to limit the effects of heat stress on cows and calves was the focus of research published in the Journal of Dairy Science. Fifty - three Holstein cows were exposed to heat stress through an electric heat blanket, with half receiving a supplemented diet beginning six weeks before calving. Overall, researchers found that rumen-protected methionine supplementation can reduce the negative impact of stress on blood glucose concentration at calving and milk protein percentage in the dams, as well as increasing wither height while decreasing rectal temperature in the calf. Study authors noted the need for future research in this arena. Learn more here.

ADDITIVES TO REDUCE ENTERIC METHANE EMISSIONS ON DAIRY FARMS are being developed and researched by a number of universities and companies to help the industry reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An article from Ohio State University discusses ongoing research with 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), seaweed and essential oils to determine impact on methane levels as well as animal health and production. In addition, it reviews the financial aspects of these products and potential returns through carbon credit programs. Read the full article for details.

For Your Business Mind

DO YOUR HOMEWORK, ASK QUESTIONS before entering into an agreement for wind or solar power generation on your land. In a recent episode of PDP’s The Dairy Signal, attorney Troy Schneider shared a comprehensive list of questions and considerations for agreements, starting with due diligence on the company and any previous projects. Asking questions about the scope, length, compensation timing and structure, liability risks and lease terms is key and will give you a solid foundation for potential agreements. Watch the full episode to learn more.

“REFRAMING” SITUATIONS CAN HELP SOLVE PROBLEMS and reduce stress, according to an article in Inc.com. The article provides examples of how looking at a challenge from a variety of perspectives can provide new ways to achieve common goals. Questions to ask include:

How serious is this problem? Am I getting worked up over nothing?
Can I change something about how I view the problem?
How can I handle things differently so I can direct my emotional energy to more important issues?

Learn more in the full article.

CONSIDER PERSONAL AND GROUP DYNAMICS TO HOST productive team meetings where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and sharing ideas. Understand personal dynamics by discussing expectations and concerns in a one-on-one setting first. Tips for building a strong team dynamics include defining desired team behaviors, modeling those behaviors, reinforcing and recognizing when team members contribute, and inviting participation. Read the full Harvard Business Review article to learn more.

The Dairy Signal

DON’T MISS THE DAIRY SIGNAL. Three days a week, The Dairy Signal® connects you with leading experts across dairy and agricultural industries to researchers at universities and government agencies to bring updates on the trends and topics that will affect your dairy business. The 60-minute sessions air every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with recorded episodes available at www.pdpw.org. Click here to tune in to archived sessions.

Presenters and topics covered recently include:

June 4

As extreme weather events become more common, growing crops for top-notch feed quality and optimal dairy profit will prove tricky. Nonetheless, options exist — and this panel of consultants will shed light on alternative feed solutions when feed inventories run slim. Learn about creative products and solutions farmers across the country are using to keep health, production and the bottom line in grasp.

Dr. Joseph S. Bender, DVM, associate professor, Center for Animal Health and Productivity, University of Pennsylvania
Bill Reyes, nutrition and management consultant, Royal Ag Service

June 5

As dairy farm families grow, so do the opportunities and challenges of running a family farm business. Join this interactive conversation about marriage, including farming with the in-laws and identifying and addressing stresses that can have an impact on personal relationships and the farm.

Monica McConkey, rural mental health counselor, Eyes on the Horizon Consulting

June 6

With summer activities and the 2024 growing season in full swing, tune in for an update on the economic, export, weather and other news that will impact your farm and the dairy industry.

Ben Buckner, chief grains and dairy analyst, AgResource Company

June 11

Learn about emerging research about incorporating prairie and pollinator habitats on farms and the benefits they can provide, including reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, increasing yield increases and more.

Scott Stipetich, precision ag and conservation specialist, Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever

June 12

With summer in full swing, tune in for a conversation about keeping kids of all ages safe around the farm. Learn how to prepare for having small children around the farm, as well as tips on employing teenagers and the distractions on the farm that may lead children to unsafe situations.

Melissa Ploeckelman, outreach specialist, National Farm Medicine Center at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute

June 13

Managing multi-site dairy operations brings its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. Hear from this panel of producers about their experiences managing people, establishing and overseeing processes, streamlining management systems and more.

John Vosters, partner and livestock manager MilkSource LLC
Jordan Matthews, partner, Rosy-Lane Holsteins LLC

Dairy Currents

DAIRY EXPORTS ROSE IN APRIL, with encouraging signs in increased cheese exports, high-protein whey sales, and butterfat shipments, according to the U.S. Dairy Export Council. To date, exports increased in February and April 2024 and declined in January and March. Looking ahead, positive momentum for dairy exports are a slowing improving global economic outlook, drought plaguing some key milk producing states in Mexico, and a clearing of inventory in New Zealand. However, rising U.S. cheese prices and changing Chinese appetites for dairy imports present challenges.

Learn more here.

TIKTOK DRIVING COTTAGE CHEESE POPULARITY, SALES with dollar sales of cottage cheese increasing by 16% in the 52-week period ending Feb. 25 and unit sales increasing 11% over the same time period. Trends like “mustard cottage cheese” are driving millions of views and interest in the cultured dairy product. Private label cottage cheese is driving dollar and unit sales increases according to a Dairy Foods article.

Learn more here.

MITIGATING THE RISK OF HPAI OUTBREAK TO DAIRY FARM TEAMS. As the outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza continues in dairy farm herds, farms should review protocols for employees who may be in contact with infected animals. Michigan State Extension points out that milkers are at increased risk, with personal protective equipment like gloves, clothing, and boots the first step in protection. Read more in the full article that is also available in Spanish.

Book Review

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE COFFEE. In this 2009 classic book, retired senior executive at Starbucks shares the ten principles that guided his leadership and helped the company grow. He highlights the importance of building trust, telling hard truths, thinking independently and more in helping employees grow their own skills as well as building strong teams. He also shares stories of turning points for Starbucks. Read more here.

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