PDP Manager's Memo

August 2024 Vol. 2

Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®

Empower yourself with Your Farm Your Footprint

The Your Farm – Your Footprint program from PDP empowers dairy producers to understand their farm’s environmental footprint score from several perspectives.

All farms participating in this farmer-led initiative receive three scores calculated through three different models: FARM ES, COMET and Cool Farm Tool. Each model is widely used and accepted, offering producers the most comprehensive view of their operation and flexibility with which information they share if approached by other sustainability programs.

J.J. Pagel, co-owner of Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy, appreciates the Cool Farm Tool reporting because it is recognized as a dairy industry standard around the world.

“If I want to compare my operation to one in Ireland, the EU or anywhere in the world, this provides an in-depth look at how we stand up,” said Pagel.

In addition to providing benchmark scores through each model, dairy producers are provided examples and data points they can use to explain their operation’s sustainability to a wide range of audiences. Learn more about Your Farm – Your Footprint here .

Opportunities to Learn

Water Tours

September 10

Milwaukee, Wis.

SEE INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES that are driving efficiencies and improvements to ensure a quality water supply for all Wisconsin residents on the 2024 Water Tours. The one day tour includes stops at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and Roden Echo Valley dairy farm to see innovations in both rural and urban settings. Join the tour on Tuesday, Sept. 10, with bus departing at 9:15 a.m. from River Hills, Wis. Learn more and register here.

Federal Milk Marketing Orders Workshop

September 18

Madison, Wis., with livestream and recorded options

JOIN TOP MINDS IN THE INDUSTRY for a deep dive into the proposal for the largest changes to U.S. milk pricing regulations in over two decades. The one-day workshop on Wed., Sept. 18 will discuss the implications for dairy industry organizations and the perspectives of different regions and stakeholders. Speakers will include leading dairy economists from University of Wisconsin and Cornell University, as well as representatives from International Dairy Foods Association, National Milk Producers Federation, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, California Milk Producers Council and more. Can’t travel to Wisconsin? Attend via livestream or watch the recording on your schedule. Learn more here.

Stride™ Youth Leadership Conference

Sept. 21

Platteville, Wis.

YOUR FUTURE IS NOW. The 2024 Stride Youth Leadership Conference is headed to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Sat., Sept. 21 for a high-energy, interactive program for high school students ages 15 to 18. The conference is a can’t miss opportunity for young people exploring opportunities in the dairy industry and agriculture, featuring hands-on experiences including farm and campus tours, dairy foods lab and char lab as well as leadership development programs and career information. Learn more and register here.

Calf Care Connection®

Oct. 15, 16

Cleveland, Fennimore, Wis.

RAMP UP YOUR CALF CARE EXPERTISE at the PDP Calf Care Connection® training. This workshop will be taught in English with simultaneous Spanish translation for the industry's top calf care managers and other experts looking to grow their skillset by learning from world-class trainers in a hands-on setting. These workshops will repeat in two locations on Oct. 15 and 16, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. in Cleveland and Fennimore, Wis.

Financial Literacy for Dairy®

Level One - Nov. 12-13 and Dec. 4-5

Level Two - Jan. 22-23, Feb. 5-6 and Feb. 26-27

Juneau, Wis.

PLAN AHEAD FOR YOUR DAIRY’S BUSINESS SUCCESS. Take your dairy business to the next level with the 2024-25 sessions of PDP’s Financial Literacy for Dairy. The multi-level, multi-session is designed to provide dairy farmers, veterinarians, nutritionists and other agribusiness professionals with an understanding of financials and perspective to make better decisions for their business. Sessions will be taught by Dr. Kevin Bernhardt and David Coggins, with Level One beginning in November and Level Two following in January. View the flyer and register here.

For Your Dairy

A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR HIGH FERTILITY is key to meeting goals for reproduction and profitability, according to UW-Madison’s Dr. Paul Fricke. In the 2024 Reproduction Roadshow, he highlighted a pyramid approach with achieving high 21-day pregnancy rates as the first building block. Other blocks included genomic testing, sexed and beef semen, IVF and embryo transfer leading to success. Read the full article for success factors on each building block.

DAIRY CATTLE DISEASES CAUSE $65 BILLION IN LOSSES WORLDWIDE, according to a Journal of Dairy Science article. Authors conducted an economic simulation for 12 diseases across 183 countries, finding that the greatest financial losses were in India ($12 billion), the U.S. ($8 billion) and China ($5 billion). The top three costliest diseases were subclinical ketosis ($18 billion), clinical mastitis ($13 billion) and subclinical mastitis ($9 billion). Learn more in the full journal article.

IMPACT OF FEEDING IN CULL COW MEAT QUALITY AND VALUE was the focus of research published in the Journal of Dairy Science. Cull cows were randomly selected to be sent directly to slaughter after dry-off, or fed a 60-day lactating cow TMR to assess the impact on carcass traits and meat quality. Results showed enhanced carcass weight and yield, IMF content, and tenderness, and authors recommended additional research to improve market cow beef and opportunities to rebrand as more than just ground beef. Read the full article to learn more.

For Your Business Mind

USDA ACCEPTS MORE THAN 2.2 MILLION ACRES INTO CRP, bringing enrollment near to the 27 million CRP acreage cap. CRP offers a range of conservation options to farmers, ranchers and landowners. It has been an especially strong opportunity for farmers with less productive or marginal cropland, helping them re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and support wildlife habitat. Enrolled acres help sequester carbon in vegetation and soil, while enhancing resilience to drought and wildfire. Meanwhile, producers can still conduct common grazing practices, such as haying, mowing or harvesting seed from the enrolled land. Learn more here.

WHAT CAN BUSINESSES LEARN FROM SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS about building strong and flexible teams? As the speed of change in the business world increases, a Psychology Today article highlights that the structure and role clarity in sports can be a model for businesses. Sports teams have three clear roles: players, coaches and executives. Each have well-identified responsibilities, goals and rewards, with opportunities to transition between roles depending on interest and ability. Read more here.

HUMBLE LEADERS DELIVER FOR TEAMS, ORGANIZATIONS. With building and keeping strong teams a top priority for companies of all sizes, a SmartBrief article highlights the value of humility in managers and leaders. According to the article, humble leaders:

- Know themselves well

- Are committed to self-improvement

- Recognize other’s strengths

- Are willing to accept criticism

- Foster well-being in the workplace

Learn more in the full article.

The Dairy Signal

TIMELY NEWS, THREE DAYS A WEEK. Don’t miss The Dairy Signal® to connect 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:

August 20

What are the keys to an effective marketing plan for your operation? Hear about the key elements and how to develop a plan tailored to your needs.

Will Babler, principal, Atten Babler Commodities LLC

August 21

Tune in to learn about the latest research on cow personalities and how management practices can be adapted for animal health, wellbeing and productivity.

Dr. Trevor DeVries, Ph.D., professor and Canada research chair, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph

August 22

Hear a timely discussion on market, weather, exports and other news that will impact the dairy industry and your operation as summer winds down and harvest season nears.

Ben Buckner, chief grains and dairy analyst, AgResource Company

August 27

Proper manure management is important to protect the environment as well as increasing farm profit. Tune in for a discussion on effective management strategies and what to do if a manure spill occurs.

Kevin Erb, director, Conservation Professional Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension

August 28

With the busy harvest season just around the corner, learn about options for healthy meals that can be prepared quickly and eaten on the go.

Morgan Ekovich, owner and head trainer, Get Fit with ME LLC

August 29

Dive into the messy world of family business dynamics and how the overlap of family and business relationships can create friction and conflict. Hear about strategies to navigate roles, improve communications, deal with sensitive issues and develop transition plans.

Wesley Tucker, Field Specialist in Agricultural Business, University of Missouri Extension

Dairy Currents

H5N1 INFLUENZA A MONITORING TO BEGIN AT BEEF SLAUGHTER PLANTS on Sept. 16, 2024, based on results of tests conducted by USDA. USDA FSIS will leverage its existing National Residue Program (NRP) and conduct H5N1 sampling in the muscle samples of dairy cow carcasses already collected for this program. Samples will be tested by FSIS laboratory personnel using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. In the event of a positive H5N1 finding, USDA will work with industry to ensure the carcass does not enter the food supply. Read the full article.

CHEESE IS TAPPING INTO GLOBAL SNACKING TREND with innovations in products and packaging. For example, UK consumers are looking for smaller cheese formats with different varieties while German shoppers are interested in innovative formats and flavors. New products like dehydrated cheese rounds and cheese puffs are positioned as high protein snacks. A focus on healthy snacks, especially for children, is also driving growth in cheese products. Read more in the Dairy Reporter article .

PRICE CONTINUES TO BE TOP PRIORITY for grocery shoppers, as new research from FMI shows that weekly household grocery spending has stayed steady over the past 18 months and shoppers are looking for deals and mixing up products and brands to manage expenses. The survey also found that shoppers rate their primary store as 8 out of 10 in meeting their needs. Learn more in a summary article and the research results.