February 2019 vol. 1
Brought to you by Dairy's Professional Development Organization®
PDPW Business Conference is Right Around the
Corner...

WORLD-RENOWNED SPEAKERS, CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AND TIMELY ISSUES come together at the 2019 PDPW Business Conference. The industry's premier educational event will be held March 13 and 14 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. With more than 60 presentations and 50 speakers, there's something for each member of your team during these two information-packed days. Keep your dairy and your career moving forward - see the program flier here.
Business Conference Preview...

Ankica Runac
Scott Falkenberg
Adrian Bota
HOW WILL THE NEXT BIG FOOD TREND IMPACT YOU? A2 milk and ultra-filtered milk have emerged in the past few years to meet ever-evolving consumer expectations. Hear from a panel of professionals about how new products are changing the dairy landscape, and what's on the horizon. Explore how buyer preferences impact product, packaging, retailing and marketing - and what challenges come along with developing and bringing new consumables to market. Panel members include Adrian Bota, Founder and CEO of Origin Milk , Ankica Runac, Senior Brand Manager for Brand Expansion, Fairlife , and Scott Falkenberg, Senior Category Manager for  Kwik Trip . The one-hour panel discussion will be a Day Two afternoon breakout session at 1:15 pm and repeating at 2:20 p.m.

THERE IS NO STANDING STILL IN TODAY'S DAIRY WORLD, and there's no one better to provide insights on how economic and international factors impact your farm and milk check than the legendary economic and business-management expert Dr. David Kohl. President of AgriVisions, LLC and Professor Emeritus at Virginia Tech, Dr. Kohl will present a keynote during Day One's general session highlighting what's around the corner for U.S. dairy and the action steps to implement.   

MANAGING YOUR CREDITORS and farm business reorganizations will be explored by Paul Swanson, attorney with Steinhilber Swanson, LLP, in this Day Two afternoon breakout session. In challenging times, managing the relationship you have with your lenders may make the difference between staying in business or liquidating the operation. Swanson is experienced in representing individuals and businesses in financial reorganizations and receiverships as well as situations calling for restructuring, bankruptcy, and other debt-adjustment strategies.

ENHANCE YOUR COMMUNICATIONS AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS by understanding how to adapt your style and delivery to members of multiple generations. Becky Stewart-Gross of Building Bridges, will share strategies for communicating across the age groups, especially those who are working and living together in a family farm operation. With our fast-paced business and personal lives and the abundance of communication tools available, using the right tool at the right time is critical. She'll present an afternoon breakout session on Day One and Day Two, as well as a Learning Lounge session at 1:00 p.m. on Day One.  

KNOWING THE SIGNS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE for managing chronic stress are important for everyone involved in agriculture, according to Josie Rudolphi with the National Farm Medicine Center. Because most people struggling with anxiety, depression and other symptoms of chronic stress, don't recognize the symptoms as part of a larger issue, it's critical for everyone in the agricultural community to be able to spot the warning signs. This session will equip attendees with tips to start the conversation and help fellow farmers find resources and support. She'll share four proven ways to minimize stress in her Day Two Learning Lounge session at 11:30 a.m.

UNFORGETTABLE STARTS HERE. One of PDPW's most requested speakers, distinguished Professor of Servant Leadership at Viterbo University Tom Thibodeau will direct the course as the 2019 PDPW Business Conference Emcee. In addition to presenting a specialty session aimed at honing skills of leaders and managers, he'll masterfully weave one Business Conference element with another with his signature energy and spirit.

HAVE QUESTIONS ON YOUR DEVICE OR LAPTOP? STOP BY THE Dairy Technology Hub at Business Conference in the Hall of Ideas Equipment and Trade Show. Representatives from US Cellular and Interquest Corp will be on hand to answer your questions regarding devices, apps, back-up methods, virus-protection programs, features to look for when purchasing a new computer or smartphone, how to protect devices in a variety of work conditions, virtual reality glasses, and more. Attendees can visit the Dairy Technology Hub whenever the Hall of Ideas Trade Show is open.

Opportunities to learn...

NEXT SESSION OF FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR DAIRY - LEVEL TWO will begin Feb. 20-21 in Marshfield, Wis. Attendees will meet again for additional training on March 28-29, and a final time April 10-11 to conclude the multi-session course. Trainers Gary Sipiorski of Vita Plus and David Olsen of Compeer Financial will facilitate the training that gives dairy farmers and managers the financial tools and acumen to elevate their business to the next level.  Learn more and register here. 

TUNE IN TO THE 2019 WEATHER PREVIEW WEBINAR. "Forecasting 2019: What does the weather have in store this year?" is the next PDPW World Class Webinar, scheduled for noon to 1:00 p.m., Wed., Feb. 27. Featuring Eric Snodgrass, Co-Founder, Global Weather and Climate Logistics webinar participants will get a snapshot of predictions for long-range weather forecasts and a look at current projections for the 2019 growing season. Once you've registered for the webinar, you can participate live or listen to a recorded version at your leisure. Click here or call 800-947-7379 for more information and to register.

SAVE THE DATE FOR 2019 YOUTH LEADERSHIP DERBY. Know a high school student interested in pursuing leadership development and career exploration? Packed with leadership activities, tours and networking opportunities, the 2019 Youth Leadership Derby will be held April 6-7 at Kiel High School. In addition to tours and hands-on labs at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center, Lakeshore Technical College and LaClare farm, creamery and retail shop, attendees will learn more about themselves and the types of careers agriculture has in store. To learn more and register, click here.

TAKE CREDIT FOR THE PROGRAMS YOU'VE ATTENDED. Developed to find, track and report continuing education credits online, Dairy AdvanCE is free to dairy producers - and it's not exclusive to tracking PDPW programs. Set up an account today; get more details at DairyAdvance.org.
For your dairy...

USING DATA TO CONTROL NUTRIENT LOSS in Wisconsin farms is the goal of research done by UW Discovery Farms and Discovery Farms Minnesota. Edge-of-field water quality information has been collected from 24 farms and 36 fields since 2002 for a total 217 site-years of data, and 134 site-years of surface-runoff data. Here are four tips based on this data:
  1. Risk for soil loss is high in April, May and June because of saturated conditions and frequent showers. Observe your fields to see where water flows.
  2. Match tillage method to the landscape, considering slope, soil type and slope length.
  3. Schedule manure application carefully; late-winter manure application can increase phosphorous loss in snowmelt by 2 to 4 times. If you have to apply, find areas with little snow cover for maximum possibility of making soil contact.
  4. Deliver nutrients below the surface when possible; this method reduces dissolved phosphorous loss, particularly in times of winter runoff.
Read the full publication and check out  Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast for maps showing short-term runoff risk for daily application planning.

COMPARING MINERAL CONTENT IN RATIONS TO ACTUAL INTAKE was the focus of research conducted at Penn State University. Starting in 2016, 24 herds began an on-farm project which included analysis of lactating-cow TMR, feeding weights and refusals, milk production and the nutritionist's ration. Research focused on discrepancies in calcium and phosphorous levels in the ration compared to actual cow consumption. Findings showed the group of cows with lowest milk production also had the greatest mismatch of calcium percent in the diet. The research highlighted the importance of not only analyzing key nutrients in the diet, but also the major and trace minerals in the diet. Read the full article here.
Dairy currents...

BEHIND THE HEADLINES ON LAB-GROWN MEAT is a larger discussion on the potential energy needs of large-scale production of cultured meat and misperceptions of the environmental impact of cattle production. An essay by Alison Van Eenennaam, extension specialist at the University of California-Davis, outlines the challenges in producing cultured meat that delivers the same nutrient profile as beef. Her publication also highlights the role of beef production for grasslands and other products in our food system and society. Read the full essay here .

SPICY FOOD TREND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR DAIRY FOODS to deliver consumers with some of the "sweet heat" flavor combinations that are popular today. Milk is inherently sweet and its creaminess complements sweet flavors. In addition, milkfat subdues the heat of peppers. Companies are experimenting with adding spice to ice cream and milk drinks beyond traditional products like cheese and yogurt. Read this Food Business Today article to learn about some of the flavor combinations and science behind why dairy is the perfect delivery vehicle for peppers and other spicy foods.
For your business mind...
 
PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS FROM A CYBER ATTACK takes commitment and vigilance. While the most publicized cybersecurity incidents are with large corporations, 58% of cyber-attack victims were small businesses in 2018. To protect against attack, businesses should operate as if they will face an attack and make training available to employees to ensure they're maintaining best practices for email, internet and desktop security. A number of training resources are available, including an  introductory online course from the Small Business Administration. Read the full article  here. 

ESTABLISHING A COMPENSATION POLICY FOR FAMILY BUSINESS CAN PREVENT unhealthy and negative situations. For example, if a parent sets a compensation level above market rates or includes generous benefits and flexibility to encourage a child to return to the family business or make up for a difficult working environment, it can have negative consequences for years to come. Developing a compensation policy for family members based on market conditions, with agreement on behalf of all parties is key. Click here to read more about the negative implications of being too generous to family employees and how the situation can be addressed.
Words to live by... 

"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life
 as by the obstacles which he has overcome". --- Booker T. Washington
A BIG Thank You...  

TO THE PDPW SPONSORS who are supporting your professional development organization! As a producer-led group, we extend a heart-felt "Thank You!" to those that stand alongside our nation's dairy farmers.  Their support allows PDPW to execute best-in-class producer training and has enabled us to become the go-to resource for unified outreach initiatives. If you or a company you know is interested in participating as a sponsor, please contact us at [email protected] or call 800-947-7379.
 
See the full list of generous sponsors here.