Data Ownership, Ecological Intensification and Automated Milking Systems on PDP’s The Dairy Signal

PDP presents opportunities for dairy professionals to learn from experts on trending topics

Industry experts and leading researchers will share their insights in next week’s episodes of The Dairy Signal® from Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP).  Tune in on Tuesday for a discussion of electronic data ownership and AI usage. Wednesday and Thursday episodes feature an encore of Preview Stage presentations from the 2025 PDP Business Conference, with a focus on the evaluation of ecological intensification through the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems Trial on Wednesday and the feasibility of automated milking systems on Thursday.

Tuesday, April 22

Tune in for a discussion on whether farmers actually own and control electronic data provided to suppliers through smart devices, as well as how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used in farm business without exposure to unnecessary risk. Episode presenter will be:

• Bill Oemichen, JD, Professor of Practice Law and Local Government Law Educator, University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension

Wednesday, April 23

To build soil health, boost yields, and sequester carbon, many promote cover crops and no-till farming. However, outcomes can be inconsistent. Learn about a project that is evaluating ecological intensification through the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems Trial, measuring yield, profitability and soil health over six years. Results aim to identify sustainable strategies for dairy-forage and cash grain systems. This episode will be presented by:

• Dr. Gregg Sanford, PhD, Assistant Professor, Soil and Environmental Sciences, UW-Madison
• Gideon Fynaardt, master’s student, Department of Soil and Environmental Science, UW-Madison

Thursday, April 24

Rising labor costs, hiring challenges and market volatility are driving Wisconsin dairy farmers to seek alternatives. Hear about a study that evaluates the feasibility of automated milking systems, focusing on financial impacts and operational efficiencies. Results, shared through workshops and bulletins, offer practical guidance for farmers navigating these critical decisions. Presenters include:

• Dr. Charles Nicholson, Associate Professor, Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences and Agricultural & Applied Economics, UW-Madison
• Jalyssa Beaudry, graduate student, Agriculture and Applied Economics, UW-River Falls

Episodes of The Dairy Signal® are accredited through Dairy AdvanCE® (DACE), enabling dairy producers, industry professionals and students to earn continuing education units for watching either the live or recorded version. Dairy AdvanCE is an online continuing education management tool for dairy farmers and other professionals that simplifies finding, tracking and managing continuing education units (CEUs). To learn more, visit www.DairyAdvance.org.

The Dairy Signal® is a weekly series of educational episodes offering practical insights and resources for dairy farmers and food-system professionals across the value chain. Episodes air live from 12:00-1:00 PM CT each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Live sessions offer attendees the opportunity to engage in open Q&A with the speakers; recorded sessions are available shortly after episodes are aired. Access all previously broadcasted sessions at www.pdpw.org.

For more information, contact PDP at 800-947-7379 or send an email to mail@pdpw.org. Join the conversation digitally by following us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) is the nation’s largest dairy producer-led organization of its kind, focusing on producer professionalism, stakeholder engagement and unified outreach to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.