- Register today for the Summit. Discounts are available for dairy producers!
- Reserve your hotel room by Jan. 10 to get the discounted group rate.
To kick off the new year, our speakers gave a sneak preview of some of the farm-level and business management tips they plan to share at the Dairy Summit. A full list of 15+ tips will be published in Progressive Dairy.
TIP 1: Be the person who takes that one step. “At Oakridge Dairy, we believe that anything is possible. We are willing to try anything to make even the smallest detail better for our team and our animals. It starts with an idea. Someone has to take a step. Only one step is needed to start the next greatest thing. My encouragement is to be that person. Take that one step today. You never know where it may lead.” –David Moser of Oakridge Dairy, keynote speaker at the PA Dairy Summit
TIP 2: Vaccine failure is usually a failure in management. “What can dairy producers start doing today? Good health requires an integrated approach of biosecurity, outstanding management and using vaccines as an adjunct. Vaccine failure is not usually the failure of the vaccine, but the failure in management and basic animal husbandry. Paying attention to nutrition, housing and animal management is key to making vaccines perform to aid in prevention of disease. Poor management can’t be corrected by the use of a needle to cover up mistakes. The best vaccine programs use the fewest vaccines.” –Dr. Chris Chase, South Dakota State University, breakout speaker at the PA Dairy Summit
TIP 3: Carve out space for your vision. “Design starts in the mind. It starts with connecting to a purpose greater than yourself and a vision for how you will carry that out in your chosen path. For many of us, getting clarity on this purpose and vision for impact is challenging because of the busyness and distraction of everyday life. That’s why I’m looking forward to helping attendees carve out a space to do this at the Summit and to share insights from the inspiring stories of real people in our dairy community.”
–Peggy Coffeen of Uplevel Dairy Podcast, keynote speaker at the PA Dairy Summit.
TIP 4: Overcome paralysis by analysis. “In every business, ‘paralysis by analysis’ stops progress from moving forward. However, most times the ‘analysis’ is just worries about the extent of one’s knowledge. Once that knowledge is acquired, the paralysis quickly falls away and is replaced by relief and astonishment that it took so long. That is the essence of professional education – providing the knowledge that delivers the confidence to better your business today. Our session at the PA Dairy Summit is designed to address that knowledge gap so workforce issues can be tackled and addressed sooner, rather than later.” –Brook Duer, Staff Attorney at the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, breakout speaker at the PA Dairy Summit
TIP 5: See what each generation is seeing. “For dairy operations involving 2 or 3 generations, or those hoping to involve a second generation in the future, it’s really important to consider everyone’s perspective while ‘designing your tomorrow today.’ For long-term success, multi-generational dairy operations need to include everyone’s perspectives if they are building a sustainable vision for their dairy of tomorrow. –Dr. Brian Reed, a breakout speaker at the PA Dairy Summit
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