Dairy producers found several tools for success at the 2011 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit, held Feb. 2-3 at the Lancaster Host Resort and Conference Center. Hosted by the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) and the Center for Dairy Excellence (CDE), the summit offered workshops on several hot topics in the dairy industry.
General sessions on the first day featured Cornell University’s Dr. Dale Bauman with a discussion about dairy and sustainability and Farm Bill and dairy policy conversations with Michael Oscar from Gray and Oscar, LLC.
The second day’s general sessions included a retailer look at the dairy industry from John Werner of Schreiber’s Foods and a producer panel to discuss five money makers and revenue drivers they utilize on their farms.
Dr. David Galton, from Cornell University, and Mark Crave, from Crave Brothers Farm in Waterloo, Wisconsin were highlighted in this year’s dairy farm showcase.
Click here to learn more about Crave Brothers Farm.
Each speaker shared their growth strategies and plans for the future, as well as the management practices that made them successful.
"We like to combine modern technology with good old-fashioned skill," said Crave.
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Participants could choose to attend two of four one-hour breakout sessions:
• Direct Marketing: A Panel Discussion with Lolly Lesher, of Way-Har Farms; Beth Klein, of Klein Farms; and Alisa Fava-Fasnacht, of Emerald Valley Artisans
• Reaping the Most from Your Reproduction Strategy in Two Parts with Dr. Paul M. Fricke from the University of Wisconsin
- Round One: "Strategies for Submitting Cows for First AI"
- Round Two: "Diagnosing Non-Pregnancies and Submitting Cows for Second and Subsequent AIs"
• A Producer’s Perspective on Managing Your Risks with Deb Reinhart, of Gold Star Farms, and Katie Krupa, of Rice Dairy LLC
• Managing Animal Patterns for Improved Cow Comfort with Dr. Paul Rapnicki from the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine
An early bird session on the first day focused on social media. Lisa Perrin, from Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association, shared tips and tricks to sharing your story on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.
The Late Show-Dairy Style drew a lot of attention with panelists Kay Johnson Smith, from Animal Agriculture Alliance , Chris Herr, from PennAg Industries Association , and Paul Shapiro, from the Humane Society of the United States.
Participants also enjoyed networking breaks with nearly 70 exhibitors throughout the conference. PD
Look for more information and speakers' comments from the 2011 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit in Issue 4 of Progressive Dairyman , arriving in mailboxes March 1.
PHOTOS
TOP RIGHT: Animal well-being was the focus topic of a special "Late Show - Dairy Style" presentation. Panelists included (from left): Kay Johnson Smith of Animal Ag Alliance, Chris Herr of PennAg Industries Association and Paul Shapiro of the Humane Society of the United States. Kirk Sattazahn of Select Sires (far right) served as the moderator.
TOP LEFT: Thanks to modern technology, many speakers were able to present their topics via Skype at the 2011 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit, rather than having to face the inclement weather. Photos by Sarah Caldwell.
Sarah Caldwell
Ag communications student
Penn State University
slc5210@psu.edu
