Constant improvement is the key to success in today’s dairy industry. Regardless of farm size or location, successful dairy producers are always evaluating new practices, technologies, facilities and equipment choices that will improve efficiency, productivity, animal health and many more aspects of their operation. But that isn’t all. They also invest in the training and professional development of their team members to optimize the business-building improvements they’ve made.
For more than 20 years, Dairy’s Foundation has supported educational and sustainability initiatives for the dairy industry and those impacted by it. Dairy’s Foundation was formed in 2002 as the charitable arm of Professional Dairy Producers (PDP). To this day, the two organizations work alongside one another to support educational dairy programs and expand the impact of America’s dairy industry – though the foundation has long since been able to support dairy educational programs outside the reach of its sister organization, awarding grants and helping underwrite programs across the nation.
The only national foundation whose sole purpose is serving the dairy community, Dairy’s Foundation is committed to supporting dairy professionals in all stages of their careers. The foundation underwrites several programs that help students and professionals of all ages strengthen their leadership, management and people skills, starting with those who are being newly primed by high school advisers to begin planning their future career.
Exploring opportunities
Stride Youth Leadership Conference is a one-day program for high school students looking to discover and amplify their leadership skills while preparing for the future and discovering opportunities in the dairy and agriculture sectors. The interactive conference is designed for youth ages 15 to 18 – whether they’ve considered a future in agriculture or not.
Blending leadership development and hands-on labs for a full-circle approach to students’ professional growth, Stride teaches attendees concepts in wide-ranging agricultural opportunities, from IT and food science to marketing, communications, sales, the environment and many other fields. The youth leadership conference is designed to showcase that there is a place for everyone in this ever-changing industry. The 2024 edition of Stride will take place Saturday, Sept. 21 on the University of Wisconsin – Platteville campus, providing tours of university farms, hands-on labs, and exposure to faculty, researchers and current students.
Building a strong foundation
Cornerstone Dairy Academy is another opportunity to polish your people and communications skills. The two-day professional development training program equips producers and industry professionals with the tools to effectively lead, communicate and more proficiently collaborate with others. The program incorporates a full day of PDP Business Conference and is designed to provide continued education to a broad range of participants, from college-age attendees to well-seasoned individuals wanting to fortify their leadership skills as well as those who are at a crossroads in their dairy career and want to learn new skills.
The 2024 Cornerstone Dairy Academy welcomed 91 applicants into one of three leadership pillars – influential, servant and visionary leadership. Of these, 21 attendees graduated after having successfully completed all three pillars. Photo courtesy of Professional Dairy Producers.
Cornerstone participants choose one of three pillars each year they apply – influential leaders, visionary leaders or servant leadership – with the ultimate goal of completing all three. Each pillar is led by expert facilitators and features a combination of interactive and classroom learning opportunities. Simultaneous Spanish translation is available for all three pillars.
Completing all three tiers in succession helps ensure a strong foundation for leadership in any role in the dairy industry. To date, nearly 50 dairy industry professionals have graduated after finishing all three pillars of Cornerstone Academy – a program that launched 10 years ago.
“Cornerstone covers a variety of topics you just can’t get all in one place anywhere else,” says Eliza Ruzic, 2024 Cornerstone graduate. “From understanding markets, generational communication, dining and networking etiquette to connecting with others, there’s something for everyone to learn in each pillar.”
Because the program is held in conjunction with the PDP Business Conference, participants have the opportunity to practice in real-time their communication and listening skills with peers, vendors and industry leaders at dairy’s premier learning event.
“Leadership takes work and dedication; it’s constantly pushing yourself through your vulnerabilities and weaknesses,” says Nicole Pralle, 2024 Cornerstone graduate. “We can only be a leader to others if we first become a leader to ourselves.”
Further development of leadership and management skills
Dairy Managers Institute is a next-level three-tier program designed to equip today’s dairy managers with the skills needed to become effective team leaders. This intensive management development program is designed to build the next generation of strong leadership in any dairy industry business.
The three separate tiers are designed to be completed in succession to sharpen core competencies in each focus area, providing the building blocks for participants to understand their own leadership styles, improve coaching skills and put those skills to work in business finance and negotiations.
Facilitators for the one-day program include Dr. Becky Stewart-Gross, Michael Hoffman, Dr. Kevin Bernhardt and Linda Swindling, with each delivering focused insights and interactive training opportunities in their respective sessions. Simultaneous Spanish translation of each tier ensures that members of a dairy team who prefer to learn and ask questions in Spanish can do so while building their skills and confidence.
In addition to these three leadership development programs, other annual programs are also supported by Dairy’s Foundation and facilitated by PDP to meet ongoing needs in the dairy industry.
Financial Literacy for Dairy is a multilevel, multisession financial development program designed to provide dairy farmers, veterinarians, nutritionists and other agribusiness professionals a solid financial understanding and foundation from which to expand their comprehension. With a curriculum written specifically to address dairy operations, sessions are taught by renowned dairy financial experts David Coggins, agricultural business and financial consultant, and Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, professor of agribusiness at University of Wisconsin – Platteville.
“Financial Literacy for Dairy taught me so much about how I can more effectively help keep my business profitable and growing and running for years to come,” says Jody Schaap of Schaap Farms, in Woodstock, Minnesota.
The annual Dairy Insights Summit brings together leading-edge stakeholders for a one-day event to discuss some of the most pressing topics in the dairy industry. Event speakers have focused on market access, sustainability, food waste, strategies other ag sectors have successfully used to overcome challenges, protecting our food system and more.
As the dairy industry evolves and changes, the one constant is the need for talented, committed dairy producers and industry professionals to lead into the future. Dairy’s Foundation is focused on providing opportunities to build the managers and leaders necessary for a sustainable dairy industry for generations to come. Thanks to generous donors, the foundation has been able to consistently support educational programs that fill a need nationwide. Visit the foundation's website to learn more about Dairy’s Foundation and how contributions can be made.
–Written by Professional Dairy Producers staff
The Dairy’s Foundation was established by Professional Dairy Producers in 2002 as a way to raise funds and award grants for educational programs. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) entity. For information on programs funded and ways to donate, visit us online.
