To innovate in ways that bring the community together, Doug and Cortney Dotterer have ventured beyond traditional dairy farming, transforming a section of their land into a vibrant sunflower maze – a project that has become a local attraction. What began as a casual idea inspired by a farm in Kentucky has now flourished into an annual event, attracting thousands of visitors eager to experience the beauty of sunflowers and farm life.

What do you get when two passionate dairy professionals decide that college students deserve a broader view of the dairy industry, an opportunity to connect the dots from farm to factory and to begin building their professional network all while keeping animal welfare and a healthy planet top of mind? Dairypalooza!

While tugboats and barges drove up and down the Mississippi River, the 2024 PDPW Managers Academy for Dairy Professionals convened on the banks in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jan. 9-11.

From her first job in high school working for a New Hampshire truck farmer to owning and operating Bread and Butter Farm in Shelburne, Vermont, fostering a connection between the community and the land that feeds it has remained a major focus for first-generation farmer Corie Pierce.

PDO tour participants observed rotary parlours and robots in response to labour shortages in California.

I think most people would agree that farmers are some of the most passionate people out there. Those working in agriculture have great pride in what they do and want to share their story.