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The Madison, Wis., event will focus on animal care, business and finance, human resources, and social license in the dairy industry.

February 4, 2020

3 Min Read
on-screen presentation at conference
DIVERSE EXPERIENCE: The diversified learning subjects at the conference will offer a variety of resources and solutions to benefit the learning style of the attendee, whether best absorbed through lecture, collaboration or hands-on interactive experience.

It’s imperative for farmers to maximize time off the farm when operating dynamic, fast-paced businesses. Fortunately, the personal and professional development needed to sharpen one’s leadership and management skills in the dairy industry have been assembled at one venue over just two days.

Presented by Professional Dairy Producers, the 2020 PDPW Business Conference will be March 18-19 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. The two-day program will bring together dairy farmers, agribusinesses and allied industries throughout the value chain.

As a farmer-led group, PDPW delivers the quality and quantity of best-in-class education, solution-oriented ideas and collaborative networking that farmers request.

Showcasing over 40 speakers — including leadership and management experts, business advisers, scientists and researchers, economists, and entrepreneurs — the conference will offer a variety of timely, cutting-edge educational experiences. This newly learned information and skill can be implemented back on the dairy immediately and is relevant to farms of all size, number of employees and farming methods.

Open to the public, there is something for every farm and every position held, from owners to financial managers, herdspeople, cow-calf specialists, crop managers, feeders, milkers and other support teams.

In addition to four big-stage keynote sessions, attendees can select from 16 specialty and breakout sessions offered over the course of two days. The format also lends itself to interactive surveying, in-class activities, producer panels, and question-and-answer sessions to further explore the content.

The Hands-On Hub labs are consistently ranked among the favorite sessions by attendees. Led by trained veterinarians, attendees will explore three repeating sessions, including genetic strategy, calf care and maternity pen pathogen mitigation, and a live animal demonstration to focus on animal handling techniques.

The Learning Lounges are 15 quick and practical 30-minute sessions, offering ideas and advancements in science, communication and management. Attendees can implement the insights immediately back on the dairy, as they focus on higher levels of performance and profitability.

Celebrating the heartland of dairy research, the Preview Stage will again showcase University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers and their master’s degree students. Together, they will connect the dots between research results and the implications to the dairy industry. Attendees can view the students’ research boards and listen to the live presentations underlining the research methods, findings and conclusions, and follow up with a brief Q&A.

The educational offerings noted above are divided into four learning subjects:

  • animal care and food safety

  • business and financial

  • human resources, management and next generation

  • social license — consumer trust, environment and policy

The diversified learning subjects will offer a variety of resources and solutions to benefit the learning style of the attendee, whether best absorbed through lecture, collaboration or hands-on interactive experience.

“2020 is all about focus — getting your hands around the wheel and strengthening your team, business and mind,” says Shelly Mayer, a dairy producer and PDPW executive director. “The conference is filled with practical solutions and the latest in sound business strategy, culture-driven management and cow-centric dairy research that provides a clear vision for dairying.”

Driven by the PDPW mission to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed, fellow dairy farmers created this program with lasting impact to deliver the tools needed for a sharper focus within the dairy business while also incorporating peer-to-peer collaboration.

To learn more or register online for the 2020 PDPW Business Conference, visit pdpw.org or call 800-947-7379. Follow along digitally in advance of and during the event by following @dairyPDPW and using #Focus2020 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Source: PDPW, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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