For dairy producers who are looking to unlock their potential through networking, insight and inspiration, the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit is a nationally recognized conference for dairy farmers of all types.

This year’s event takes place Feb. 7-8 at the Lancaster Wyndham Resort and Convention Center in Lancaster, Pa. Thanks to grants and support from the Center for Dairy Excellence, Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and summit sponsors, registration fees for dairy producers are set to be as affordable as possible. Dairy producers can attend the full, two-day summit for $100, with one-day rates available for $50.

Put on by the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and the Center for Dairy Excellence, the Dairy Summit will include several keynote speakers who will lead sessions on real-time industry issues, including creating a multifaceted family farm, building trust inside and outside the farm gate, innovating a producer-led marketplace, and navigating shifting dairy market dynamics.

Several producers from Pennsylvania, New York and beyond will lead panel discussions and breakout sessions on topics focused on employee management, innovation, profitability and growth, and more.

Here are some sessions that are planned at this year’s summit:

Transitioning from a ‘doer’ to a ‘manager,’ with Sarah Moag of Noblehurst Farms. As dairy farms grow, many farm owners struggle to make the leap from carrying out the day-to-day tasks on their farm to managing and delegating it to a diverse team of employees to carry out those tasks. How can dairy producers make that transition? Hear how one farm intentionally approaches employee management.

Who should be part of your transition team?, with Tyler Rohrer, Lori Butler and Justin Risser. As producers navigate the farm transition and succession planning process, having the right family members, partners and consultants involved in the process can help them move forward and overcome hurdles. Hear from three dairy producers who will share how a team approach to transition planning benefited their business.

The key to achieving low employee turnover, with Rod Hissong, Tom Barley and Pete Posner. What are the five most important things dairy managers can do to hire, train and retain high-quality, high-performing employees? This panel of dairy producers will talk unique strategies for retaining employees over the long haul.

Challenge the status quo: Balancing profitability and growth, with Alan Waybright and Andy Young. Being growth-minded often involves challenging the status quo and “the way we’ve always done things.” However, growth can sometimes hinder profitability without a thoughtful strategy in place. These panelists will open up about their processes to achieve both profitability and growth, and how finding this balance has strengthened their dairy operations.

Register now for the 2024 event. For dairy producers who want to take advantage of the discounts, visit padairysummit.org to register, or contact the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit business office at 814-355-2467.

Source: Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania