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DAIRY ST R PDPW Business Conference Special Edition

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY MARCH 16 - 17 ALLIANT ENERGY CENTER • MADISON, WI

Professional Dairy Producers®

A place to be inspired PDPW Business Conference provides upbeat environment, learning opportunities BY KRISTA KUZMA Staﬀ writer

As a dairy producer, Mitch Breunig knows how the current milk price situation can add a higher level of stress to farming; however, he said the Professional Dairy Producers® Business Conference is a place to be uplifted. “Milk prices are low and people are nervous about their futures and what’s going to happen, and yet you go [to the Business Conference] and you just don’t feel like that exists at all. People are so positive. It’s a place you can get energy,” said Mitch Breunig Breunig, who is PDPW president the president of PDPW and milks 420 cows near Sauk City, Wis. With the theme of inspire, the 2016 PDPW Business Conference will be March 16-17 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. This year will be the 24th Business Conference, which will feature 48 speakers and panelists, six keynote speakers, 23 breakout sessions, 15 learning lounge sessions, three hands-on learning sessions and over 200 companies in the Hall of Ideas and Equipment Show. “When you go there we want you to have a unique experience and take home something to your dairy that will make your business have a chance to be more successful,” said Shelly Mayer,

PDPW executive director. Breunig agreed. “This is our showcase educational event,” he said. “We try to have some of the best speakers in the country and topics relevant to producers in Wisconsin and across the country.” In the past, the two-day event has attracted nearly 1,500 people, many of whom are dairy producers, Breunig said. “There are people I’ve gotten to be friends with at PDPW [Business Conference] that become the people I ask questions of when I have something on the farm that I’m Shelly Mayer going to making PDPW executive a decision about,” director Breunig said. “One thing that’s neat about the dairy industry is that even though it’s competitive, dairy producers seem to share their successes with other people so other people have successes. Even though every farm is different we can all learn from each other.” Mayer and Breunig said the Business Conference will have information for producers of all sizes and for people who work at all levels of the farm. “We try to have something for the CEO level of the farm while also having something for the employee, boots-onthe-ground, working-with-the-cattle person,” Breunig said.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Conference aƩendees listen to a speaker during a breakout session at last year’s PDPW Business Conference. This year’s conference is scheduled for March 1617 at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. One of the biggest additions this year will be the opportunity for handson training. “We recognize that we have dairy farmers there from lots of different backgrounds … Whether large or small farms, there are still people who work hands-on everyday with the cows. These labs are designed for people working cow-side,” Mayer said. The rst of three workshops will feature live animal handling with a group of heifers brought on-site to practice. The second will feature a cow necropsy to understand diseases and how these diseases affect organs by comparing healthy organs to ones impaired by illness. The third workshop

will be a lung dissection. “If you’re a cow side person or a manager working with cow side people, those things will be extremely engaging. They’re at a level that you can’t nd anywhere else,” Mayer said. For the second year in a row, producers will be able to download an app to their phone to help them navigate the booths in the Hall of Ideas and map out which seminars to attend. And as it has been in the past several years, the Business Conference is accredited for people eligible for continuing education credits. “It speaks to the level of the training Turn to CONFERENCE | Page 2

Page 2 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

DAIRY ST R

ConƟnued from CONFERENCE | Page 1

www.dairystar.com

522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647

General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Laura Bromenshenkel 320-352-6303 laura.b@dairystar.com Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 President Dave Simpkins 320-352-6577 davesimpkins@saukherald.com Staff Writers Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor 507-259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Andrea Borgerding Assistant Editor/ Online Editor 320-352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Missy Mussman (320) 429-1084 • missy@dairystar.com Ron Johnson 608-874-4243 ron.j@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner 507-240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Jennifer Coyne (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Cassie Olson (715) 245-6848 • cassie.o@dairystar.com

Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Jeff Weyer (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-8505 (cell) jeff.w@dairystar.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com

Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378.

PHOTO PROVIDED

AƩendees take in a Learning Lounge session during last year’s PDPW Business Conference. There are 15 Learning Lounge sessions scheduled for this year’s conference March 16-17 in Madison, Wis. as well as the content. It varies by year, but you can learn a lot,” Mayer said. Of course, keynote speakers have always been a longstanding staple for the conference. Breunig is looking forward to listening to New York City Fire Department Chief Richard Picciotto talk about his eyewitness account of the tragedy on Sept. 11, 2001. “I like history so I’m really looking forward to that,” Breunig said. Nationally known speakers such as Dr. Mike Hutjens, Dr. Allan Gray and Craig Culver are also on his must-see list. Breunig is interested in what these speakers have to say about milk prices and how to develop successful business strategies. It was this type of speaker who pulled him into PDPW during his rst business conference he attended in 1995. Breunig listened to Gary Sipiorski’s presentation about cost of production. “It was before we built our milking parlor. My mom and dad still owned the farm. Gary told us to go home, gure out our cost of production and

call him with the results and I did. I called him and our gures weren’t very good. We were milking in a stall barn and had some expensive land. I really started understanding how that cost of production stuff worked,” Breunig said. It’s seminars like these that have helped Breunig keep his farm going in the right direction. “The farm is a farm, but at the end of the day the farm is a business. That’s what PDPW has brought to the industry is teaching producers how to run their farm like a business. And everyone is at different stages of learning how to do that,” Breunig said. And even when times are tough in the dairy industry, Breunig looks forward to the business conference to learn and keep his spirits up. I would recommend going [to the business conference] if just you need some energy or inspiration,” Breunig said. “The dairy business is kind of tough right now. What a great place to go to get reenergized, to go back to your own farm and gure out what you can do better.”

“The farm is a farm, but at the end of the day the farm is a business. That’s what PDPW has brought to the industry is teaching producers how to run their farm like a business.” - Mitch Breunig

PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, November 14, 2015 • Page 3

Page 4 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

What do you like about the conference?

“I enjoy the sense of challenge it gives me.” Tom Brenner Durand, Wis.; Pepin County 65 cows How many times have you attended the PDPW Business Conference? Two times. Why do you feel it’s important that you attend? I believe its important to attend PDPW Business Conference because of the vast amount of resources it can bring to one place. I can problem solve, come up with new ideas to bring back to the farm, or improve things already being done. The quality of the speakers is second to none. What do you enjoy most about the conference? I enjoy the sense of challenge it gives me. You will be surrounded by some of the best producers in the country and it makes me take a hard look at the way I do things. If I want to be in the dairy business long term I need to be improving. This conference is a way to motivate myself to move the bar higher. What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy industry and why? Topics on my list at the moment happen to be fermentrics. I want to be able to capitalize on feed efciency and keeping the rumen as healthy as possible. Also, nding more ways to improve cover cropping techniques. Anything I can do to improve my soil will pay long term dividends to the farm.

What has been the best presentation or seminar you have attended at the conference? The best presentation I have been to has to be Dr. David Kohl. He lays out in no uncertain terms, what’s expected of a producer to be economically viable. He commands the room and keeps your attention from beginning to end.

What makes the PDPW conference stand out from other conferences? I believe PDPW stands out from the rest because of the caliber of people who put it together. The staff is fantastic at nding out what producers’ needs are and delivering! From the breakout sessions, to the Hall of Ideas, a very broad range of topics are covered and covered well.

Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy this year. I started dairy farming a little over four years ago. I am currently renting a 47-cow barn and switching my extra cows. I am very excited to get back to my home farm. My wife, Tana, and I have purchased the building site from my father. We are building a 100-cow, sand bedded tiestall barn. I hope to be in the barn in early April.

PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016 • Page 5

The rut of a life cycle

Basse provides tips to ride out unbearable markets BY JENNIFER COYNE Staﬀ writer

The dairy industry is a life cycle with ups and downs, although lately more so the latter. In a period of time where the U.S. dollar is rising in value, grain markets are sluggish, and dairy products are being oversupplied worldwide and lack U.S. mandates to reduce that stockpile, the dairy market has taken a painful hit. “We’ve seen this same growth with the maturing of ethanol. Now, we’re talking milk, meat and grains,” said Dan Basse, president of AgResource Company in Chicago, Ill. “There can be a lot of negativity surrounding agriculture, but these hard times are all a part of a life cycle. Naturally, dairy farmers are bullish to start; we will come out of this.” Dan Basse On March 16 at the AgResource Company Professional Dairy Producers president Business Conference, Basse will speak of the current markets and what lies ahead for those involved in dairy farming in his presentation, “The Dawn of a New Era: Competing in the global marketplace.” Basse has 38 years of experience in the business of agriculture markets; his research rm specializes in forecasting price trends for domestic and world agricultural segments of the industry. Within every agricultural trade, there is a broad landscape that determines the markets, including other industry markets and the global economy. “Consider the big drivers of these markets the grains, especially corn and wheat,” Basse said. “Feed makes a big difference.” From an international perspective, the abolition of quotas in Europe encouraged many producers to milk more cows as other parts of the world reduced their cattle population. “Although New Zealand has condensed their industry herd, the reduction doesn’t offset what’s happening in Europe,” Basse said. Additionally, Chinese consumers are no longer relying on a U.S. supply of dairy products as they continue to build their own herds up and obtain record-large milk production levels.

“We’re no longer able to just understand U.S. markets and be OK. We must think globally – Europe, China, Latin America – and integrate that thinking into our operations.”

diligently to extend their prots. “We’re going to reach [income] levels that we haven’t seen in the last decade,” Basse said. “Some will scream to Uncle Sam and want to cut back. The best you can do is stay on top of the books and your production.” While particular parts of the equation are out of dairy producers’ control, Basse reiterated key practices that will help negate the era of downturn; advising producers to look ahead – at least two years – in order to be nancially viable, and evaluate the cost and revenue. “We will need to trim costs in order to protect the balance sheets,” Basse said. In order to do so, there are four variables dairy producers must work to control – machinery, land pricing, nitrogen costs and seed costs. By

DAIRY STAR

monitoring costs, an opportunity to secure marginal prots may become available. “It’s important that producers are cognizant of their costs to rent land, interests on loans, chemical fertilizers and even labor, although we can’t do without labor,” Basse said. “We can’t allow the balance sheets to slide, because when the cycle turns, we want to have the lending capabilities.” While Basse’s presentation will provide the unbearable truth of the industry, he said the information is valuable. “We’re a part of a life cycle and need to be prepared to own our business and increase production. It won’t change today, but someday,” Basse said. “Take the time to understand the markets and be in a position, so that when they turn, you can benet.”

Bookmark Dairy Star Online

On Your Mobile Device Have one-click access to www.dairystar.com by adding a bookmark to your home screen. Browse news, ads, and look up contact info in our business directory.

- Dan Basse AgResource Company

“We’re no longer able to just understand the U.S. markets and be OK,” Basse said. “We must think globally – Europe, China, Latin America – and integrate that thinking into our operations.” In regards to the dairy markets, aside from the grains and the remainder of the world, considered variables are limited, particularly weather. “Weather doesn’t necessarily effect milk production, with the exception of the drought. What we saw in Texas was a rarity,” Basse said. “Unless there is another weather abnormality that will greatly change the markets, we need to prepare for a decline in income.” With less money circulating throughout the industry, dairy producers will have to work

Visit us in booth #352 Questions? Contact Andrea at andrea.b@dairystar.com or 320-352-6303

Page 6 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016 • Page 7

Transparency, the currency of trust BY MISSY MUSSMAN Staﬀ writer

With a click of a button, people can have information on just about anything, including factual and non-factual information regarding animal agriculture, in a matter of seconds in the palm of their hands. “It’s called crowd sourcing information,” said Charlie Arnot, CEO of The Center for Food Integrity. “What they see though online websites, what their Facebook friends are saying and what they read can inuence what they think or believe.” Arnot is teaming up with Craig Culver, the CEO of Culver’s restaurant chain, and Annika Stensson, the director of research communications for the National Restaurant Association, for the keynote presentation “Connecting with Consumers: They want to know their producers” at 11 a.m. on March 17 during the 2016 PDPW Business Conference in Madison, Wis. Over the past three years, Arnot said there has been a growing bias among consumers against large-scale agriculture and food. “They believe the larger Charlie Arnot the farm or food business is, the The Center for Food more likely that farm or business Integrity CEO will put prot ahead of public interest and principles,” Arnot said. “They’re concerned those larger scale farms will neglect or take short cuts with animal care, the environment and food safety.” Arnot realized skepticism from consumers is upsetting to the producers. “It’s frustrating for them to hear these accusations because they’re dedicated to doing the right thing,” Arnot said. “It’s hard to nd a more ethical group of individuals than farmers.” However, Arnot said having skeptical consumers is a good sign for farmers. “It’s better to have consumers be skeptical and interested in what they’re doing than to have them be apathetic and disinterested,” Arnot said. “Farmers have to be more willing to embrace it and not get defensive.” Seeing this growing concern from consumers, Arnot conducted research with consumers about their concerns. “We found out that bias wasn’t based on factual information,” Arnot said. Knowing that, Arnot asked those consumers what needed to be done to overcome those concerns. The answer was for farmers to be more transparent and to be more open about who they are and what they do. “That’s a challenge for most dairy farmers,” Arnot said. “Culturally, farmers were taught not to draw attention to or talk about themselves. Being transparent is a new concept and goes against the grain of ag’s culture. It’s not that they’re trying to hide anything, it’s just who they are. However, that independence and privacy they’ve had is starting to work against them. They still have some barriers to overcome.” The mechanics of making it happen are challenging for farmers as well. “Farmers are busy producing quality products for those consumers, so making time is an issue,” Arnot said. “There’s also increased bio security risks by opening up farms.” During the presentation, producers will hear the needs of consumers from Culver, learn about a restaurateur’s experience with demands from suppliers and also learn specic ways to being more transparent on their farms with Arnot. “I have a great lineup of people to present with,” Arnot said. “There will be three unique perspectives, and producers will see a broad perspective of what consumers expect.” Although Arnot will be providing specic ideas for farmers to improve the transparency of their farm to consumers, his focus will be changing the farmers view on the idea. “It’s more a change of mindset,” Arnot said. “Farmers need to embrace it. It’s necessary to protect their freedom to produce milk and food for the world. Transparency isn’t an option anymore; it’s the currency of trust.”

More on Arnot Charlie Arnot is recognized as a thought leader in food and agriculture. He is highly regarded as both a writer and sought-after speaker who engages audiences across the globe. Charlie has more than 25 years of experience working in communications, public relations and issues management within the food system. He serves as CEO of the Center for Food Integrity, a non-prot organization dedicated to building consumer trust and condence in today’s food system. One client said of Charlie’s work, “others help us talk about our business, you help us think differently about who we are and what we do.” His commitment to excellence, innovation and integrity have positioned him as a trusted counselor to CEOs, government leaders and executives, and a respected industry advisor on critical issues within the food system. Clients and

food and farm industry leaders seek his unique expertise in applying the peer reviewed trust model to help them build trust in their processes, products, people and brands. Charlie is frequently sought out by media for his insight on food and agriculture issues and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Time, NPR, CNBC, The National Journal, Entrepreneur, Yahoo health, Hufngton Post, Grist and dozens of trade publications globally. Charlie spent 10 years as a corporate ofcer for a leading food company; he worked for a public relations agency, was an award-winning radio journalist and worked in video and lm. Charlie grew up in southeast Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Journalism degree.

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Page 8 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

What makes PDPW Business Conference stand out?

“There are topics for every producer ...” Eric and Carol Hillan Ladysmith, Wis.; Rusk County 330 cows How many times have you attended the PDPW Business Conference? We’ve attended for 15-20 years. Why do you feel it’s important that you attend? We feel it’s important to attend to meet with fellow producers to get their insight and feedback as to what is happening in the dairy industry. What works as far as managing a dairy including; people skills, hedging, barn designs, political climate, health care, etc. What do you enjoy most about the conference? Networking with fellow producers is an invaluable experience. Sometimes we miss educational sessions because we are talking to fellow producers to get their insights. What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy industry and why? The hot topics vary from year to year. Currently, tail docking is an issue. We have a small segment of our society who seem to think they know how dairy cattle should be treated even though they have little or no experience working with cattle. It seems that the cooperative leaders in the form of NMPF have sided with this small misinformed minority of consumers over the people who actually work at the back end of a cow. It will be interesting to see how all this plays out – each year is different.

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What has been the best presentation or seminar you have attended at the conference? The best presentation we attended was by a person who was an animal rights activist. There was a lot of dialog of contrasting views of animal agriculture. What makes the PDPW conference stand out from other conferences? There are topics for every producer, no matter herd size or background. We can all learn from each other. Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy this year. We have 330 cows and crop around 1,300 acres, wheat, corn, soybeans, alfalfa. This year we plan on farming and see what the weather and other events do to us.

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Page 10 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

Hands-On Hub Dig in to Hands-On Specialty Sessions. Both days, morning and afternoon sessions are repeated, so you can attend one, two or all three sessions.

MORNING SESSIONS 9:00 – 10:15 am WHY COWS DIE: Unlock the Answers

Necropsy is an invaluable tool for determining a cow’s cause of death. Without it, cause of death is a guess, and you lack the information needed to prevent future cow health problems. Dr. Frank Garry, DVM and Dr. Don Sockett, DVM will demonstrate necropsy and discuss how it enables you to work more effectively with your veterinarian to implement the best approaches to optimize cattle health. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1.25 ARPAS

KEEPING CALVES HEALTHY: Pinpoint the Signs of Pneumonia

Calves are your profitability for the future. Safeguarding their health ensures that profitability. In this hands-on session, Dr. Sarah Raabis, DVM will help you identify the clinical signs, diagnostics and pathology of dairy calf pneumonia by examining postmortem calf lungs. See first-hand the lesions to look for on necropsy to identify clinical and subclinical pneumonia and to ultimately diagnose and provide the right treatment for healthy calves. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1.25 ARPAS

AFTERNOON SESSIONS 2:15 – 3:20 pm WHY COWS DIE: Unlock the Answers

LIVE ANIMAL DEMONSTRATION: Understand How Cattle Learn (afternoon session only) Handling dairy cattle correctly, no matter their age, saves time, prevents injury and promotes optimal animal well-being. Dr. Don Höglund, DVM will show you how dairy animals interpret and respond to their surroundings. He will further explain how knowing your cows and their reactions can maximize your herd’s potential. CEU: 1.8 UW-SVM; 1.5 ARPA

KEEPING CALVES HEALTHY: Pinpoint the Signs of Pneumonia

be inspired by your peers and other industry experts. Gather leading-edge research and technology. inspire others by sharing your knowledge and expertise. Join PDPW for two informational and inspirational days.

CEU:1.5 UW-SVM; 1.25 ARPAS

Go paperless with our convenient app! We are excited to announce that the PDPW Business Conference has a convenient event app for you! Put all the conference happenings at your ﬁngertips by downloading the mobile app in three easy steps: 1 For Apple and Android devices, download the FREE CrowdCompass Directory app at your respective app store (e.g. Google Play, App Store). 2 In the Crowd Compass Directory, search for 2016 PDPW Business Conference. 3 Enter the event code “dairy2016” when prompted.

Scan this code with your smart phone and go directly to the CrowdCompass Directory app to download.

How Do I Register? 3 Ways to Register for the 2016 PDPW Business Conference, March 16–17, in Madison, WI

1) REGISTER ONLINE at www.pdpw.org 2) CALL PDPW at (800) 947-7379 3) COMPLETE THIS REGISTRATION FORM and mail to: PDPW, 820 N. Main, Suite D, Juneau, WI 53039 Wed.

NAME(S) OF ATTENDEES

Thurs.

Wed.

Thurs.

Both days

Wed.

Thurs.

Both days

people =

Full conference, non-member

$400/person x

people =

Single day, PDPW member

$175/person x

people =

Single day, non-member

$300/person x

people =

Single day, student

$75/person x

people =

(Must be a full time student.) * Registration fees are non-refundable after February 29

Walk-ins are welcome - additional $20/person. CIRCLE PAYMENT METHOD: Check (enclosed) Visa MasterCard Discover

ORGANIZATION/FARM NAME

CREDIT CARD NO.

ADDRESS CITY PHONE (WITH AREA CODE)

Both days

Full conference, PDPW member $275/person x

STATE E MAIL

ZIP CODE

EXP. DATE

HOTELS CLOSE TO THE CONVENTION SITE Clarion Suites Sheraton Hotel Country Inn & Suites Comfort Inn Holiday Inn Express

608-284-1234 608-251-2300 608-221-0055 608-255-7400 608-709-5050

3 DIGIT CODE

#PDPWinspire

PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016 • Page 11

EXHIBITORS Hall C

Hall B

Drape Room

Electric Shop

Electrician

ORGANIZATION ................................................BOOTH#

Hall A

Service Of¿ce

First Aid

Service Of¿ce

Women

Men

BUFFET

Buffet

535 536

538 539 540 541 542

526 525 524 523 522 521

519

518

227 226 225 224

613 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 508

507 506 505 504 503

457 458

Lounge

339 340

318

322 321

239

240

241

345

348 349

351 352 353

355 356 357 358

316 315 314 313 312

310 309 308

306 305 304 303

247

216

221 220 219

400

404 403

248

214 213 212

251 252 253 254 255 209

208 207 206

256 257 258 204

203

Lounge

BUFFET

234 235 236 237

609 608 607 606 605 604 603

BUFFET

Learning Lounges #2

336

326 325 324

Men

BUFFET

Lounge

335

Leaders

Concession

516 515

426 425 424

334

Concession

Learning Lounges #3

435 436 437 Seating

Leaders

Women

627 626 625 624 623 622 621 620 619 618

Break Room

Crew Leader

Tape/Skirt Room

Learning Lounges #1

134 133 Massage

138 139 140 141

143 144 145 146 147

150 151 152 153

155 156 157 158 159

161 162 163

127 126 125 124

122 121 120

115 114 113 112

110 109 108 107 106

104 103

118

100

Coat Room

ENTRANCE

Show Of¿ce

Hall A Window

Usher Of¿ce Information

Walk-In Registration

SILENT AUCTION

REGISTRATION

Alliant Energy Center • Madison, WI March 16 - 17, 2016 ORGANIZATION ............................................... BOOTH#

ORGANIZATION ............................................... BOOTH#

ABS Global, Inc. ...........................................540 Accelerated Genetics.....................................207 Advanced Comfort Technology .......................353 Ag-Bag ........................................................626 Agri-King Inc. ...............................................506 AGRI-TRAC...................................................237 Agri-View .....................................................147 AgroChem, Inc. ............................................306 Agromatic Inc. ..............................................508 Agropur inc. .................................................403 AIC Dairy ....................................................312 Alforex Seeds ...............................................256 Alliant Energy ...............................................156 Alltech Inc ....................................................349 American Risk Management Resources Network, LLC ...............................146 American Wood Fibers ..................................239 Amino Plus/Ag Processing, Inc .......................157 AMS Galaxy USA .........................................325 Animal Health International ............................253 ANIMART ....................................................316 Animat Inc....................................................158 Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition ....................321 Badgerland Financial ....................................118 Bag Man LLC ................................................141 Bayer Healthcare Animal Health .....................425 Bayland Buildings .........................................318 Bill Lorrigan Construction Inc. .........................224 Bio-Vet .........................................................145 BioZyme, Inc. ...............................................541 BMO Harris Bank..........................................241 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica .....................515 BoviSync ......................................................155 Brickl Brothers, Inc.........................................619 Byron Seeds LLC ...........................................236 Calf-Star, LLC ................................................221 Cargill Animal Nutrition .................................150 Central Life Sciences......................................304 Cenzone Tech Inc. .........................................518 Commercial Laundry Sales .............................351 Complete Concrete Works..............................254 Contree Sprayer & Equipment Co LLC..............144

CP Feeds .....................................................404 Dairy Business Milk Markting Coop .................314 Dairy Calf & Heifer Association ......................618 Dairy Coach, LLC ..........................................526 Dairy Farmers of America, Inc ........................140 Dairy Star ....................................................352 Dairyland Laboratories ..................................358 Dairyland Seed Co., Inc. ...............................216 Datamars - Temple Tag/Z Tags ........................524 DeLaval .......................................................161 Delta Plastics/Revolution Plastics .....................309 Denmark State Bank ......................................122 Diamond V Mills, Inc. ....................................437 Dick Meyer Co Inc ........................................505 Digi-Star.......................................................519 Easy Fix Rubber North America ......................152 Elanco Animal Health ....................................340 Energy Panel Structures ..................................139 Enz-A-Bac Advanced Products ........................536 Euroﬁns DQCI ..............................................607 FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative ...........................214 Feed Components, LLC ..................................255 Fermented Nutrition Corp...............................235 Focus on Energy ...........................................521 Foremost Farms USA .....................................219 Forest Construction ........................................523 Foxland Harvestore Inc. .................................624 Furst McNess Company .................................110 Future Cow ..................................................334 Ganser Company .........................................557 Grande Cheese ............................................258 GVD Feed Covers LLC ...................................257 I.B.A Inc.......................................................609 I.D.ology ......................................................126 IDEXX ..........................................................539 ImmuCell......................................................226 Investors Community Bank ..............................457 J & D Manufacturing......................................542 Jefo USA ......................................................552 Jones Equipment Co ......................................227 Jung Seed Genetics .......................................507 Kauffman’s Animal Health, Inc. .......................108

Keller, Inc. ....................................................355 Kemin Industries ............................................313 Komro Sales & Service, Inc ............................356 KSI Supply Inc. .............................................120 LaBudde Group, Inc. .....................................335 Lallemand ....................................................504 Land O Lakes ..............................................345 Landmark Services Cooperative ......................516 Latham Hi-Tech Seed......................................608 LEDWisconsin LLC .........................................125 Lely North America .......................................426 M.P.B. Builders, Inc........................................213 Marawood Construction Services, Inc ..............303 Marginsmart.................................................240 MEDA-Chem-Star ..........................................209 Merck Animal Health .....................................247 Meyer Manufacturing Corporation ..................400 MICRO ........................................................251 Milk Specialities Global .................................620 Miller Engineers & Scientists ...........................525 MSA Professional Services Inc ........................220 Munters Corporation, Aghort/Aerotech Fans ......336 Mycogen Seeds ............................................622 Nelson-Jameson Inc .......................................556 NorthStar Cooperative ..................................308 NutriLinx, LLC ...............................................162 Nutrition Physiology Co., LLC .........................121 Olmix NA ....................................................357 Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative ...............159 Orion Energy Systems....................................554 Oxbo International ........................................606 Papillon Agricultural Company .......................324 Patz Corporation ..........................................621 Paul Mueller Company ..................................208 Pipping Concrete Inc. ....................................151 Professional Dairy Services Inc .......................103 ProﬁtPro AG .................................................435 QMI ............................................................234 Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc. ...............................118 Quality Roasting, Inc. ....................................605 Rabo AgriFinance .........................................553 Red Wing Software .......................................625 Riesterer & Schnell Inc. ..................................114 Roach & Associates .......................................124 Roto-Mix ......................................................613 Rural Mutual Insurance Companies .................348 SCR Dairy, Inc./Allﬂex...................................138 Select Sires...................................................310 Semex USA Inc. ............................................113 Shredlage, LLC .............................................203 Solutions 4 Earth ...........................................206 SoyBest ........................................................623 Superior Attachments, Inc. ..............................538 Supervisor Systems ........................................252 TechMix, LLC ................................................535 The Hartford Livestock....................................204 The Insurance Center, Inc. .............................436 Tiry Engineering Inc.......................................107 Trioliet .........................................................100 Udder Tech, Inc.............................................106 USDA Farm Service Agency ...........................603 USDA Federal Milk Order ..............................109 UW-Extension Dairy Team ..............................305 UW-Madison Dairy Science Dept. ...................134 UW-River Falls ..............................................153 Valley Agricultural Software............................555 Valmetal Inc..................................................558 Van Beek Natural Science ..............................104 Vault Technologies .........................................326 Verdesian Life Sciences ..................................112 VES Enviromental Solutions ............................127 Vita Plus Corporation .....................................315 We Energies .................................................339 Westway Feed Products .................................248 WI DATCP....................................................133 Wieser Concrete ...........................................143 Wisconsin Bank and Trust ..............................604 Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board ....................424 Wisconsin State Farmer .................................627 WLIC ...........................................................212 Wolf River Valley Seeds .................................225 Wondra Construction Inc ...............................503 Zinpro Performance Minerals..........................458 Zoetis ..........................................................522

Page 12 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

Wednesday, March 16

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 8:00 am

Registration begins and Hall of Ideas & Equipment Show opens

12:30 – 2:15 pm LUNCH - HALL OF IDEAS & EQUIPMENT SHOW

9:00–10:15 am

MORNING SPECIALTY SESSIONS

2:15 – 5:45 pm

Select one of six sessions

Select three of six sessions. Each session runs for one hour (unless otherwise noted)

1 CREATE THE PERFECT DINING EXPERIENCE

Does the dining environment on your farm encourage natural feeding behavior and optimal feed intake? Farms that ensure feed availability 24/7 often see 4 to 8 pounds per day greater milk production. Key components of the feeding environment include bunk space and stocking density, uniform feed delivery, feed push-up strategy, feeding frequency, and avoiding empty bunk syndrome. From Dr. Rick Grant, learn more about providing an ideal dining environment for your cows to boost eating and ruminating, improve rumen health and increase herd productivity. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1.25 ARPAS

2 AVOIDING A CATABOLIC CATASTROPHE

Successfully managing the transition period is critical to ensuring outstanding production and performance in the subsequent lactation. Understanding, monitoring, and nutritionally supporting cows as they move from late gestation to early lactation can improve milk and reproductive performance while decreasing disease risk. With Dr. Daryl Nydam, explore the keys to facilitating a successful transition and avoid a catabolic Armageddon in your herd. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1.25 ARPAS

3 WISE INVESTMENTS FINANCE YOUR FUTURE: Strategic Asset Investment

The value of smart investing in the dairy industry is crucial, especially in challenging economic times. Making investments that will positively impact the future proﬁtability for your dairy is a must to develop a sustainable business. Dr. Allan Gray, will show you how sharpening the pencil, and cranking up the spreadsheet can really help separate good investments from bad. This session will equip you with the 7-step process to estimating the value of strategic investments and a spreadsheet that will help you follow it. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM

4 PLAYING IT SAFE: Ongoing Employee Safety Training

Dairy farming is a dangerous occupation. Developing a consistent safety education and training program for farm employees is essential. Juan Quezada, Director of Safety at MilkSource, Inc. will moderate and share how he implements farm safety education for all of their dairy locations, while fellow dairy producers Walt Moore from Pennsylvania and Mary Kraft from Colorado will share their experiences in developing and following on-farm safety education. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM

5 PARTNERS IN PRACTICE PERFECTING CARE:

Veterinarian/Farmer Panel Shares BMPs Your veterinarian is one of the most trusted and valued resources on the dairy. This session gets to the heart of how veterinarian and dairy farmer relationships are paying off for animals, people and their businesses. This panel discussion directed by Dr. Jon Garber will feature two producer/veterinarian teams – Keith York and Dr. Tom Strause; Marty Hallock and Dr. Paul Quarberg - who will share what they’ve learned, saved and improved. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1.25 ARPAS

6 MILK AND THE TRAVELING ROAD SHOW: What’s It Worth Anyway?

The dairy industry, from producers to processors, does not agree on many issues. But one topic of general agreement is the dissatisfaction with our current product price formulas, which based on federal or state regulation, essentially requires someone to determine what milk is worth every month. Dr. Mark Stephenson, will discuss options for changing the current formulas, for determining a monthly milk price, and even how milk prices might be determined without regulation. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM 11:15 am–12:30 pm

AFTERNOON SPECIALTY SESSIONS

CONFERENCE KICK-OFF

National Anthem EMCEE - Mike Austin, Professional Radio & TV Broadcaster, Green Bay, Wis.

Mike Austin, a noted agriculture reporter since the early 1980s, does agricultural reports and markets for radio stations in Green Bay, Wausau and Sheboygan. He also does a daily agriculture feature atnoon, Monday through Friday, on WFRV-TV Channel 5 in Green Bay. THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA: OPPORTUNITY AWAITS THE WISE The world is changing. Many factors such as the rising U.S. dollar and drive by China to be self-sufﬁcient in grain and livestock offers new economic challenges for U.S. dairymen. In the midst of growing U.S. and world agriculture production, many are starting to worry over the stagnant world food demand. Dan Basse, President of AgResource Company, will shine light on global agriculture markets and offer valuable insight as to the best practices for your future proﬁtability. Learn today how to capture tomorrow.

CEU:1.2 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCA

1 A WORLD OF CHANGE: What Does the Future Hold? (presents once, 2:15 - 4:30)

The world of economics is vastly dynamic and ever changing. In this international producer panel moderated by Dan Basse, hear ﬁrst-hand from French dairy farmer, Thibaut Cordel and German dairy farmer, Jan Heusmann, their thoughts on the quota system and how its loss has affected their dairying practices. Get their take on the future of the dairy industry in their respective countries and globally. CEU: 2.4 UW-SVM

2 CROPS UNDER COVER: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck

Water quality and dairy farms go hand in hand and UW Discovery Farms is committed to working with dairy farmers to understand how agricultural systems can protect water quality. Dennis Frame and Amber Radatz, will share the facts about cover crops and their valuable impact on water quality. Discover the best places and times to utilize cover crops to attain the most beneﬁt for your operation and the environment. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 NM CCA

3 FEEDING WITH MILK IN MIND: Rumen Fiber Dynamics

How often do you think about rumen fiber digestion and passage? Understanding the role of fiber digestibility and indigestibility is critical for predicting dairy cow response and optimizing milk component production from forages. The industry is entering a new era in measuring forage fiber digestion characteristics and accurately predicting cow response to forage quality. Dr. Rick Grant shares the importance of measuring fiber digestibility, the latest guidelines for feeding forage, and leveraging the intake potential of grasses and legumes. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1.0 ARPAS

4 HEALTHY CALVES, HEALTHY PROFITS (presents ﬁrst two sessions only)

Lively, healthy, active calves thriving in all environments. It’s every calf feeder’s dream and it can be achieved with the perfect combination of feeding, management, disease prevention and performance monitoring. Dr. Daryl Nydam will discuss the impact of best feeding practices and environmental management on disease resistance and overall performance in your quest for healthy, proﬁtable calves. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1.0 ARPAS

5 PURPOSE, PASSION, PERFORMANCE: Lead Your Team Successfully

Why do you do what you do and what drives you to do it? These, among other questions, determine how well you perform and Tom Thibodeau will help address those questions in this session. Driven for a purpose, ﬁred by passion or otherwise motivated, learn how your purpose and passion affect your performance and leadership skills. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCA

6 CASH-IN: Strategies for Capital Success

There is no sugar coating it, tough times are here. These times may require a shift in management strategies to deal with margins that are more than a little tight. In this session, Dr. Allan Gray will examine and highlight eight key management strategies to help you to navigate the current economic situation and position yourself proﬁtably. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM 4:30 – 6:15 pm WISCONSIN-STYLE CHEESE RECEPTION Visit the Hall of Ideas & Equipment Show and enjoy a selection of award-winning cheeses and refreshments. 6:30 pm

DINNER & EVENING ENTERTAINMENT

YOU HAVE TO HEAR IT TO BELIEVE IT!

We’ve booked him for you – one of the hottest standup comic, magician and ventriloquist acts in the entertainment industry, Andy Gross. He performs over 150 shows a year at comedy clubs, Las Vegas, cruise ships, fortune 500 corporate events, colleges and performing arts theaters. He will leave you spellbound. Andy’s unique combination of stand-up comedy, magic and ventriloquism make him one of the most sought after corporate entertainers in the world. His voice throwing is amazing to hear and only a few people in the world have that skill. It is must hear to believe! Sit back, relax and enjoy the laughs. Until midnight

HOSPITALITY & REFRESHMENTS

#PDPWinspire

PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016 • Page 13

Thursday, March 17

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 8:00 am

Registration begins and Hall of Ideas & Equipment Show opens

9:30 –11:00 am BRUNCH Grab a bite to eat anytime in the Hall of Ideas & Equipment Show at your convenience. 8:30–9:45 am

MORNING SPECIALTY SESSIONS

Select one of six sessions. Each session runs for one hour (unless otherwise noted)

1 MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION: Buy or Lease

Having the acreage for forages and nutrient management is a challenge facing many farmers. When the opportunity arises to gain access to more acres of farmland, the decision to buy, lease or sell is crucial to farm sustainability. While adding acreage can boost the proﬁts of farm businesses, it can also jeopardize the ﬁnancial stability of an operation. Dr. Bruce Jones will present some key factors that farm operators must consider when contemplating farmland purchases or lease arrangements. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM

2 THE BEST OF THE BEST: Creating a Magnetic Work Environment

Attract the best, retain the best. That’s the motto that Trevina Broussard promotes for employee hiring and retention. In other words, instead of convincing people that your dairy is a great place to work, it is far easier to hire great employees who want to work for you. The best way to do that is to create a magnetic culture - an environment that keeps good employees while attracting more like them. This high-energy, high-impact presentation will teach you how to attract the best and repel the rest and how to engage, retain, and grow your top performers. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCA

3 RESULTS CAN BE DECEIVING: Proper Feed Analysis and Consistency

How do dairy farmers end up with some bad diets? Improper use of composition data is the culprit. Often, feeds appear to have changed based on a lab test, but in reality that change is the result of a sampling error. Dr. Bill Weiss will highlight proper sampling techniques and the use of this feed analysis data to steer clear of bad diets. Ultimately, less variability in feed composition values can increase consistency and reduce the risk of formulating bad diets. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1.25 ARPAS; 1 CM CCA

4 MILK QUALITY: The Answers Lie in the Bedding

Join one of the industry’s leading milk quality experts, Dr. Pam Ruegg, as she shares recent research on bedding types and bedding management. Learn how these two factors affect your bottom line through milk production, milk quality and udder health. Improving what lies in the bedding can increase performance and proﬁts. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM; 1.25 ARPAS

5 LOOKING INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL: Scenario Planning

You never know what tomorrow will bring. In a perfect world, you could make decisions about the future of your business by knowing what the future holds. But, the future, by deﬁnition is uncertain. How can you make well informed decisions when the future is unpredictable? In this session, Dr. Allan Gray will examine and demonstrate scenario planning to help frame the uncertainty you face as dairy producers. Considering the decisions you can make today will prepare you for whatever scenario the future may hold. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM

6 MAKING SENSE OF SENSORY SYSTEMS: Choosing the Right Fit

1:15 – 3:20 pm

Select two of ﬁve sessions. Each session runs for one hour and repeats

1 LEARNING FROM YOUR ON-FARM LAB: Outsmart The Bad Bugs

Effective mastitis treatment protocols can save money, reduce unnecessary antibiotic usage and improve treatment outcomes. The most effective treatments can only be applied when you know the type of bacteria causing the symptoms. Culturing milk is one way to properly target mastitis organisms. Join Dr. Pam Ruegg for an interactive session where you will learn how to set up an on-farm lab, how to interpret culture results and how to use the information to make better treatment decisions. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1.0 ARPAS

2 THE FIVE FIRSTS: A Fail-Proof Solution for New Hires

Starting a new employee comes with challenges: the training, the investment, the time. But starting that employee off on the right foot can reap rewards in employee morale, development and retention. In this session, Trevina Broussard will shed light on the five specific steps winning organizations use during a new hire’s first month to dramatically reduce employee turnover and create a highly engaged and motivated workforce. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1 PD CCA

3 FINDING THE PERFECT BALANCE: Mineral Supplementation

Healthy, high producing cows need the proper amounts of available minerals to reach their potential. However, ﬁnding that balance can be challenging as numerous factors inﬂuence the requirements of minerals and their availability. The need to mandate appropriate adjustments to NRC requirements due to this substantial uncertainty regarding mineral absorption by cows under different situations will be a topic for this session. Dr. Bill Weiss will also highlight problems associated with over supplementation of minerals. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM; 1.0 ARPAS

4 MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TALENT

Every dairyman has talented team members, but do you have the right talent in place to accomplish your business goals? Dr. Allan Gray will take a fresh look at strategic work force planning and help you hone the talents of your dairy team. Before leaving, you will be equipped with a set of tools to identify the critical competencies for your business to be successful. You will also go home with the ability to identify which positions within your business are most critical to that success. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM

5 FOR BETTER OR WORSE: Strategies for 2016 Milk and Feed Price Scenarios

Profit is all about managing margins. With so many tools available and scenarios to consider, what are the best strategies to manage income over feed costs? Dr. Mike Hutjens will address different scenarios for profitability in this session. Join him as he navigates through the upcoming year and explores the opportunity costs of incorporating more cost effective ration ingredients, without sacrificing herd production and performance. CEU: 1.2 UW-SVM 3:30–4:30 pm

In a presentation modeled after his best-selling book, Last Man Down, FDNY Chief Richard Picciotto offers a tribute to the lives that were lost on September 11, 2001. His recount is not one of death and destruction, it is a celebration of life and its unpredictable nature. Richard Picciotto offers an eyewitness account of the deﬁning historical event of our lives; his story is that of a man, a hero, and a tragic event that inspired a nation. Find inspiration for your life and your business at this special presentation. CEU: 0.9 UW-SVM

Precision dairy monitoring technologies present new opportunities for managing dairy cattle reproduction, health, and well-being. As the number of options available to the industry continue to grow, choosing the best option for your operation can be overwhelming. Dr. Jeffrey Bewley, moderator, and dairy farmers, Michael Johnson, Stacy Sidebottom and Sarah Johnsen, will offer evaluation criteria for investing in and using these technologies to session attendees. CEU: 2.4 UW-SVM; 2.0 ARPAS

KEYNOTE SESSION

CONNECTING WITH CONSUMERS: They Want To Know Their Products

It’s the consumers’ choice when it comes to how, where and when they spend their dining experience. As a restaurant, how do you increase your chance of being their top choice? Culvers and the National Restaurant Association understand this need and their food responsibility. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime chance to take a look inside the retail industry. Charlie Arnot, CEO of the Center for Food Integrity, will lead this panel featuring Craig Culver, Chief Executive Ofﬁcer of Culver Franchising Systems, Inc. and Annika Stensson from the National Restaurant Association. Learn ﬁrst-hand about how and why social responsibility policies have been implemented and what trends they see coming down the line. CEU: 1.5 UW-SVM

KEYNOTE SESSION

LAST MAN DOWN: A Fireman’s Story

(2-hour session, 8:30 am – 10:30 am)

11:00 am – 12:15 pm

AFTERNOON SPECIALITY SESSIONS

Select sessions of the 2016 Business Conference have been approved by the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine (UW-SVM) for Continuing Education Units. The UW-SVM is an accredited continuing veterinary medical education provider. Participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery. Select sessions of the 2016 PDPW Business Conference have been pre-approved by American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) for Continuing Education Units (CEUs). ARPAS is the organization which provides certification of animal scientists through examination, continuing education and commitment to a code of ethics. Participants should know that limitations and restrictions apply to the number of CEU credits that can be obtained. Select sessions at the 2016 PDPW Business Conference have been pre-approved by Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) for Continuing Education Credits (CEUs). The Certified Crop Adviser Program (CCA) is one of the professional certification programs offered by the American Society of Agronomy (ASA). See www. certifiedcropadvisor.org for more information.

A SINCERE THANK YOU TO OUR 2016 SPONSORS! MISSION SPONSORS

Badgerland Financial Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Land O’Lakes Landmark Services Cooperative MorganMyers Professional Dairy Producers Foundation Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Zinpro Performance Minerals

CORPORATE SPONSORS Agri-View Agstar Financial Services Alforex Seeds American Foods Group ANIMART Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition Atten Babler Commodities LLC Bayland Buildings

BMO Harris Bank BouMatic CP Feeds LLC Dairyland Seed Co., Inc. DeWitt Ross & Stevens Diamond V DuPont Pioneer Elanco Animal Health FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative

Focus on Energy Foremost Farms USA GEA Farm Technologies, Inc. Greenstone Farm Credit Services Investors Community Bank Merck Animal Health Progressive Dairyman Quality Liquid Feeds, Inc. Roto-Mix

Rural Mutual Insurance Company Twohig Rietbrock Schneider & Halbach, S.C. USAgNet LLC Van Beek Natural Science Westway Feed Products Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association Zoetis

Page 14 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

Learning Lounges 3 STAGES. HELD IN THE HALL OF IDEAS AND EQUIPMENT SHOW

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 10:30 - 11:00 am

GREEN LOUNGE MANAGING AUTOMATED CALF FEEDERS Jim Salfer Review on-farm research from the upper Midwest that highlights the best management and housing practices that are keys to keeping calves healthy in automatic calf feeding environments. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM: 0.5 ARPAS

BLUE LOUNGE

RED LOUNGE

SAFETY FIRST FOR FARM FAMILIES John Quirk and Laura Daniels How safe is your farm? Review a farm safety evaluation form and the various resources available for families to use as guides for age appropriate tasks for children on the farm.

SHOWING BADGER ATHLETES THE WHEY TO SUCCESS Kimberlee “KJ” Burrington Learn how dairy checkoff dollars are supporting the development of new dairy protein products targeted for athletics. CDR worked closely with the UW Athletic department to develop dairy protein enhanced beverages, snacks and puddings that meet the NCAA student athlete requirements.

CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

12:45 - 1:15 pm

MAXIMIZING ROI ON ROBOTIC MILKING Jim Salfer Explore the economics of installing robotic milking systems on your farm. Understand how wage inﬂation will affect the annual profitability of robots and the keys to making these systems proﬁtable. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

1:30 - 2:00 pm

FROM TRASH TO TREASURE Dean Sommer The exponential growth in Greek yogurt has produced over 8 billion pounds of the waste byproduct, acid whey. Learn how dairy farm checkoff dollars, through the CDR, are investing in new technology for this waste product. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

AVOID SEEING NEGATIVE PPDS Dr. Mark Stephenson Negative PPDs appear on milk checks for different reasons—one of them good, and two not so good. Get educated on the Producer Price Differential and what causes negative values. Also learn about options that you could support to avoid negative PPDs in the future. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

HEALTHY MINDS FOR HEALTHY FARMS Patricia Faber Farmers and their families experience situations that challenge mental health. With over twenty years of experience providing mental health treatment, Faber will describe the most common mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, relationship problems, etc.) and explore resources to help. Bring your questions. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

THURSDAY, MARCH 17 10:00 - 10:30 am

DAIRY FARMING GERMAN STYLE Jan Heusmann Hear ﬁrst-hand from German dairy producer Jan Heusmann as he describes his farm set-up and dayto-day operation. He also shares his approach to labor, market and environmental issues in the EU. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAWS Attorney Steve DiTullio Understand the most signiﬁcant federal, state and local laws involving employment discrimination. Learn about the agency and court processes involved in such claims, the remedies facing employers, and potential harassment and retaliation claims that fall under these laws.

FSA FARM LOANS – HERE TO HELP Jolene Lewke If you are looking to start farming on your own, the USDA-Farm Service Agency provides low interest loans to help you move closer to accomplishing your dream of working in production agriculture. Learn about the different types of loans available, discuss the eligibility criteria, and investigate application requirements. GET “CONNECTED” WITH FSA RESOURCES Kim Iczkowski Doing business has changed over the past 20 years and continues to trend more toward online resources. Bring your laptop, tablet, or smart phone and get connected with a Level 2 E-auth account during this workshop. Also, receive a brief review of current FSA programs available. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

POLLUTION EXCLUSION IN WISCONSIN Ariella Schreiber Discover how Wisconsin courts interpret pollution exclusion in insurance policies, how that interpretation affects your farm and how you can preemptively protect your business from liability. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

12:30 - 1:00 pm

DAIRY FARMING À LA FRANCE Thibaut Cordel Discover the parallels and differences of French dairy farming. Listen to Thibaut Cordel as he discusses his take on labor, market and environmental issues in France and the EU. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

LIMITING LIABILITY RISK FOR EMPLOYERS Attorney Steve DiTullio Take home practical information that assists in limiting your liability risk as an employer. Learn the keys to good documentation, practical tips on conducting an internal employment investigation, and how employee handbooks and training sessions help limit liability risks. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS: THE REWRITE Dennis Frame and Joe Bragger Learn what new guidelines have been added to 590 Nutrient Management Standards. Find out how these changes can impact application to your ﬁelds and your farm’s overall nutrient management planning. CEU: 0.6 UW-SVM

PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016 • Page 15

OFFICIAL BALLOT:

Election of PDPW Board of Directors PDPW bylaws allow one vote per dairy farm membership. Since the PDPW Board of Directors has three available positions, each PDPW dairy producer member can vote for up to three individuals. If you have questions about the process, candidates or your ballot, please call PDPW at 800-947-7379.

PDPW Board of Director Candidates: Mitch Breunig (incumbent) owns and operates Mystic Valley Dairy, LLC, near Sauk City, Wis. with his Mother, Jeannette. The farm is home to 420 cows, crops 920 acres and have a rolling herd average of 32,000 pounds of milk with 1,272 pounds of fat and 988 of protein per cow. Along with managing eight employees, overseeing the breeding and health care of the herd and analyzing the finances, Mitch is instrumental in marketing the farm’s genetics and milk. Mystic Valley Dairy focuses on breeding high type cattle with longevity and profitable production and their prefix Jenny-Lou is recognized worldwide for breeding the A.I. sire Toystory, the world’s only sire to sell 2 million units of semen. He and his wife, Jacquie have two daughters, Allison and Lauren, and a son, Brayden. Brian Forrest (incumbent) lives in Stratford, Wis. with his son, Lucas. Following graduation from UW-River Falls, he worked on his

father’s farm, took ownership and developed it into a 140-cow dairy. In 2010, former PDPW board member and co-owner of Maple Ridge Dairy, Gary Ruegsegger approached Brian about merging their farms. After working through a successful transition, Brian ofﬁcially entered into a partnership with Ken Hein at Maple Ridge Dairy. Today, they manage 28 full-time and 6 part-time employees and Brian oversees dairy operations as well as the majority of the employee administrative duties. He also serves on the Marathon County DHIA Board

Marty Hallock (incumbent) of Mondovi, Wis., is a ﬁrst generation dairy producer, whose farm began with 40 cows in 1990. Today

Mar-Bec Dairy, owned with his wife, Becky, and two sons, Jonathon and Josh, has grown to 880 cows, 700 heifers and 200 heifers raised off farm. A graduate of UW-River Falls, Marty works their 2000 owned and rented acres to produce the corn and alfalfa for the dairy. Marty’s son, Jonathon, is proud to be the next generation of Mar-Bec Dairy and will be joining the operation as a partner. Marty has been a member of the local school board for 18 years and served on the Ellsworth Creamery Board for 11 years, with 9 of those years being vice chair. Mar-Bec Dairy also hosted the county Dairy Breakfast this past year.

Mike Meyer and his father formed a partnership on his family dairy operation in Loyal, Wis. in 2000. Since then, the dairy has grown from 400 to 1,350 cows and seen the addition of a heifer facility to house all young stock on the farm and a sand and manure solids separation facility. Mike’s wife, Tracy, is also involved in the farm, as she handles fresh cow care and ovsynch injections. They have ﬁve sons Tyler, Levi, Lane, Darin and Justin. Mike is also a lieutenant at their local ﬁre department, and an EMT on the ambulance service, where he serves as the ambulance chief.

Paul Lippert of Pittsville, Wis. is the Herdsman and Human Resources Manager at Grass Ridge Farm, LLC, which he owns and operates with his father, Matt, and brother, Carl. Grass Ridge Farm milks 550 registered Holsteins and Jerseys and raises 500 young stock. Paul graduated from UW- River Falls in 2011 where he was President of the dairy club and a member of the judging team. He was also a part of the Dairy Challenge team that took Platinum in 2011 contest. Along with being active on the farm, Paul is the secretary of the Wood County Area Holstein Breeders.

Brian Brown is a long time member of PDPW and he, along with his wife, Yogi, son, Cory, and father, Jerry, own and operate SunBurst Dairy Inc. in Belleville, Wis. SunBurst Dairy, Inc. expanded several times in the 1990s and has grown to the current herd size of 500 Holsteins. The Browns have enjoyed hosting various events including the Dane County Dairy Breakfast on the Farm, international tours focused on genetics and farm management and the PDPW 100# dairy facilities tour, PDPW Hispanic training seminars and ACE meetings. Brian’s passion for the dairy industry also shows through his past involvement in the Green County DHIA, Union Coop and the Accelerated Genetics board of directors. Currently, he serves on the Agricultural Committee to the Sugar River Watershed board

Our Mission:

To share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.

2015-2016 Board of Directors Mitch Breunig, President - Mystic Valley Dairy LLC, Sauk City, Wis. Ph: 608.643.6818 • Email: mysticvalley@wildblue.net

Jeremy Natzke, Director - Wayside Dairy LLC, Greenleaf, Wis. Ph: 920.371.1968 • Email: jknatzke@yahoo.com

Marty Hallock, Vice President - Mar-Bec Dairy, Mondovi, Wis. Ph: 715.495.2812 • Email: marbec@nelson-tel.net

Dan Scheider, Director - Scheidairy Farms, Inc., Freeport, Ill. Ph: 815.821.4012 • Email: dnscheider@gmail.com

Kay Zwald, Secretary - Bomaz Farms, Hammond, Wis. Ph: 715.796.5510 • Email: rfkz@centurytel.net

Linda White, Director - Kinnamon Ridge Dairy LLC, Reedsburg, Wis. Ph: 608.393.3985 • Email: linda@krdairy.com

Charlie Crave, Treasurer - Crave Brothers Farm, LLC., Waterloo, Wis. Ph: 920.478.3812 • Email: charles@cravecheese.com Brian Forrest, Director - Maple Ridge Dairy Business LLC., Stratford, Wis. Ph: 715.650.0267 • Email: bforrest70@gmail.com Jay Heeg, Director - Heeg Bros. Dairy, LLC, Colby, Wis. Ph: 715.507.0030 • Email: jcheeg@yahoo.com

Dr. Richard L. Wallace, Advisor - Zoetis, McFarland, Wis. Ph: 217.649.3177 • Email: richard.l.wallace@zoetis.com Dr. Steve Kelm, Advisor - UW-River Falls, River Falls, Wis. Ph: 715.760.0321 • Email: steven.kelm@uwrf.edu Steve Schwoerer, Advisor - Badgerland Financial, Fond du Lac, Wis. Ph: 920.948.0818 • Email: steve.schwoerer@badgerlandﬁnancial.com

Page 16 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

Page 18 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

What makes PDPW Business Conference stand out?

“PDPW has been a very positive organization.” Tim, Sandy and Mark Keller Kellercrest Registered Holsteins, Inc. Mount Horeb, Wis.; Dane County 330 cows

How many times have you attended the PDPW Business Conference? We have attended about a dozen conferences over the past 15 years. We have not made all of them, but we try to make a point to attend as many as possible. Why do you feel it’s important that you attend? In general, PDPW has very good speakers and panels of active dairy producers. They have good opportunities to learn new ideas to bring home and improve our own operation. What do you enjoy most about the conference? We enjoy the Hall of Ideas and getting the opportunity to talk with some of the companies and people we do business with or are looking to start new relationships with new companies. What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy industry and why? In the past we have tried to listen to topics on cow comfort and nding new ways to improve our own farm. Now, it seems we need to be on top of animal welfare topics as well. What has been the best presentation or seminar you have attended at the conference? I can’t name just one speaker or topic for our favorite. There have been so many good speakers and topics. What makes the PDPW conference stand out from other conferences? Generally, PDPW has been a very positive organization. Things aren’t good at times, but this is what we need to do and go forward. Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy this year. Kellercrest Registered Holsteins, Inc. is a 330-cow, Holstein herd with a 32,000-pound RHA. We promote very high cow comfort and animal care. We strive for the best genetics we can work with and try to sell very clean healthy milk for consumers. Recently, we have given a number of farm tours for the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, World Wide Sires and other groups to help educate our consumers of where and how milk is produced. This year, we will continue the education aspect of what we do, but for the most part with the economics of the dairy industry, we will be in survival mode.

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Page 20 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

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PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016 • Page 21

Uncovering nancial planning secrets for dairying Purdue University professor to highlight strategies BY CASSIE OLSON Staﬀ writer

Dairy farming’s landscape is in a constant state of change: uctuating markets, unforeseen weather conditions and day-to-day challenges are just a few of its driving factors. During the 2016 PDPW Business Conference on March 16-17, Purdue University Agricultural Economics professor, Dr. Allan Gray, will present four breakout sessions highlighting ways to combat dairy’s nancial battles.

Dr. Allan Gray Purdue University

Wise Investments Finance Your Future: Strategic asset investment Presenting on March 16, Gray will help producers analyze the investments they make for their dairy. In his seven-step process, Gray will help producers analyze cash ow and leave them with the tools necessary to guide them through the analysis of a big

dairy investment. Gray said understanding the differences between protability and cash ow is something farmers can expect to take away from the discussion. “There is a difference between the protability of the investment and the cash ow feasibility,” Gray said. “Separate those two analyses and determine if it is profitable, rst, and if it is, determine if there is an opportunity for cash ow.” While it may sound easy, it is not always something producers are aware they are misunderstanding. “You could invest in assets that are not very profitable because you have sweetheart nancing,” Gray said. “Look for creative ways to invest it if you would like to cash ow it.” CASH-IN: Strategies for capital success Drivers of change in global and local markets will be the topic of conversation in Gray’s Wednesday afternoon breakout session. This workshop will examine what producers can expect during market downturns in the coming years and ways they can weather the downturns effectively. “We will talk a little bit about the reset of global dynamics, particularly how it relates to shifts in demand from population to income, and how income has become a major driving factor for growth and production of agricultural products,” Gray said. This, Gray said, has created a greater volatility in dairy markets. “We have more ups and downs, but we end up with more volatility in the markets because income is a more important driver of demand,” Gray said.

Looking into the Crystal Ball: scenario planning Gray returns on Thursday, carrying over lessons learned in the previous session and providing producers with ways they can create discipline in decision planning while they face a great deal of uncertainty. Those in attendance will use a scenario planning process to identify strategic uncertainties and what key strategies are to combat them. “[Attendees] will work in groups to develop a scenario matrix, by identifying two critical uncertainties the industry faces and thinking about what the world will look like in that two-variable matrix,” Gray said. “They will imagine what position might we take in our operations to help us manage each of those worlds.” Gray plans to leave those in attendance with a sense of strategic managerial exibility. “The key takeaway is strategic managerial exibility,” Gray said. “How can we create options on our decision planning so we have the right, but not the obligation, to move in a particular direction as uncertainty clears up? Have we set ourselves up with the right options to move towards that light?”

Making the most of your talent Gray’s nal session will take place on Thursday afternoon. “Making the most of your talent” will help producers identify the talents within the operating workforce of their farm and how they can capitalize on talents to improve their dairy management. “It is really about the idea of talent management,” Gray said. “Producers aren’t often thinking about workforce planning, here we will gain an appreciation for how to look at the critical positions in the dairy business and the talent that is required to carry out those positions.” Producers will identify critical competencies, which Gray said can have a great impact on a farm’s success.

“[Attendees] will learn to think about what it means to have critical competencies – what are they and how do they impact the business,” Gray said. “They will learn to take those competencies and tie them to specic positions. Furthermore, they will learn to identify those skills in their people to ll the positions.” More about Dr. Allan Gray Dr. Allan Gray has served as the Director of the Center for Food and Agricultural Business at Purdue University for 17 years. As a professor in both graduate and undergraduate programs of agricultural economics, Gray’s focus has been on strategic management of agribusiness rms all across the industry and basic raw ingredients to food companies.

Page 22 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

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Working with Wisconsin farmers to identify the water quality impacts of different farming systems statewide is the mission of the UW Discovery Farms. Producers attending the 2016 PDPW Business Conference in Madison, Wis., on Wednesday, March 16 will have the opportunity to learn more about cover crops from UW Discovery Farms during the afternoon breakout session “Crops Under Cover: Getting the most bang for Amber Radatz your buck.” UW Discovery Farms The session will be presented by Discovery Farms Program founder, Dennis Frame, and Amber Radatz, co-director of the program. Radatz, who works with farmer education and outreach, said the program will be an open discussion for producers to participate in. “Dennis and I are going to talk to the group about what their experience with cover crop use is already,” Radatz said. “We will share what research says about where the opportunities are to use cover crops on their farms, and talk about how to have the most successful experience possible when trying them out.” Cover crops have been an important conversation for a matter of time. For that reason, Radatz said it is important to determine where cover crops t into their crop rotation and whether there are possible alternatives to using cover crops for their farms. “Everyone talks about them because they are so popular and so hot right now. There might be other alternatives available in terms of erosion prevention, so we will also discuss what some of those options might be,” Radatz said. The program will continue with a discussion on choosing the right cover crop variety or mix. Radatz hopes the discussion will provide those in attendance with some valuable input on what types of cover crops have

been benecial to the farmers of UW Discovery Farms. “We will discuss the different varieties of cover crops. We will cover some that have worked well for farmers, different mixes of seeds that are popular at the moment and what different varieties are good for,” Radatz said. UW Discovery Farms is committed to working with dairy farms to educate and understand how agricultural systems can protect water quality. Radatz said it is important to take the opportunity to learn more about agriculture’s effects on water quality if farms expect to prosper in the coming years. “Agriculture is such a large part of the landscape in Wisconsin. [Water] is a shared resource that is in all of our best interests to protect. Agriculture has a lot of control on what impacts our water quality,” Radatz said. Radatz said she is hopeful that those who attend the session will leave with a greater knowledge of conservation practices and how they can create solutions for their individual farms. “I hope that farmers are able to take away bits and pieces about how they can adapt their situations to improve upon water quality,” Radatz said. “It is my hope that they are able to go back and see things with a new set of eyes as far as how they approach eld management and water quality.” Radatz grew up on a dairy farm in Trempealeau County before attending UW-Madison where she received her degrees in soil science. Getting her start as an intern for Discovery Farms, she said she was intrigued by the opportunity it gave her to reach out to farmers. In her role as a co-director, Radatz utilizes data collected on UW Discovery Farms and makes suggestions for farmers statewide. “I got really interested in being able to walk this middle road; to work with farmers and serve them as a resource in this area,” Radatz said. “Now as a codirector, I work with others to explain how changes can affect farmers and help to drive positive change to improve water quality.” Radatz hopes their session will spark a conversation about water quality amongst farmers statewide. “We hope that farmers leave with concrete tips and management practices,” Radatz said. “The best way to get that is by talking to other farmers who have [implemented them] and by bringing those experiences together.”

Why do you attend the PDPW Business Conference?

PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016 • Page 23

“For the educational value and the chance to network.”

COMFORTBRUSH™ FOR CALVES Enriching calf development

Mike Meyer Loyal, Wis.; Clark County 1,400 cows

How many times have you attended the PDPW Business Conference? About four to ve times. Why do you feel it’s important that you attend? For the educational value and the chance to network with producers who have a positive attitude towards dairy business which I think is very contagious and energizing. What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy industry and why? I am interested in learning everything I can about our industry. I think it is important to keep up on all aspects of our dairy operation.

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What has been the best presentation or seminar you have attended at the conference? I can’t really point out one in particular. There have been so many that have been very valuable and interesting. What makes the PDPW conference stand out from other conferences? The wide range of cutting edge educational topics, combined with the opportunity to network with a diverse group of positive thinking dairy producers. Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy this year. We milk 1,400 cows and raise our youngstock on our site. We crop about

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1,200 acres and purchase the remainder of our forage from local growers. Our target for the year is to slightly grow the herd while focusing on improving milk production and quality. Our main areas of focus will be hoof health, recycled sand quality, reproductive efciency and improving respiratory health in our calves.

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Page 24 • PDPW Special Edition • Saturday, February 27, 2016

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