Registration is Still Open for the Dairy Summit on February 5-6, 2020
There’s still time to register for the 2020 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit, taking place on February 5-6, 2020 at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College, Pa. The event promises to reignite dairy producers’ commitment to dairy by exploring key issues affecting their day-to-day operations and discovering new strategies to take their business to the next level. Walk-ins are welcome, but dairy professionals can register in advance at padairysummit.org/register.
“This year’s speakers plan to reignite dairy professionals by broadening their perspectives and helping them think outside the box in a changing industry,” said Caroline Zimmerman, the 2020 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit chair and a dairy farmer from Blair County. “From animal agriculture and climate change to a dairy business showcase highlighting sustainability and state-of-the-art processing, the topics are highly relevant to current issues we’re seeing across the industry.”
The Dairy Summit will offer a variety of engaging, interactive sessions, including:
- 4 nationally recognized keynote speakers
- 12 in-depth breakout sessions
- 5 hands-on, interactive mini learning sessions
- Opportunities to earn continuing education credits
- Time to visit with exhibitors and sponsors
- Networking opportunities and receptions
“In addition to professional development and knowledge-sharing, we’re collaborating with the Penn State Extension Dairy Team and the University of Pennsylvania to offer exciting, hands-on labs and mini learning sessions,” said Zimmerman. “These sessions will help take what attendees are learning in the keynote and breakout sessions to the next level.”
The following educational mini learning sessions will be offered to attendees during the two-day event.
- Can You Taste the Difference? – Consumers have a wide range of choices when they’re browsing the dairy case in today’s marketplace. From whole versus 2 percent conventional milk to grass-fed, organic and ultra-filtered options, the options are endless. Attendees will challenge their palate, distinguish between various beverage choices, and identify their favorite type of milk.
- Strategies for Dry Cow Management – Attendees who are looking for new strategies for dry cow management will discuss a range of housing options and nutrition strategies that impact profitability. They will learn about various construction and nutrition companies and how they can influence dry cow management strategies.
- Managing the Margin: Optimizing Milk Income and Feed Costs – High-profit farms don’t always have the highest milk production or the lowest feed costs. What they do best is getting the most milk for the feed cost expended. Attendees will discuss the Dairy Herd Information Association (DHIA) 202 sheet and share the data relevant to milk production, components, and ultimately, milk income.
- Making Smarter Decisions: Evaluating Products for Your Dairy – When calculating return on investment, it’s important to understand the scope of your products and determine whether they are positively influencing your profits. This session will demonstrate the key aspects of product use, including feed additives and crop inoculants, to help producers make responsible decisions about the products they use.
- Exploring Dairy Cattle Reproduction – This session will feature a wet-lab intended to demonstrate the main anatomical and physiological concepts of the female reproductive tract in dairy cattle. Attendees will learn about the key features and uses of transrectal ultrasound and have the opportunity to identify reproductive tract structures in cow specimens and perform an ultrasound of a gravid uterus.
Dairy producers and farm employees who register for the 2020 Dairy Conference will receive discounted registration rates. Registration is discounted to $75 for the first producer who registers and $50 for each additional person from the farm. Registration is $25 for producers who want to attend only one day of the conference.
Visit padairysummit.org to register today and view full program details, including continuing education opportunities and full breakout descriptions.
Contact the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit Business Office with questions at 814-355-2467 or email info@padairysummit.org.