The Center for Dairy Excellence Is Offering a $100 Discount to PA Dairy Producers
The United States has the second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world, and 80 percent of the agricultural workforce in the U.S. speaks Spanish. To assist dairy farm families in enhancing communication and building rapport with Hispanic employees, the Center for Dairy Excellence is offering another round of $100 discounts to Pennsylvania dairy producers who sign up for the “Farm Spanish Basics” online course this spring.
The eight-week Spanish course is being held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from April 13 – June 3, 2021. The course is available in both beginner and intermediate levels, and it is led by lifelong dairy farmer Katie Dotterer-Pyle. Pennsylvania producers who sign up will receive $100 off the cost of registration and access to 16 online, interactive classes.
“The biggest reason I’ve created these courses is to help the dairy industry not only bridge the communication gap within our industry but also build rapport and respect at the same time,” said Katie Dotterer-Pyle, the course leader and dairy farmer. “Respect is a two-way street, and learning even just a little bit of another culture and language shows that you value a person as an individual and not just part of the workforce. This course will help you build rapport and positive relationships with others, enhance communication within teams and the dairy industry, and have fun while building your language skills.”
The “Farm Spanish Basics” course is held online with live classes that are recorded for dairy farmers to watch at their convenience. The 16 classes span over a total of eight weeks and include two, one-hour classes per week. Classes are interactive with in-class work and participation as well as homework for reinforcement of the material. The course will begin with Spanish basics and expand to include specific dairy vocabulary that will help farmers better communicate with employees.
“I took Katie’s Spanish 101 class last year along with four of my farm’s team members. We all had varying levels of Spanish comprehension going into the class. I would strongly encourage any person planning to work on a larger dairy farm or currently working on a dairy farm with native Spanish-speaking staff to take Katie’s class,” said Walt Moore, Dairy Farm Owner, West Grove, Pa. “She tailors the class to help you understand the basics of the language and specific vocabulary centered around dairy farms that we use every day. Her format and passion for teaching Spanish and making connections to dairy farming is infectious. During the live part, she encourages participation and questions which makes the learning experience even better.”
Learn more about the course:
- When: April 13 – June 3, 2021
- Live Class Time: Beginner’s Course: 4:30- 5:30 p.m. EST on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April 13 – June 3, 2021
Intermediate Course: 6-7 p.m. EST on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April 13 – June 3, 2021
- Cost: Beginner’s Course: $250 for PA dairy producers, which includes a $100 discount from the Center for Dairy Excellence
Intermediate Course: $300 for PA dairy producers, which includes a $100 discount from the Center for Dairy Excellence
- How to Sign Up: Pennsylvania dairy producers should visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/spanish-basics to sign up and receive the discount. You will receive details on how to access the course after registering.
For dairy producers outside of Pennsylvania, visit www.cowcomfortinndairy.com/8-week-spanish-course-information to register for the course.
Katie Dotterer-Pyle is a lifelong dairy farmer who received her bachelor’s degree in secondary education, Spanish. She worked as a Spanish teacher in middle and high school for 4+ years, and has worked to develop curriculum and instructed online courses for the dairy industry for two years. She is certified in ESL- English as a Second Language and received the 2008 Employer of the Year (Dotterer Dairy) from The PA Department of Education Migrant Education Program.
Visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/spanish-basics to learn more about the discount and the course, or call 717-346-0849 for more details.