The Center Is Offering a $100 Discount to Dairy Producers Who Enroll in Fall Course
To assist dairy farm families in improving communication, safety and productivity, while building respect and positive relationships with Spanish-speaking employees, the Center for Dairy Excellence is once again offering $100 discounts to dairy producers who sign up for the “Spanish for Agriculture” (Dairy Beginners or Intermediate) online course with Katie Dotterer of AgvoKate this fall. The course is being held from September 24 through November 14, 2024. Individuals who sign up will have 24/7 access to all course content through December 28.
Dairy producers will receive $100 off the cost of registration and access to 16 online, interactive classes along with all the resources the instructor provides. The $100 discount is available for both the Beginners and Intermediate course. Producers must sign up by September 20 to receive the discount.
“I teach these courses the way I wish someone would have taught me: with simple explanations and fun ways to learn a second language quickly. Working with native Spanish speakers for 20+ years allowed me to create this specific curriculum that’s applicable to daily farm life,” said Katie Dotterer. “Students get so excited when they’re putting applicable sentences together by week three. My passion is agriculture and education, and I’m here for my students every step of the way. The best compliment I receive from my students is the gained respect from native Spanish speakers that then develops positive relationships and enhances communication, safety and efficiency on the farm.”
Led by Katie Dotterer of AgvoKate, a lifelong dairy farmer and former Spanish teacher, the online Spanish course will be held live on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from September 24 through November 14, 2024 from 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. for the Beginners course. All Beginners classes are recorded and readily accessible to accommodate dairy producers’ schedules.
The Intermediate course will be held live from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Just like the Beginners course, all classes will be recorded and available on-demand with password-protected access through December 28. Individuals can save and download all resources, with the exception of videos, to utilize after the conclusion of the course. Resources include digital flashcards, comprehensive vocabulary lists, and resource links.
“I loved getting back into the Spanish language. For any dairy that works with Spanish-speaking personnel and are sweating the communication gap, this course will help alleviate the stress of communication. Learning the proper terms of all things dairy around the farm has been a great benefit to communicating with our Spanish-speaking employees,” said Pamela Barnes of Maple Knoll Farm in Pennsylvania.
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 begins with Spanish basics and expands to include specific dairy vocabulary that will help farmers better communicate with employees.
“After working with Spanish speakers for years and trying to learn on my own, I was pointed to this class. The class is so thorough; it greatly exceeded my expectations and now I can understand and communicate much better,” said Michelle S., a dairy farmer.
Learn more about the course:
- When: September 24 – November 14, 2024. (Individuals will have 24/7 access to all course content through December 28).
- Class Time: Spanish for Dairy/Ag Beginners Course will be LIVE and recorded as well. Live classes will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. EST.
Spanish for Agriculture Dairy/Ag Intermediate Course will be LIVE and recorded as well. Live classes will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m. EST.
- Cost: The course is $597 per person, which includes a $100 discount from the Center for Dairy Excellence for dairy producers. The course is designed to track individual progress, not a couple or family. For those who sign up by September 6, Katie is offering her HR Onboarding Script for free. This comprehensive 10-page document can help streamline the new hire process and guides Spanish-speaking employees through essential paperwork (W-4, I-9, Emergency Contact, Direct Deposit) with clear instructions. It includes cultural insights and key HR phrases to build trust and minimize misunderstandings.
- How to Sign Up: Dairy producers should visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/spanish-discount to sign up and receive the discount. You will receive details on how to access the course after registering.
Katie Dotterer is a lifelong dairy farmer who received degrees in business management, and 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 six years and over 700 students nationwide. She has worked with native Spanish speakers for 16+ years. Katie also studied abroad in Panama and Mexico, and she is certified in ESL- English as a Second Language. She received the 2008 Employer of the Year (Dotterer Dairy) from The PA Department of Education Migrant Education Program.
Visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/spanish-discount to learn more about the discount and the course, or call 717-346-0849 for more details. Sign up no later than September 20, 2024 to receive the discount.
Visit www.agvokate.com/new-online-spanish-course-1 to learn more about the course.