The First Webinar Will Be a Roundtable Discussion Between Dairy Producers and Processors
The Center for Dairy Excellence will kick off a bi-monthly webinar series for dairy processors starting in September. The first free webinar, titled “Linking Up: Producer Roundtable Discussion,” will be held on September 17, 2024 from 1-2 p.m. To encourage open dialogue and discussion, the webinar will be a roundtable discussion between dairy processors and dairy producers focused on connecting different links in the dairy supply chain.
“To help spur discussion, collaboration and innovation across the dairy supply chain, we’re starting this webinar series to give dairy processors an open forum for collaboration and candid conversation,” said LeeAnn McLaughlin, Dairy Policy and Industry Relations Manager at the Center for Dairy Excellence. “This first webinar on September 17 will be a great launching pad for this series by giving processors and producers a way to share their perspectives on their individual roles in the dairy supply chain.”
During the roundtable discussion, both groups will be able to share their perspective on:
- One thing about their role in the supply chain that other links in the supply chain don’t realize about their business model
- Their “why” – what motivates them every day and how they got involved in the dairy industry
- The biggest challenge for their link in the dairy supply chain
- Their genie-in-a-bottle wish for Pennsylvania’s dairy industry
- And more
Dairy processors will be able to talk directly with three PA dairy producers about bottlenecks, pain points, similarities and differences between business models, and ultimately, how each group can work together to drive Pennsylvania dairy forward. Processors who join the webinar will hear from Caroline Zimmerman (Dry Creek Farm, Blair County), Katie Sattazahn (Zahncroft Dairy, Berks County) and Abbie Evans (A Joy Swiss, Susquehanna County). LeeAnn McLaughlin from the Center for Dairy Excellence will facilitate the roundtable discussion.
“The Pennsylvania Association of Milk Dealers (PAMD) is excited to participate in the upcoming dairy processor webinar series hosted by the Center for Dairy Excellence. We are grateful to the Center for putting this together, and our processor members look forward to collaborating and exploring commonalities across the dairy supply chain. This webinar series is a great way to have these shared conversations,” said Rob Fulton, Executive Director at the Pennsylvania Association of Milk Dealers.
To sign up for the free webinar and roundtable discussion on September 17, visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/processor-webinar or call the Center at 717-346-0849. The Dairy Processor Webinars will take place every other month. The upcoming webinar dates and topics include:
- November 19, 2024: Quality Control with Cornell Innovation Lab
- January 21, 2025: Discussion on Milk Marketing Orders
- March 18, 2025: Q&A with the PA Department of Agriculture
- May 20, 2025: Producer Perspective
- July 15, 2025: TBD
For questions about the Dairy Processor Webinar Series, contact LeeAnn McLaughlin at lmclaughlin@centerfordairyexcellence.org or call 717-636-3489 with questions.