Business Planning Tools

To help dairy farms create business plans to improve profitability and efficiency, the Center has the following resources available:

Business Planning Webinar with Zach Myers and Phil Taylor — Learn the keys to a successful business plan, what elements to include, and the importance of working with advisors.

Business Planning Podcast with Jason Frye — Listen as Jason Frye of Pleasant Lane Farms in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania discusses how a simple business plan helped his family transform their 40-cow dairy operation, enter the value-added space, and begin making cheese. Hosted by Jayne Sebright, Executive Director at the Center, the podcast features an in-depth conversation with Frye and shares his firsthand experience developing a business plan and entering the value-added market.

Additional Business Planning Resources

Partners of the Center for Dairy Excellence offer additional business tools that Pennsylvania dairy farms can use to improve profitability and productivity. Click on the links below to learn more about the resources available.

Penn State Cooperative Extension Dairy Team has worksheets and tools available to help farms calculate cost of production, milk margins and income over feed costs. They also offer cash flow planning tools and a resource to identify bottlenecks on the farm. Click here to meet the Extension team.

The Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) is a membership organization that brings producers together to learn and grow professionally. Being involved in PDMP offers producers the opportunity to keep informed on the issues, tour innovative dairy facilities, learn new ways of doing business, and influence the direction of the Pennsylvania dairy industry.

PA Grows provides a pathway to valuable resources such as PAgrows, Crop Insurance through Risk Management, and the Center for Farm Transition.  You can also find local services and assistance through the “Find a Service Provider” function and get information on on federal, state, and local loan and grant programs.

AgBiz Masters and AgBiz Professionals are programs developed by AgChoice Farm Credit and partners to offer young and more experienced producers with a blended learning opportunity to gain more expertise in managing their business. Both programs offer on-demand, eLearning modules and activities, coupled with face-to-face regional seminars led by leading experts.

To view the presentation that Center for Dairy Excellence Board Member Tim Kurtz gave at the recent Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin meeting, click here.

Need Additional Help? Call the Center for Dairy Excellence and we can help you find the resources you’re looking for. Call us at 717-346-0849 or email info@centerfordairyexcellence.org.