Dairy Strong celebrates second successful year

Dairy Strong celebrates second successful year

Madison, Wis. (Jan. 19, 2016) — Sustainability. Growth opportunities. Connecting with customers. Building trust. Investing in the future.

The nearly 600 dairy farmers and agribusiness representatives who attended Dairy Strong 2016: Partners in Progress left the three-day conference with insights, advice and inspiration that ran the gamut of dairy community issues.

“We’re looking at matters that farmers and those in the ag industry are concerned about and providing them with vital information so they can do their jobs better,” said Tim Trotter, executive director of the Dairy Business Association, which hosted the second annual event at the Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center.

Participants from Wisconsin, 17 other states and three other countries joined together for educational seminars, panel discussions, a trade show, expert presentations, networking and entertainment.

“There’s tremendous growth opportunity in agriculture, and Wisconsin is now among the top 10 ag exporting states,” Gov. Scott Walker told attendees. “We hope to continue to grow that more, but to do it we need to get more people involved in and working in agriculture.”

Walker said he realizes that water is an important issue for farmers and other residents, and he pledged to find solutions that help agriculture grow while also keeping water supplies abundant and safe.

“We need to make sure there’s enough water for farmers to do what they need to while also making sure we have enough for all of us to continue to enjoy such a valuable natural resource,” he said.

Customer perspective

Two speakers shared insights about public perceptions of dairy farming and dairy foods, and implored farmers to use social media to spread information about what they do.

Jude Capper Capper, a livestock sustainability expert based in the United Kingdom, said farmers need to cut through the negative stereotypes and get out the word about their sustainable practices.

“Every dairy production system can be sustainable. Sustainable doesn’t only mean natural, organic or pasture-fed. Sustainable means producing safe, affordable dairy products and caring for our animals and land,” Capper said.

The dairy community faces an uphill battle as activists working against livestock agriculture use disturbing images implying that farmers don’t care about their animals or that drinking milk is dangerous, she said.

Jonathan Perelman, a former executive for Internet companies BuzzFeed and Google, demonstrated the potential of social media in successfully sharing stories with customers. In a world where “content is king,” farmers and those in agriculture need to connect with audiences and give them something to share, he said.

“We live in a sharing economy and content is currency,” said Perelman, who is now head of digital strategies for ICM Partners. “The most common gesture people make is refreshing their social media feed. It creates an endorphin rush in the brain when people like your stuff.”

Financial decisions

Dairy Strong featured educational seminars on angel investing, farmers’ rights during visits by regulators, evolving relationships between farmers and veterinarians, the importance of ventilation testing, and high-immune response technology and breeding selection.

The event also included a group discussion about the successful Yahara Pride Farms conservation group in Dane County, a coalition between local farmers, the Clean Lakes Alliance and others to reduce phosphorus in local rivers and lakes.

Another discussion focused on the dairy economy.

Industry analyst Mary Ledman said she doesn’t expect farmers’ anxiety over low milk prices to diminish anytime soon.

“The demand for milk is just not there, especially from China and Russia, and that’s affecting markets,” said Ledman, who is with Daily Dairy Report. “Milk prices will continue to stay low for at least the next six months.”

David Rinneard of BMO Harris Bank said that although milk prices have fallen, his clients are sticking with plans for building and equipment improvements.

“They’ve planned well and are thinking that maybe it’s time to invest in a robot or build a new barn,” Rinneard said. “A lot of what is enabling the expansions is the growing financial acumen that dairymen and dairywomen are showing. They’re making better decisions.”

Sustainable farming

A partnership between the Dairy Business Association and U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance brought about a Food Dialogues panel discussion focused on sustainable farming. The segment was one in a series of USFRA-led public discussions around the country about where food comes from.

Sustainability is a growing priority for customers and, therefore, the food industry, although customers are not always sure what it means, said Steve Peterson, a food industry sustainability expert and former director of sourcing sustainability at General Mills.

“Sustainability means different things to different people depending on their perspective and that’s OK,” Peterson said.

Customers are craving to connect with farmers, said panel member Lauren Lindsley, a dietician manager with Festival Foods, which has 21 grocery stores in Wisconsin. Store employees visits farms that supply produce, such as apples, and then create videos and share them in the store and on social media.

“Consumers have a lot of misconceptions,” Lindsley said. “For example, they think nutrition and sustainability are the same thing. Something could be termed sustainable but not be nutritious.”

It’s essential to educate people unfamiliar with agriculture, said Kim Kroll, owner of Rolling Hills Dairy in Luxemburg. She frequently visits schools to talk about what happens on her family’s farm.

“You go into a classroom and ask kids where food comes from and they say ‘grocery store.’ We tell them about how it begins at the farm and how we care for the animals on the farm,” Kroll said. “It really builds understanding and we hope they take that home to their families.”

About the DBA:

The Dairy Business Association is a nonprofit organization comprised of Wisconsin dairy farmers, milk processors, vendors and business partners. Founded in 1999 to reinvigorate the state’s dairy community, DBA’s members work together to guarantee Wisconsin’s dairy farmers — both large and small — have support they need to thrive in the state’s economy, communities and food chain. For more information, visit widba.com.

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