Member participation makes key difference

By  Tim Trotter, executive director

There are a lot of positive things happening at DBA, and I want to share a few of them.

DBA’s golf outing last month was perhaps our most successful in terms of the number of golfers and sponsors (more than 300!). The profits from the annual outing and other DBA events go toward supporting our policy initiatives in Madison.

To everyone who participated, I want to say thank you for contributing to such an important function. There is no question our members were eager to get back to in-person events and have some fun with friends, and it all benefits the dairy community.

One of the other ways that members can get involved in DBA’s policy work is through our Policy Picnics. These events are hosted by member farms throughout the state and are sponsored by a number of corporate members. The picnics are open to all members who want to share a meal and hear directly for our government affairs team about the most pressing issues in Madison. This is a prime opportunity for members to directly participate in pushing for effective policy. You can find the schedule here.

And don’t forget DBA’s political action committee. This is an important way to support those lawmakers who go the extra mile to ensure that the dairy community’s interests are front and center. You can find more information about the Dairy PAC and how to contribute by visiting our website, dairyforward.com/DairyPAC.

Sustainability success

Over the past few months, I have been able to attend many farmer-led watershed conservation group meetings in-person or virtually. I am blown away by the excitement and passion for what they are doing individually and collectively.

These proactive groups are making a difference and it’s being noticed by people in their communities, state officials, environmental groups, dairy processors and brands. They are truly trailblazers in setting the bar for continuous improvement. Not only are they doing great things, but they are also documenting the positive impact on both the environment and their farm finances. Success in both is vital to achieving resilient farms.

When DBA decided to invest time and resources toward supporting and expanding the watershed model, we had some doubting Thomases. Previously, the policy-only approach found little success. Our membership was ready for a change and has embraced this better, more comprehensive strategy.

Our members hold the key to the future, and entrusting and empowering them to help solve the issues our industry is facing is paying off. We are early in our journey, but I am glad we opted to support our members in a way that will provide sustainable solutions rather than merely relying on the old tactics of the past. Policy does play a role but only with real data and the goal of solving the problems at hand.