The Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence will offer four free conference calls to help dairy producers manage the period of lower milk prices that is approaching. The calls are part of the Center’s “Mastering the Dairy Business” Conference Call Learning Series in February and March.
Each conference call is limited to 35 dairy producers. Registration is required to participate, and participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, call 717-346-0849 with name, phone number, e-mail address and the date of call on which you plan to participate.
Exclusively for dairy producers, the four conference calls will be led by leading market industry experts to address ways to manage dairy businesses through lower milk price periods, dealing with stress amidst family and financial crises, lowering feed costs without sacrificing milk production, and understanding dairy markets and risk management options.
The dates for the conference calls are as follows:
Monday, Feb. 23, 11 a.m. – noon, with Dr. Thomas Overton, Cornell University associate professor. Overton aids in the productive efficiency and profitability of dairy farms in the Northeast by developing management strategies to improve the well-being of dairy cows. He will address five things that dairy producers can do — and what they should not do — to manage their herds through lower milk prices.
Tuesday, March 10, noon – 1 p.m., with Michael Hutjens, University of Illinois extension nutrition specialist. Hutjens is a leading authority on evaluating feed additives and the effects on the dairy ration and the overall performance of the cow. He will share how producers can lower feed costs and maximize their feed efficiency without sacrificing milk production.
Tuesday, March 31, noon – 1 p.m., with Dr. Ken Bailey, Penn State University agricultural economist. Bailey helps dairy farmers, processors, and the general public understand the complexities of state, regional and federal dairy policies, and how the markets for milk and dairy commodities work. He will provide an update on dairy markets and how they will affect producer prices and risk management options.