Midwest Dairy Association is offering a free workshop for dairy producers leading up to the opening reception of the 2009 Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls on March 31 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. The workshop, called Telling Your Story: Why Your Image and Actions Have Impact, will give producers a chance receive training and resources to help them engage consumers online, get involved in speaking to local community groups or develop their own farm’s public relations plan.
To participate, e-mail info@midwestdairy.com or call 1-800-338-5160 to register by 12 Noon on March 24. The day’s events begin with registration at 11:15 a.m. followed by a free lunch at 11:30 a.m.
During lunch, a panel of speakers will share their experience about the importance of dairy farmer image and actions. Presenters are: Ginger Post, a Volga, S.D., dairy producer who reaches out to community leaders through Midwest Dairy Association’s SpeakOut! program; Rodney and Dorothy Elliot of Drumgoon Dairy, Lake Norden, S.D., who have implemented a variety of public relations tools to gain acceptance of their dairy in their community; and Cindy Cunningham, assistant vice president of communications for the National Pork Board, who helped an Iowa pork operation rebuild its credibility after undercover video that aired nationally called into question animal treatment practices.
Participants can attend one of three breakout sessions from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., led by checkoff staff. Workshop descriptions are as follows:
Telling Your Story Online: exploring how to “tell your dairy story” in this new media landscape and introducing a new program call myDairy;
Connect with Your Community: helping each participant to develop their own public relations plan, from mission statement and tag line to ideas for community and neighbor outreach; and
SpeakOut! with Local Leaders and the Media: joining the ranks of more than 150 dairy producers who receive tools, training and scheduling for presentations they can give to local community groups.