Organizations

Dairy producers understand competency in the financial side of the dairy business is critical to its success. Even more critical is for the next generation on our dairies to acquire these skills.

Many years ago, as a member of Class II of the Holstein Foundation’s Young Dairy Leaders Institute, we were challenged to set goals. Once we had a list written down, we were expected to say our goals out loud.

The past year was one of the most difficult in our community’s history, especially for America’s dairy farmers. As we turn the calendar and begin a new year, your checkoff staff – both national and local – are committed to placing priority focus on those areas we know are building sales of and trust in dairy.

Video games, participation ribbons and obscene amounts of time spent on social media don’t develop work ethic, instill values or build self-esteem. But showing cattle can do all that and more to prepare adolescents and teens for the world ahead.

It goes without saying how much your national and local checkoff staffs care about dairy farmers. We understand how difficult this year has been for you, and there is nothing harder than watching families we know exit the industry.

There has been a lot of talk about plant-based diets lately, and many dairy farmers have asked me what that means for dairy foods.