Nebraska Dairy Convention Includes Educational Seminars, Checkoff, Dairy Princess and Ambassadors and Great American Milk Drive
The 2017 Nebraska Dairy Convention held February 21 featured several checkoff activities.
The noon lunch, attended by more than 150 dairy farmers and industry stakeholders, included a Dairy Checkoff Update with Midwest Dairy CEO Lucas Lentsch discussing partnership relationships, and how the national, regional and state levels of the checkoff work together to focus on the key areas identified under a Unified Marketing Plan. Partnerships at the national level are able to make the most of dairy farmer investment while "using other people's money" to help promote sales and trust in the dairy community. The group heard the term "milk fat is back" several times.
Attendees had the opportunity for several educational presentations. One of these presentations featured Dr. Jan Shearer from Iowa State University speaking about lameness. Dr. Tom Oelberg from Diamond V spent time discussing TMR audits, the order to load feeds into wagons, and when to replace auger blades. The final presentation discussed the impact of social media through a remote presentation by Lisa Leach, a Kansas dairy farmer who challenged Chipotle to be more honest in its marketing.
Marta Pulfer, daughter of Kent and Jodi Pulfer of Wayne, was presented as the 2017 Dairy Princess. She will be active throughout the year along with five Nebraska Dairy Ambassadors. The five Dairy Ambasadors are college students working in a partnership with Midwest Dairy and Nebraska Dairy Extension Educator, Kim Clark. The ambassadors will have a busy year successfully fulfilling the requirements to help promote dairy throughout the state and qualify for scholarships.
Other award winners were announced, and the convention raised $2,500 to be contributed to the Great American Milk Drive.
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