December 7, 2023
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shelly Mayer
800-947-7379
mail@pdpw.org
 
Program logo
Program flier
 
 
 
Registration Open for Level Two of 2023-24 PDPW Financial Literacy for Dairy
Training Takes Deeper Look at Comprehensive Financial Tools, Reporting Methods
 
DAIRY NEWS – Dairy producers, veterinarians, nutritionists and other dairy professionals interested in taking their financial management skills to the next level are invited to participate in the 2023-24 sessions of Financial Literacy for Dairy®, presented by Professional Dairy Producers® (PDPW).
 
Registration for Level Two of the 2023-24 program is currently open, with classes scheduled Jan 17-18, Feb. 7-8, and Feb. 28-29, 2024. Dairy financial experts Gary Sipiorski, agricultural business and financial consultant, and Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, PhD, Professor of Agribusiness at UW-Platteville, will facilitate the six days of training. Anyone who has completed Level One of the program in 2023 or prior years and those who place into Level Two in the online assessment at registration are encouraged to participate. Registration and online assessment must be completed by Jan. 15, 2024, for Level Two placement.
 
The coursework builds on Level One concepts with a focus on more comprehensive financial tools and reporting methods. Sessions will cover profitability and cost center tracking, separating and measuring profitability of specific entities, cash flow budgeting and business analysis, establishing key performance measures and ratios and more. The timing of the sessions allows participants to learn key concepts, then apply them in their farm or business practices before returning to the next session.
 
“Financial Literacy allowed us to take our dairy business to the next level,” said Heather Moore, dairy producer and owner/operator of Moore Local, Maquoketa, Iowa. “I now have a better understanding of the numbers we use every day and a higher level of understanding to plan our business.”
 
Dairy producers who participate in the program are encouraged to check with “Count on Us” partners who have offered full or partial scholarships to select attendees. Eligible registrants pay the training fee to PDPW upon registration, then arrange with their “Count on Us” partners the scholarship amount.
 
Current “Count on Us” partners include Bank of Brodhead, BMO, BouMatic, Bremer Bank, Citizens State Bank of Loyal, Compeer Financial, Dairy Business Consulting, Inc., Farmers & Merchants Union Bank, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Lake Ridge Bank, Nicolet National Bank, and Rabo AgriFinance. If your lender is not listed, talk with them about a Count on Us Partnership or contact PDPW with suggestions of additional partners to include.
 
Level One of the 2023-24 program is currently underway. Level Three will be led by Dick Wittman Mar. 20-21, 2024, and will explore a range of advanced concepts regarding financial management.
 
All three levels of Financial Literacy for Dairy qualify for continuing education credits through Dairy AdvanCE. Level 1 qualifies for up to 32 DACE credits, level 2 qualifies for up to 48 DACE credits and level 3 qualifies for up to 16 DACE credits.
 
To register, visit www.pdpw.org or contact PDPW at 800-947-7379. Registered attendees will receive an email from PDPW with a link to complete an online placement test to be properly placed into Level 1, 2, or 3, and will receive notification of level placement immediately upon submission of test. Additionally, to suggest specific partners that might consider joining as a Count on Us partner, contact PDPW by phone or via the website.
 
Follow along digitally in advance of and during the event by following @dairyPDPW and using #mypdpw on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Professional Dairy Producers (PDPW) is the nation's largest dairy producer-led organization of its kind, focusing on producer professionalism, stakeholder engagement and unified outreach to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed."
 
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