Press Releases
Dairy’s Role in Environmental Initiatives in Focus at 2025 PDP Business Conference
February 10, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shelly Mayer
800-947-7379
mail@pdpw.org
English-language flier
Spanish language flier
Program logo
Dairy’s Role in Environmental Initiatives in Focus at 2025 PDP Business Conference
Join fellow producers, leaders March 12-13, at Dairy’s Premier Educational Event
DAIRY NEWS – Food companies around the world are counting on the dairy industry to meet the pledges they are making to meet worldwide environmental initiative goals. The 2025 Business Conference presented by the Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP) will feature a panel of industry leaders with insights on the global supply chain and offer strategies to today’s dairy farmers on what to do to stay ahead.
The conference will be held March 12-13, 2025, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., with two days of learning opportunities and networking for forward-thinking dairy producers. Sessions will be translated simultaneously for attendees who prefer to learn in Spanish. There will also be two sessions for 15 to 18-year-olds to build their leadership and communications skills.
The conference opening session on Wed., March 12, will feature a panel discussion between Dan Basse, president of AgResource Company; Jacob Shapiro, partner and director of geopolitical analysis at Cognitive Investments; and Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist for Conduit. They’ll present “The Three-Headed Beast: Geopolitics, markets and weather” with an in-depth look at the forces shaping agriculture today and in the future.
“Dairy is the answer: Are you ready for the question?” is the general session scheduled for Thurs., March 13. Leaders who are designing and implementing partnerships to advance sustainability across the global food supply chain will share insights into what’s trending in this space and how the dairy sector can best prepare. Panelists include Dr. Jason Clay, PhD, senior vice president, markets and executive director, Markets Institute, with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-US; Emily Johannes, director of sustainability and recycling for Nestlé, USA; and Alisha Staggs, director of the dairy program for The Nature Conservancy’s North America Agriculture Program.
The 2025 Business Conference will offer more than 50 sessions of learning opportunities in key areas for dairy producers, including animal care and food safety topics. Here are a few:
• “Navigating the bird flu: Lessons from the frontlines” will feature a panel of veterinarians who will share stories of resilience during the H5N1 outbreak, including how they helped manage health, quarantines and recovery to project operations and safeguard the future. Panelists will include Dr. Maggie Baldwin, DVM, state veterinarian, Colorado Department of Agriculture; Dr. Tera Barnhardt, DVM, veterinarian, Heritage Vet Partners; and Dr. Keith Poulsen, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, director, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. (Day 1 afternoon breakout session)
• Dr. Trevor DeVries, PhD, professor and Canada research chair in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Guelph, will present “Transition cow triumph: Avoiding stress to achieve success” with insights and actionable tips to manage nutrition, housing and stress to maximize performance and longevity in a herd. (Day 1 morning specialty session)
• “Nature’s milk machine: a view from the inside” will give attendees an opportunity to get up close and personal with the epicenter of dairy production – the udder. This hands-on dissection lab presented by Dr. Alysia Vang, PhD, endocrinology and reproductive physiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Natalia Teixeira, PhD student in animal science at UW-Madison, will uncover the intricate processes of milk secretion, udder development and immune response to infection. (Days 1 and 2, Hands-on Hub session)
• “Cows & robots: Motivating voluntary milking” will unlock the potential of automated milking systems with strategies to boost voluntary cow participation. Dr. DeVries will explore the roles of housing, nutrition and behavior in maximizing efficiency. (Day 1, Green Learning Lounge)
The 2025 Business Conference will feature an expanded Hall of Ideas Equipment and Trade Show, showcasing premier exhibitors that represent nearly every aspect of the dairy industry. There will be additional networking opportunities throughout the conference, including the “Evening on the Square” on Wednesday evening. Reminiscent of Madison’s Capital Square attendees will have access to live entertainment, a “taste of Wisconsin,” and exceptional food and beverages.
A limited number of booth spaces remain for exhibiting in the Hall of Ideas. Sponsorship opportunities throughout the conference are also still available. Contact Caitlin Roy at croy@pdpw.org or 800-947-7379 for details.
Register today by visiting the 2025 Business Conference website. Also available are the English language flier, Spanish language flier, information on exhibiting at the event, and details on lodging with discounted rates at several Madison area hotels if booked by February deadlines.
The 2025 PDP Business Conference offers accredited training through such providers as Dairy AdvanCE (DACE), American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS), Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) and Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL).
Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) 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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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shelly Mayer
800-947-7379
mail@pdpw.org
English-language flier
Spanish language flier
Program logo
Dairy’s Role in Environmental Initiatives in Focus at 2025 PDP Business Conference
Join fellow producers, leaders March 12-13, at Dairy’s Premier Educational Event
DAIRY NEWS – Food companies around the world are counting on the dairy industry to meet the pledges they are making to meet worldwide environmental initiative goals. The 2025 Business Conference presented by the Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP) will feature a panel of industry leaders with insights on the global supply chain and offer strategies to today’s dairy farmers on what to do to stay ahead.
The conference will be held March 12-13, 2025, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., with two days of learning opportunities and networking for forward-thinking dairy producers. Sessions will be translated simultaneously for attendees who prefer to learn in Spanish. There will also be two sessions for 15 to 18-year-olds to build their leadership and communications skills.
The conference opening session on Wed., March 12, will feature a panel discussion between Dan Basse, president of AgResource Company; Jacob Shapiro, partner and director of geopolitical analysis at Cognitive Investments; and Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist for Conduit. They’ll present “The Three-Headed Beast: Geopolitics, markets and weather” with an in-depth look at the forces shaping agriculture today and in the future.
“Dairy is the answer: Are you ready for the question?” is the general session scheduled for Thurs., March 13. Leaders who are designing and implementing partnerships to advance sustainability across the global food supply chain will share insights into what’s trending in this space and how the dairy sector can best prepare. Panelists include Dr. Jason Clay, PhD, senior vice president, markets and executive director, Markets Institute, with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-US; Emily Johannes, director of sustainability and recycling for Nestlé, USA; and Alisha Staggs, director of the dairy program for The Nature Conservancy’s North America Agriculture Program.
The 2025 Business Conference will offer more than 50 sessions of learning opportunities in key areas for dairy producers, including animal care and food safety topics. Here are a few:
• “Navigating the bird flu: Lessons from the frontlines” will feature a panel of veterinarians who will share stories of resilience during the H5N1 outbreak, including how they helped manage health, quarantines and recovery to project operations and safeguard the future. Panelists will include Dr. Maggie Baldwin, DVM, state veterinarian, Colorado Department of Agriculture; Dr. Tera Barnhardt, DVM, veterinarian, Heritage Vet Partners; and Dr. Keith Poulsen, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, director, Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. (Day 1 afternoon breakout session)
• Dr. Trevor DeVries, PhD, professor and Canada research chair in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Guelph, will present “Transition cow triumph: Avoiding stress to achieve success” with insights and actionable tips to manage nutrition, housing and stress to maximize performance and longevity in a herd. (Day 1 morning specialty session)
• “Nature’s milk machine: a view from the inside” will give attendees an opportunity to get up close and personal with the epicenter of dairy production – the udder. This hands-on dissection lab presented by Dr. Alysia Vang, PhD, endocrinology and reproductive physiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Natalia Teixeira, PhD student in animal science at UW-Madison, will uncover the intricate processes of milk secretion, udder development and immune response to infection. (Days 1 and 2, Hands-on Hub session)
• “Cows & robots: Motivating voluntary milking” will unlock the potential of automated milking systems with strategies to boost voluntary cow participation. Dr. DeVries will explore the roles of housing, nutrition and behavior in maximizing efficiency. (Day 1, Green Learning Lounge)
The 2025 Business Conference will feature an expanded Hall of Ideas Equipment and Trade Show, showcasing premier exhibitors that represent nearly every aspect of the dairy industry. There will be additional networking opportunities throughout the conference, including the “Evening on the Square” on Wednesday evening. Reminiscent of Madison’s Capital Square attendees will have access to live entertainment, a “taste of Wisconsin,” and exceptional food and beverages.
A limited number of booth spaces remain for exhibiting in the Hall of Ideas. Sponsorship opportunities throughout the conference are also still available. Contact Caitlin Roy at croy@pdpw.org or 800-947-7379 for details.
Register today by visiting the 2025 Business Conference website. Also available are the English language flier, Spanish language flier, information on exhibiting at the event, and details on lodging with discounted rates at several Madison area hotels if booked by February deadlines.
The 2025 PDP Business Conference offers accredited training through such providers as Dairy AdvanCE (DACE), American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS), Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) and Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (WVDL).
Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) 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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