Sponsored by Western DairyBusiness

TULARE, Calif. – Western DairyBusiness magazine once again hosts Dairy Profit Seminars at the 2010 World Ag Expo, the largest show of its kind in the world, which attracts one of the largest gatherings of dairy exhibitors and dairy producers in the nation.

The magazine brings together some of the best speakers and analysts who will provide insight into the latest dairy industry developments.

Expo runs from Feb. 9-11 with gates opening every day at 9 a.m. and closing at 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 4 p.m. on Thursday.

The dairy seminar sessions will be held at the newly fashioned Seminar Complex located in the expansion area of the show grounds at R Street and Expo Lane, south of the huge Farm Credit Dairy Center building that anchors the southeast corner of Expo’s footprint.

The seminar program gets underway each day at 11 a.m. and concludes by 2:30 p.m. most days.

Western DairyBusiness magazine also honors the 2010 Outstanding Dairy Producer of the Year, Outstanding Dairy Industry Educator/Researcher, and Outstanding Dairy Industry Development Award winners during ceremonies in the Dairy Profit Seminar venue. The presentations to honorees are scheduled at 11:45 a.m. each day of the show.

This year’s, dairy seminars include speakers addressing such topics as supply management, the availability of business financing, economic ups and downs impacting the producers’ bottom line, reproduction and heat detection, and the growth and challenges seen in the farmstead/artisan cheese industry.

Prior to the popular lunch program, which will again be hosted by Dairy Management Inc., members of the DMI board (dairy producers) from the West will provide updates on how producers’ Dairy Checkoff dollars are being spent and what their programs are accomplishing for the industry at large.

In addition to seminars and industry awards, this year, some lucky dairy producer will win a 7-day cruise for two to the Mexican Riviera featuring stops at three major ports along the way. Producers can qualify to win at the Dairy Profit Seminar venue or at the DairyBusiness Communications booth in the Dairy Center, space DC6021.

Master of ceremonies for the three-day program will be well known radio personality, Bill Baker of DairyLine, part of the DairyBusiness Communication’s media family.

Tuesday, Feb. 9

11 a.m. TBA

11:45 a.m. – 2010 Outstanding Dairy Industry Educator/Researcher Award Presentation – Dr. Ellen Jordan, Texas A&M University.

12 p.m. Dairy Management Inc., Producer Report.

12:15 p.m. – LUNCH – Supply Management Panel – Doug Maddox, Holstein USA, moderator; Syp Vander Dussen, president, Milk Producers Council; Gary Genske, Genske Mulder & Co; and Marvin Hoekema, founder and president, Dairy Decisions Consulting. Supply management has been the topic of discussion among dairy producers and processors for months in an effort to solve the volatility in the dairy market. These panelists will provide perspective on the issue – some with a national view – and the audience can participate in the discussion.

1:15 p.m. – “Ag Lending – Financing Availability.” Panel  includes Doug Berg, senior vice president and branch manager, Farm Credit West, Tulare; Marc Ehlers, regional vice president, Bank of the West, Bakersfield; and Sean Haynes, vice president-senior relationship manager, Rabobank, Modesto. John Ellsworth of Success Strategies of Modesto is the moderator. Dairy economics have been bleeding red ink for longer than producers would like to recall. Low milk prices and high feed costs sucked the equity out of most dairy operations and many dairymen called it quits during the long downturn. Ag lending can require significant adjustments as a producer works his way through tough economic times. Panel members will provide insight into surviving the economic story.

Wednesday, Feb. 10

11 a.m. – “Feed efficiency critical during hard times,” Mary Beth de Ondarza, Paradox Nutrition. Cost Effectiveness of Feed Additives – With today’s tight dairy margins, we need a good return on investment on all diet ingredients. How do we gather and evaluate research on additives? Do ration parameters, environment and management affect responses? Once an additive is in a diet, how do we know it worked? And finally, how do we know an additive is still needed after six months? Mary Beth de Ondarza is sponsored by Lallemand Animal Nutrition.

11:45 a.m. – 2010 Outstanding Dairy Producer of the Year presentation to Carrol Campbell, Winfield, Kansas.

12 p.m. – Dairy Management Inc., Producer Report.

12:15 p.m. – LUNCH – Trent Loos, “Preserving Animal Agriculture.”

1:15 p.m. – “Is There Light at the End of the Tunnel?” Genske, Mulder & Co. presents a panel of financial experts who will share their insight concerning the extreme milk market volatility dairy producers experienced this past year.

Thursday, Feb. 11

11 a.m. TBA

11:45 a.m. – 2010 Outstanding Dairy Industry Development Award presentation to Lorie Vincent, executive director, High Ground of Texas, and Janet Claborn, executive director, Muleshoe, Texas Economic Development Corp.

12 p.m. – Dairy Management Inc., Producer Report.

12:15 p.m. – LUNCH – Artisan/Farmstead Cheese Panel – John Fiscalini, Marisa Simoes (Three Sisters Farmstead Cheese), Bill Boersma (Bravo Farms); and moderator Harold Peterson, director, California Milk Advisory Board. With the dramatic expansion of the farmstead and artisan cheese industry in California, these three cheese makers are reaping the benefits of producing excellent cheeses from their own dairy operations. Value added products offer vertical integration in their dairies.

1:15 p.m. – Cheese tasting featuring cheeses from Fiscalini Farms, Three Sisters Farmstead Cheese, and Bravo Farms.

2 p.m. – Drawing for Western DairyBusiness giveaway of a 7-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera through Cruise Experts of Visalia. Some lucky dairy producer will win this exciting trip.

Gold Sponsors make it happen – 2010 Dairy Profit Seminars