The Manager JULY 2022 Northeast Dairy This issue of Management Conference The Manager is sponsored by: A focus on leadership development and personal growth Northeast Dairy Management Conference Julie Berry JULY After a virtual conference in 2020, the Northeast Dairy Management 2022 Conference, presented by PRO-DAIRY and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA), was back live and in person this spring. Offering topics ranging from technical skills to professional development, the well-regarded biennial event attracted over 350 progressive FOCUS: dairy producers, agriservice professionals, Dairyman John Noble was honored with university faculty, extension staff, the Richard Popp Memorial Leadership speakers, and sponsors from 23 states to Award presented by the Northeast Dairy LEADERSHIP GROWTH Producers Association at the Northeast Dairy network and learn. Management Conference. Photo credit: Julie Berry INSIDE Top-rated conference presentations Northeast Dairy Management Conference – Pg. 2 highlighted in this issue include: collectively by 2050 achieve greenhouse • Motivational speakers Mark Mayfield gas (GHG) neutrality, optimize water use Building capacity to respond to change – Pg. 3 and Holly Green kicked off each day with while maximizing recycling, and improve tools and techniques to increase stress water quality by optimizing utilization of Manage employees by life stage – Pg. 4 management and resiliency to change, manure and nutrients. Professionalizing human resource which builds capacity to lead. • A roundtable of past Dick Popp and management in farms: Why and what this means – Pg. 6 • Haydn Shaw, a popular generational PRO-DAIRY Agriservice award winners speaker and writer, shared strategies on who share their insights on leadership and Lean Management: Practical applications and challenges on dairy farms - Pg. 7 how to bring five generations together, service. Richard Popp was co-owner of including how to motivate employees and Southview Farm of Castile and Groveland, Sustainability on the farm and the Net Zero Initiative – Pg. 9 reduce generational turnover. NY and achieved a local and national • Dr. Richard Stup, Cornell Agricultural reputation as a creative, progressive, and Leadership insights – Pg. 12 Workforce Development, emphasized the successful dairy farmer. At this year’s Cover photo: Richard Popp memorial importance of professionalizing human conference dairyman John Noble was scholarship award winners Elizabeth Maslyn, Johnathan King, Colin Kadis, Matthew Peck, resource management on farms, from honored by NEDPA with the Richard Popp and Grace Harrigan, presented at the Northeast proper equipment and clean workspaces, Memorial Leadership Award. Dairy Management Conference, with Mike Van to clear expectations and standardized Amburgh, Cornell Animal Science Professor, human resource processes. General session presentation and Ben Houlton, Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. • A panel of leaders from a national recordings from the 2022 conference are policy organization, a dairy farm, available for purchase at cals.cornell.edu/ JULIE BERRY Communications Manager academia, and allied industry discussed pro-dairy/events-programs/conferences- Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY goals and continued progress toward seminars/northeast-dairy-management- jrb7@cornell.edu dairy environmental sustainability and conference. DR. TOM OVERTON competitiveness in the global marketplace. Director Goals of the U.S. Dairy Net Zero Initiative Julie Berry ( jrb7@cornell.edu) is Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY tro2@cornell.edu for the U.S. dairy industry are to Communications Manager for PRO-DAIRY. THE MANAGER Sponsored by: Building capacity to respond to change Julie Berry A special feature of the Northeast Dairy Management Conference is a focus on leadership development and personal growth. Mark Mayfield kicked off the conference acknowledging and bringing humor to stress management with his presentation “Momma Told Me There’d Be Days Like This”. Mayfield, a past FFA national president, has taught agriculture, lobbied on behalf of agriculture, and is a professional speaker. The challenges of COVID, new and existing regulations, staffing shortages, milk price, and weather, have all tested the resilience of farmers across the country. “Mental The biennial Northeast Dairy Management Conference offers a range of topics from technical skills health, depression, suicide, anxiety, and to professional development. everything associated with agriculture Photo credit: Julie Berry right now exceeds the 1980s farm crises,” Mayfield said. issue or just an inconvenience. “One of energy, before acceptance. “You could Change is more difficult in of the biggest issues we have in life is go through these phases in a second, agriculture because we are traditional that we don’t put stuff in the right pile,” it could be minutes, or it could take a and sentimental. Age is a hindrance, as Mayfield said. “We put it in a stress pile month. Sometimes people get stuck,” the older you get the more reluctant and it’s not a stress pile. It should be in Green said. “Once we begin to really you are to change, but Mayfield said the inconvenience pile.” Do a minute process the unexpected change and say we must continue to morph. “We have of deep breathing every hour. Perform okay, it is what it is, I have to make the to constantly change our technology, a random act of kindness to bring new best of it, is when we begin to accept.” our communication strategy, our perspective to your own challenges. Change is usually out of our control coalitions, and our mindset,” he said. Talk to people. “In agriculture we are but how we respond is more in our “You can ignore change and hope it trained that we deal with stuff ourselves,” control than we realize. “The magic trick goes away, react to it and play catch Mayfield said. “We keep it inside. Those to all of this is resiliency,” Green said. up, or create change and win.” Activism days are over. Communicate. This is “Resilient people discern the difference is more important than ever for why we have friends and family. This is between external change, and internal your industry, your association, and even why we talk to ourselves. We’ve got ‘How the heck do I deal with this?,’ and your community. Remember cycles, some real stuff to deal with.” Know your can continue to get the right things done. history, and agriculture’s perpetual priorities and evaluate how this problem They continue to have a great attitude, optimism. Practice REACH: Relaxation lines up. Recall a day or event that clearly even when the world is falling apart – illness or injury is often caused or identifies what’s most important to you around them.” worsened by stress, Exercise – it must to reset your baseline for happiness Resilient people are: be regular and elevate the heart rate, and success. Visit his website at • POSITIVE, with inner confidence Avocation – find a hobby that brings markmayfield.com. and self-assurance, and choose to focus pleasure, Communication – identify two Holly Green, The Human Factor, on opportunities over obstacles. “A global people who you can talk to and avoid offered insight and strategies in trigger for the human brain is how can internalizing problems, and Humor - “Adapting and Thriving in an Ever- I help others?,” Green said. “If you can’t laugh and find ways to have fun daily. Changing World”. The human brain is even get yourself back to a great positive This will enhance your creativity and not wired to work efficiently at our view on things just ask yourself, how can state of mind, which is now more current hyper-pace, but understanding I help others do that, and by doing that important than ever. our limitations and applying strategies you’re helping yourself.” Practice the pause to gain perspective allows us to adapt more effectively. Each • FOCUSED and maintain a clear when an emergency arises. Ask “Will it time we are met with unexpected change vision of their goals, and feed their brain make the six-o’clock news?” as a litmus we go through a cycle of shock, denial, test to whether this is a truly stressful frustration or anger, depression and lack Continued on page 4 3 THE MANAGER | PRO-DAIRY Published by Progressive Dairy flexibility in your brain.” secondary learning modality, which • PROACTIVE and adapt to change, increases the “stickiness” of what you’re even though our brain prefers the trying to remember. Make your goals LEADERSHIP GROWTH comfort of the familiar. “Take the visual. Get outside. “Practice kindness. time to actually plan,” Green said. “Do Be kind to yourself, your self-talk,” Green Building capacity to respond to change, not presume it will occur otherwise. said. “Treat yourself like you would a cont’d from page 3 Establish some mental reserves. Learn respected, loved, and valued friend.” some new skills, something you’ve always Engage others. At our core we are all facts and credible information. Ask what’s wanted to try.” social. “Be positive, focused, proactive, important to me in my life and speak and • ORGANIZED with routines and clear organized, prompt yourself, do not think about it as if it’s already achieved. processes to sort information. Spend presume you are any better than the “This helps us keep focused,” Green said. time eliminating clutter. “Have a clear rest of us,” Green said. “Set yourself up “This is your best time management tool. workspace and simple little things like and make sure you’ve got things that What is going to move me, my team, our organizing files. Get organized. That you’re holding onto that do stay the organization, closer to winning?” brings us a sense of comfort whether we same.” Learn more about Holly Green at • FLEXIBLE when responding to are good at it or not.” theHumanFactor.biz. change or uncertainty. “Get a little To set yourself up for success, start uncomfortable, practice doing that,” each day by identifying and writing down Julie Berry ( jrb7@cornell.edu) is Green said. “That’s what creates your intentions. Taking notes triggers Communications Manager for PRO-DAIRY. Haydn Shaw shared concepts from his Tedx Talk "Why Half of What You Hear about Millennials Is Wrong" at the Northeast Dairy Management Conference. Photo screen shot from Ted Talk Manage employees by life stage Julie Berry Haydn Shaw, People Driven Results, think it’s a life stage, all we have to do is positive work environment. Respect shared strategies on how to bring five understand it and shut up and listen.” that younger generations have different generations together at the Northeast communication styles and neither is Dairy Management Conference, Successful human resource better. Older generations typically including how to motivate and reduce management requires responsiveness to prefer eye to eye contact and younger generational turnover, and how to the attitudes and preferences of today. generations typically prefer to text. Use create a workplace that employees “No longer say back in my day it was the communication style preferred by attract their friends to. better,” Shaw said. “When you face a who you are talking to. new reality you don’t like, you just have Shaw says to think in terms of to set a timer for one minute and pout it “They can’t communicate your way,” life stages, and mentor and manage out, and then figure it out.” Shaw said. “Can we just quit hating on employees according to their life stage people. If you’re going to supervise and preferences. “If we think it’s a Improving communication across employees well you need to talk to them generational characteristic we think life stages improves efficiency and the way they like. Speak their language we need to fix them,” Shaw said. “If we productivity, and contributes to a and get on with things. They don't mean JULY 2021 | MANAGING INPUTS 4 it personally, so don't take it personally.” they have developed the expertise that knowing how to motivate this group will allow them to be successful. without crushing their spirits can be Life stage and generational challenging,” Shaw said. “Therefore they differences are reflected in loyalty, In general: require more of an adaptive leadership respect, and work ethic. • Traditionalists will figure out the style than the other generations.” hierarchy and find their place LOYALTY • Boomers will work their way up to a How to retain employees born after “You will not be able to keep position that gets respect 1980: everyone happy in order to be able to • Gen X will give respect if you prove 1 They will leave you stay. People leave today,” Shaw said. you deserve it 2 Help some leave Older generations have loyalty and will • Millennials will give respect to those 3 Classic respect will kill you stay at a job, often for life, but younger who “get it” and take them more 4 Talk with them about leaving so generations expect to change jobs and seriously you know if they will stay like variety. They wonder if they’re • Gen Z will respect those in the 5 Fight boredom making a difference. Money matters, hierarchy who care about them more especially in jobs at the low end of the than they do about winning How to create conversations: pay scale. 1 1Poin tP foorwinartd dfoonr't wdeamradnd, don’t demand WORK ETHIC 22 GivGei vfoeu fro tuimr etsim meosr em poorsei tpivoes ittihvean negative In general: Agriculture has a challenge because fe e d btahcakn negative feedback • Traditionalists view job hopping as many job applicants didn’t grow up on 33 AsAsusmsuem yeo uy owue rweenr'te cnle’ta cr lweahre nw heynou are the kiss of death for your career farms and their spouses don’t have the F r u s tyraotue dare frustrated • Boomers (born between 1946 and same expectation for time away from 44 AsAks kth tehmem to t oe exxpplalainin tthheeiirr tthhoouugghtt process 1964) view leaving as necessary in work. process some situations • Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) In general: How to talk career path: view leaving as necessary to get ahead • Traditionalists work 9 to 5 and stay 1 Be direct with concerns, don’t wait • Millennials/Gen Y (born between late with overtime for employees or HR to bring 1981 and 1996) believe there is nothing • Boomers work 8 to 6 and then take it issues forward wrong with changing careers until you home 2 Clarify the ladder and the lattice find the right one for you, but if you • Gen X try to get it all done at work, parts and define next steps like your organization, why leave? Just and will take it home if they have to 3 Let them think out loud with you do a different job. • Millennials live in a 24/7 world, so • Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) leave at 5, and log on at night To maintain a cross-generational will want to stay ten years – if there • Gen Z know they will have to put their workforce, acknowledge great work if are raises and promotions career first for the next 10 years you want it to continue, and don’t let your old guard chase the 20 somethings RESPECT NEW LIFE STAGE away. Of the five generations, millennials The new life stage, ages 18 to 28, “People say to me, how do we attract are the happiest life stage at work, but known as “Emerging Adulthood” have the younger generation in this industry? are always actively looking for the next a need to understand. They value You say, thank you for doing the hard opportunity. Even the ones who have a freedom, choice, and change in careers, things their friends won’t,” Shaw said. great environment will leave. Or, they places, and dating. Average age for a They are your future and may be the wonder if they are making a difference, first mortgage is now 27 to 28. most productive generation yet. Shaw said. “What do you have to brag about? Dairy is a high quality, low-cost EMPLOYEE RETENTION TIPS Julie Berry ( jrb7@cornell.edu) is form of protein in a very hungry world,” “In most cases younger Communications Manager for he said. Titles matter and younger generations require a warm and PRO-DAIRY. Learn more about Haydn generations may want to move up before inviting environment to thrive, and Shaw at peopledrivenresults.com. 5 THE MANAGER | PRO-DAIRY Published by Progressive Dairy LEADERSHIP GROWTH Professionalizing human resource management in farms: Why and what this means Richard Stup A trend is emerging across the dairy farm. One big advantage of that lifestyle industry, with some farmers becoming is that farm kids learned to do just very professional in how they hire, about everything. Early in my working develop, and lead employees. These career I worked weekends for a single farmers are highly aware that good farmer so he could visit his girlfriend in employees are the most important asset another state. His operation was not a find their way back to where they belong. for business success and that they may professional workplace. I had to use a The workplace should be clean. After already be the scarcest resource available rolling start for the TMR wagon tractor all, we’re in the food production business. to farms. These professional human and bang on the electrical switchbox just A clean workplace also makes it easier to resource management (HRM) farms are so to make the silo unloader run. Worse, spot problems, like broken equipment, consistently well-managed because they if the well pump breaker kicked off, I had leaks, and spills. Clutter and dirt tend to have excellent people in every position, to climb down in a pit to reset it. While hide problems, often making them worse. and they are opening up a lead as they climbing into that pit one weekend as A professional workplace is kept outperform other dairies who just can’t I was working alone, I wondered: “How in good repair. This doesn’t mean that find or retain good people. long will it take them to find me if I get everything needs to be new, just well- electrocuted down in this pit with the maintained. Employees are quickly WHY PROFESSIONALIZE? water, pipes, and electricity?” You can’t frustrated when broken equipment and The business case for find people today willing to work in tools force them to find less efficient professionalizing HRM is clear. Labor has conditions like this, and they shouldn’t workarounds. Frustration is amplified been in short supply for years and this have to. when employees ask to have something is likely to continue. The competition repaired and their request is ignored or for good employees will remain fierce. A PROFESSIONAL WORKPLACE takes way too long. Create and manage a Once employees are in place, employers In contrast with an unprofessional repair system, make red tags available for need to take every action they can to workplace, let’s consider the employees to indicate something needs ensure that employees are productive characteristics of a professional repair, create a log for reporting repaid and engaged in their work, so they will workplace. needs and tracking completion, and most stay. A professional workplace removes Management plans and maintains importantly, assign responsibility and barriers to employee success, enhancing the physical places where people authority to someone to complete repairs performance and business profitability. work. Equipment, tools, and supplies on a timely basis. Finally, modern agriculture has its are located close to where employees Safety is a sign of a professional opponents. The industry can’t afford to perform their tasks so they can be workplace. Safety equipment, shields have unconscionable violations such as conveniently used. The workplace is and warnings signs should be in farm employees housed in substandard kept organized, meaning that extra place, along with personal protective conditions or abusive relationships clutter is removed diligently, supplies are equipment. Safety training should start at work. If it does, then agriculture’s replenished, and storage and workspaces with new employee onboarding and opponents will use these shortcomings are updated to enhance employee continue with regular refreshers. Larger to attack farms and the industry as a performance. Attention and work time farm workforces should have a safety whole in the media and through the legal are allocated to maintain organization. committee in place. The committee’s system. Picture in your mind a neat, stocked, and purpose is to ensure that safety is a organized machinery repair shop where central part of the workplace culture, AN UNPROFESSIONAL the proper tools are stored conveniently, that procedures are in place to maintain WORKPLACE contrasted with a cluttered and dirty safety, and to constantly look for ideas I grew up on a small family dairy shop where the right tools seem to never to improve overall safety. A great JULY 2021 | MANAGING INPUTS 6 trend in recent years is high visibility where they can relax on break, a locker vests provided to farm employees and or cubby to put their personal items, required at work at all times. When farm a refrigerator to stash their lunch, a management purchases this safety gear microwave to heat it up, and a source for employees, it sends many messages of clean water. While you’re at it, think beyond just, “Hey…I’m here!” Messages to about ergonomics on the farm. Where employees like: can the workplace be modified to make three parts of effective supervisory • You’re important work easier on the limbs and backs of leadership: • You’re worth investing in employees? 1 Set clear expectations about • We care about your health and behaviors and performance. well-being CLEAR POLICIES, RULES, AND 2 Provide training and other learning • We want you to get home to your EXPECTATIONS opportunities. family safe Workplace culture flows down from 3 Provide effective feedback to • We do things right around here owners and senior management, and employees about their performance. they have the opportunity to establish MEETING EMPLOYEES’ NEEDS workplace behaviors through clear Some dairy businesses are AS HUMANS expectations, rules, and policies. A professionalizing their HRM as a I’d like to share a little secret with professional workplace has a strict competitive advantage and gateway to farm managers. Your agribusiness policy against behaviors such as sexual long-term success. Other farms must partners, the veterinarian, nutritionists, harassment and discrimination. It also increase their professionalism rapidly to and other service people who visit uses an employee handbook to clarify find and keep good employees. Support farms regularly, they all know which expectations about items such as: pay is available from industry organizations, farms have bathrooms that are fit for schedules and increases, hours and extension, and even some outsourcing use by humans and which do not. It says overtime, cell phone usage, attendance companies, to improve farm HRM. something about farm management when and timeliness, leave from work, and This type of change, unfortunately, they provide an employee bathroom other benefits. Many of these things are can be difficult, because it involves that is reasonable versus one that is an taught to new employees during their changing personal beliefs and behaviors. atrocious, filthy hellhole. The employees onboarding experience, which also serves Professional managers value employees who work there don’t have the luxury of as their first exposure to the farm’s as assets to invest in and develop, rather waiting to go at the next stop, they are effective leadership practices. than viewing HR as a necessary evil of stuck and have to use the hellhole. This business growth. Changing this personal is not acceptable. Fix the bathroom, put EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP value is the first step to become a a cleaning schedule in place, allocate Professional HRM just can’t exist professional human resource manager. paid work time for cleaning, and use without effective leadership. Professional your management skills to provide an managers know that supervising others Richard Stup (rstup@cornell.edu) is acceptable, usable bathroom for your is their most important responsibility. In the Agricultural Workforce Specialist employees and everyone who visits your fact, supervising others appears clearly for Cornell Agricultural Workforce farm. in a manager’s job description as their Development. Learn more about the Employees are humans and have main responsibility. These professional program at agworkforce.cals.cornell. needs as such. Provide a breakroom managers are crystal clear about the edu. Lean Management: Practical applications and challenges on dairy farms Barry Putnam and Mary Kate MacKenzie Lean Management is a systematic waste and disruptions. Lean principles to utilize labor and other inputs more approach to analyze and continuously and practices emerged from the Japanese efficiently in response to rising costs, improve the flow of information, auto manufacturing industry in the 1950s, Lean Management offers a promising materials, and work in a manufacturing and managers have since applied them tool. environment. Lean systems maximize across many other industries, including production efficiency by minimizing agriculture. As farm managers strive Continued on page 8 7 THE MANAGER | PRO-DAIRY Published by Progressive Dairy LEADERSHIP GROWTH Lean Management: Practical applications and challenges on dairy farms, cont’d from page 7 When trying to understand what Lean is, it can be helpful to think about what Lean is not. Disorganized procedures that waste time and materials, frustrate employees, or cause disruptions in production activities are definitely not Lean. How much time do managers on your farm spend responding to crises This dairy repositioned the augers to the opposite side of the feed bins so the feeder and delivery and putting out fires versus setting up trucks can access the bins at the same time. Before making this change, the feeder had to wait systems that eliminate the root cause for delivery trucks to finish unloading once a week. Now employees can deliver feed on-time 365 of those problems? How often does a days a year, eliminating weekly disruptions to the feeding routine. The addition of a whey tank at 10-minute task take 20 minutes or more the feed center further streamlined the loading and mixing routine. because the right tools and materials are not immediately available? How often principles and practices, and asked equipment maintenance. One farm cut does a failure to communicate critical each participant to implement a 12 minutes off skid steer preventative information cause a quality defect or Lean process improvement. Our maintenance by purchasing a rolling cart production delay? Lean Management team created educational materials and assembling all the necessary tools invites farm operators to shift away that guided farm managers through and supplies on the cart before starting from a reactive problem-solving mindset selecting and observing a production to work on the skid steer. Employees can toward proactive process design activity, measuring waste, designing and use the same cart to assemble parts and grounded in continuous improvement. implementing a change, and evaluating supplies for other maintenance tasks, In the spring of 2021, the the impact. We shared project materials further reducing wasted steps in the PRO-DAIRY Farm Business Management with 120 farms and provided additional shop. team identified Lean Management as support through three webinars and Other Lean shop projects addressed an opportunity to help dairy operators individual consultations. flows of information. One farm developed measure and improve performance. Dairy operators have been seeking a new procedure to assemble shopping We developed a Lean Activity Project efficiency gains for many years, so lists that streamline purchasing. Another to teach farm managers about Lean Lean principles and practices are not standardized their process to record entirely foreign. Most farms engaged in and track vehicle maintenance. A third TABLE 1 the Lean Activity Project had examples farm piloted the use of smartphone What does Lean Management offer of past projects that demonstrated apps to create to-do lists, assign dairy operators? Lean concepts. However, most of these tasks, and improve communication • A systematic approach to analyze and examples were motivated by a specific among shop employees. These process improve production processes problem. Few farms reported using Lean improvements will help farmers stay on • A tool to eliminate the root cause of Management proactively to identify top of preventative maintenance and common disruptions waste and improve business processes. make shop employees more productive, • Methods to identify, measure, and reduce About a quarter of farms engaged in while reducing delays caused by supply waste in business systems the Lean Activity Project completed a shortages and equipment breakdowns. • Methods to improve labor efficiency and Lean process improvement during the Farms also implemented process effectiveness summer 2021 project timeline. Their improvements related to livestock • Principles to organize the physical workspace that improve workflow and projects addressed a wide range of handling and management. One dairy reduce disruptions production activities across different set up a gate repair kit in each barn, and • A continuous improvement mindset business areas. Several farms focused implemented a procedure to inventory and organizational culture that engages on the shop, developing Lean processes and restock supplies in all the kits. This employees at all levels to inventory shop parts and perform change saved time on gate repair, and JULY 2021 | MANAGING INPUTS 8 reduced the risk of cows getting into ideas for more. Several participating the wrong group due to broken gates. farmers also reported positive impacts on Another farm set up a new storage employee morale. Employees responded area for medications in the calf barn, well to process changes when managers eliminating unnecessary steps taken by included them in the planning process, employees who manage and treat calves. and incorporated their ideas, and when Some of the largest efficiency gains the changes made their jobs easier. operators to adopt a process-centric documented by participating farmers One of the biggest challenges lens. Change takes time and requires came from changes to the layout of that dairy operators reported was discipline, commitment, and practice. the feed or the fuel centers. One dairy deciding where to start. With so many However, to quote Clarence W. Barron, previously experienced feeding delays possible places in which to deploy Lean grandfather of financial reporting, on a weekly basis when delivery trucks Management, it can be overwhelming “Everything can be improved.” blocked access to feed bins. After to select just one. Dr. Abbot Maginnis, moving feed bin augers to the opposite Director of the Lean Graduate Certificate Barry Putnam (bp356@cornell.edu) side of the feed center, an employee Program at the University of Kentucky, and Mary Kate MacKenzie (mkw87@ can now load the wagon while delivery recommended during a presentation at cornell.edu) are specialists on the trucks unload, eliminating waiting and the 2022 Northeast Dairy Management PRO-DAIRY Farm Business Management disruptions to the feeding schedule. Conference selecting one model team. Another dairy set up an old fuel tank area within the business to begin next to the feed center, and transported implementing Lean improvements. LEAN MANAGEMENT WEBSITE diesel from their fuel center to their By restricting the scope of Lean feed center using an existing fuel truck. Management to one area of the business, Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY has developed a As a result, equipment used at the feed managers and employees can learn to website with Lean Management resources. center now gets fuel at the feed center, develop and sustain Lean systems in a As farm managers strive to utilize labor and other inputs more efficiently, Lean eliminating 6.5 trips per day, on average, limited way, building skills and confidence Management offers a framework to design down a bumpy driveway to the fueling before spreading the approach to other production processes that minimize waste center and back. The farm estimates this areas of the business. Starting small can and disruptions without sacrificing safety change will save 657 hired labor hours also help farm managers gain buy-in from or quality. Over time, managers who adopt per year. employees before tackling larger projects. Lean systems can shift the entire culture Dairy production systems are It is easier than most people think to of their organization to enhance employee engagement and productivity. This website complex, offering endless opportunities get started with Lean Management. The offers an overview of Lean Management to streamline and improve procedures. keys to success include starting small for an agricultural audience and provides Our project examples demonstrate that and engaging frontline workers. With guidance to implement Lean principles and farm managers can achieve measurable practice, operators can shift away from a practices within your own farming operation. results by implementing low-cost reactive, problem-solving mindset toward Find the link on the “Business” page under “Our Expertise” at cals.cornell.edu/pro-dairy changes in a relatively short timeframe. a more proactive approach to identify or access the direct link at cals.cornell. One change often leads to another, as and reduce waste. Dairy operators often edu/pro-dairy/our-expertise/business/lean- farmers who successfully implemented think about managing assets, yet they management. one Lean improvement came away with also manage processes. Lean challenges Sustainability on the farm and the Net Zero Initiative Julie Berry The U.S. Dairy Net Zero Initiative element of an overall 30-year journey to in the effort include Innovation Center (NZI) is a collaboration of dairy U.S. dairy’s collective 2050 environmental for U.S. Dairy, DMI, International Dairy organizations to advance research, goals,” said Jamie Jonker, National Milk Foods Association, Newtrient, National on-farm pilots, and new market Producers Federation, during a top-rated Milk Producers Federation, and U.S. developments to make sustainability panel “Sustainability on the Farm and Dairy Export Council. By 2050, the U.S. practices more accessible and affordable the Net Zero Initiative” at the Northeast to farms of all sizes. “This is an essential Dairy Management Conference. Partners Continued on page 10 9 THE MANAGER | PRO-DAIRY Published by Progressive Dairy LEADERSHIP GROWTH Sustainability on the farm and the Net can contribute by reducing their cradle reduces GHG emissions on a lifetime Zero Initiative, cont’d from page 9 (inputs) to farm gate GHG emissions. basis. • Keep cows healthy and provide a dairy industry collectively has goals to: Four areas are analyzed to determine quality barn environment to maximize • Achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) a farm's GHG footprint: enteric, feed, cow comfort. Healthy and comfortable neutrality manure, and energy. cows produce more milk per unit of • Optimize water use while feed intake - increasing feed efficiency maximizing recycling ENTERIC decreases enteric methane intensity • Improve water quality by optimizing “While everyone is waiting for a feed (methane emitted per unit of milk utilization of manure and nutrients additive silver bullet to substantially production). Fewer treated cows means reduce enteric emissions, generally the less withheld milk and more milk WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS single largest emission source on a farm, shipped. TO GET TO NET ZERO, AND improved cattle management that also • From a reproduction perspective, WILL EVERY FARM HAVE TO DO correlates with increasing margins, can strive to minimize the number of days IT? be employed to reduce enteric emissions. open after the voluntary wait period “The goal of the U.S. Dairy Net The easiest way to think about this is to is over, and strive to get cows bred on Zero initiative is for U.S. dairy, from think about efficiency. The more efficient the first service. Getting cows bred farm to milk processing, to be net zero we manage our cattle, the lower the efficiently means more productive days greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by emissions will be,” Gooch said. over a lifetime, thus reducing GHG 2050. It applies to the industry as a whole • Optimize the growth of replacement emissions per lifetime. and not to individual farms,” said Curt heifers and only raise enough to maintain Gooch, Land O'Lakes – Truterra, who herd size (assuming no planned internal FEED was also a panelist. The initiative ensures herd growth). Also, calve heifers as early Cows do best when fed high quality continued progress in environmental as possible and reduce the variation forages, and feeding high amounts of sustainability and competitiveness in around age at first calving to decrease quality forages has a lower GHG intensity a global marketplace. Individual farms the non-productive period of life, which footprint than feeding lower quality JULY 2021 | MANAGING INPUTS 10 forages and/or less forage in diets. To reduce a farm’s Feed Print, Gooch and save fuel, adopt strip till or even no- Feed recommendations from panelist recommends: till practices if possible. Mike Van Amburgh, Cornell University, • Minimize shrink. Although the costs • Combine manure injection and no- include: and impacts of shrink are not well- till practices by using low-disturbance • Feed the optimum level of protein documented, common sense tells us that shanks to inject manure to conserve and phosphorus to reduce the amount of when the quantity or quality of forages carbon (and nitrogen), reduce soil loss, excreted nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) decreases from harvest to the cow's and reduce fuel-based carbon dioxide and reduce potential nutrient loss from mouth, it takes more inputs to feed a (CO2) emissions. the farm. given number of cows. Minimizing inputs • Plant cover crops after corn silage to • Select diet ingredients that reduce reduces GHG emissions, both from a make use of leftover nutrients and leave enteric methane intensity (mass of GHG total emissions and intensity perspective. as much crop residue as possible to add emission per gallon fat- and protein- • Reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) carbon to soil. corrected milk) from cattle by using emissions by capturing more manure a nutrition model like the Cornell Net nitrogen (N) in crops and reducing MANURE Carbohydrate and Protein System purchased fertilizer N. This also Manure is generally the second (CNCPS, AMTS, Dalex, NDS) and look reduces carbon dioxide emissions due largest source of cradle to farm gate for the greenhouse gas emissions to the energy used to manufacture and GHG emissions. Long-term manure predictions. (Each program has a transport commercial fertilizer N. storages improve nutrient management different way of reporting.) These tools • Improve N management by and protect water quality but produces can establish an enteric emissions calculating the appropriate rate of methane. Pre-treating manure before baseline, evaluate feed ingredient manure for the crop being grown, long-term storage reduces storage options, and track outcomes for the diets improve application timing to increase emissions. Currently deployable options fed. crop uptake, and ensure that maximum include: • Talk to a nutritionist about adding application rates do not exceed N needs. • Separate manure solids from Monensin to cattle diets. Monensin Overapplication of N increases N2O manure liquids. Removing manure solids improves feed efficiency and thus can losses per ton or bushel of feed produced from a long-term storage reduces feed reduce methane (CH4) production by and can also impact water quality. about five percent. • To capture and conserve soil carbon Continued on page 12 NET ZERO AS STEWARDSHIP. A FARMER’S PERSPECTIVE. “We know we are affecting the planet every time we start a tractor, drive Stewardship is an ethic that embodies the responsible planning and a car, or turn on the air conditioner. It seems pretty minor in the big management of resources. The concepts of stewardship can be applied scheme of things. Until recently we did not think about cows burping or to the environment and nature, economics, health, property, information, manure storage gases. There is much we need to learn.” theology, cultural resources etc. Wikipedia Research is needed to continue to develop best practices. “Scientific “Obviously net zero has to start with being good stewards of ourselves, investment and inquiry must help us determine what best practices can our families, our communities. In our industry, it also applies to our and will look like. On-farm innovation, testing, failure, and success will employees, our cattle, our land, and our environment. All this has to be also contribute to increasing our knowledge,” Noble said. “Each of our accomplished by protecting the economic health of our businesses,” businesses are different. Different locations, land resources, economic said John Noble, Noblehurst Farms, who served on the “Sustainability situations, and a myriad of other drivers. Recognizing our responsibility on the Farm and the Net Zero Initiative” panel at the Northeast Dairy to be good stewards and participating in the process is important.” Management Conference. “Net zero by 2050 sets the goalpost. There is no crystal ball to guide us,” Noble sees net zero as just another aspect of doing good business. “As Noble said. “We will, however, discover techniques and tools to reduce, our businesses evolve, knowledge is gained, and best practices change. capture, and utilize these greenhouse gases. We will discover, perhaps, We conform to changing consumer preferences and needs. We conform genetic differences for the cattle, feed additives, and feeding techniques. to changing societal norms and we adapt to changing public policy We will discover effective strategies to sequester carbon in our soils and regulations. One could cite specific examples in animal husbandry, forests. We have to recognize the road to net zero will not be straight. employee management, community interaction, land management, There will be failures. Public and private dollars will be spent erroneously water management or any number of specific issues we deal with in (with the benefit of hindsight). However, this cannot deter us from our the dairy industry. Air quality is the most recent example,” Noble said. stewardship ambitions.” 11 THE MANAGER | PRO-DAIRY Published by Progressive Dairy Leadership insights LEADERSHIP GROWTH Caroline Potter and Julie Berry The Northeast Dairy Management Sustainability on the farm and the Net Conference is focused on growing the Zero Initiative, cont’d from page 11 leaders of today and tomorrow. In this roundtable of New York dairy industry to the microbes that produce methane. • And, tied in with reducing the Feed leaders we share thoughts of recipients Starved microbes equals less long-term Print, employ low-tillage options to of the Dick Popp Memorial Leadership storage methane emissions. reduce diesel use. Award, presented by the Northeast • Install a gas-tight impermeable Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) cover to capture biogas. In moderate HOW CAN MODELS HELP US at the conference, and the PRO-DAIRY and cold climates, ensure the biogas is ASSESS WHERE WE ARE IN Agriservice Award, presented at the Great collected and flared. In hot climates, TERMS OF GREENHOUSE New York State Fair. use the biogas to produce renewable GASES AND TRACK “I have had the privilege of engaging electricity (RE) or renewable natural gas PROGRESS? dairy farmer leaders in New York and (RNG). Covering a manure storage also Well-developed models are essential beyond for nearly 25 years, including all reduces fuel costs and associated GHG to estimate and track a farm's GHG of the leaders recognized in this article. emissions in humid regions because less footprint. Models are important because Common threads among them include an rainfall mixing with manure results in it is impractical to measure GHG entrepreneurial spirit, tremendous passion less material transported and applied to emissions from cows, feed production, and dedication to their families and to fields. manure management, and energy use on their businesses, and a calling to serve the • Anaerobically digest manure and individual farms. Several GHG emission dairy industry more broadly for the overall ensure the biogas is captured and used models exist today. Many are more good of the industry,” said Cornell CALS to produce RE or RNG. general in nature and not dairy-focused, PRO-DAIRY Director Thomas Overton. • Consider co-digestion of community especially when evaluating emissions “We are proud to recognize these leaders.” substrates, most notably pre- and post- from a whole-farm (cradle to farmgate) Recipients have a humble, servant- consumer food byproducts and wastes. perspective. The industry will benefit leadership focus, with a clear desire to At this time, co-digestion is required from a whole-farm GHG accounting give back to the industry, an appreciation for a farm to approach Net Zero GHG model that also can assist the farmer for learning from innovative, forward- emissions or have a GHG footprint of less to make decisions about possible thinking progressive people, whether than zero. capital investments in environmental they are farmers or involved in the dairy stewardship interventions, both from industry, and a recognition of receiving ENERGY a possible return on investment and more through their service than what they Although the Energy Print is the reduced GHG footprint perspectives. give. smallest GHG footprint from producing There is quite a bit to a model that has milk, it is important to reduce these this capability, and its on-farm utility SERVICE emissions because CO2 lasts in the will hinge on farmers having the right, John Noble, Noblehurst atmosphere 1,000 years while methane and good quality, data. Farms Inc: has served on only lasts about 20. the N.Y. and national • Use as many electric motors as Curt Gooch, Land O'Lakes - Truterra; DHIA (Dairy Herd possible. Electric motors are much Jamie Jonker, National Milk Producers Improvement Association) more efficient than diesel fueled Federation; John Noble, Noblehurst boards, the N.Y. internal combustion engines. Consider Farms; and Mike Van Amburgh, Cornell Agricultural Society switching to electric pumps when a new University, were on the top-rated board, as a Cornell pump is required. Green energy can be “Sustainability on the Farm and the Net University trustee, and on purchased from the grid to meet the Zero Initiative” panel, moderated by various other boards. He electrical demand of a farm. Tom Overton, Cornell CALS PRO-DAIRY, received the Dick Popp Award in 2022. • Don't idle diesel engines past what at the Northeast Dairy Management “Receiving the Popp leadership award is needed for turbo cool-down. Although Conference. Conference recordings was humbling, and it was exciting to look idling only uses a small amount fuel, if and proceedings are available at out over the audience and see so many many farms cut back, this can have in cals.cornell.edu/pro-dairy. Discover young faces who are enthusiastic about impact. more at usdairy.com/sustainability. production agriculture. I and others like JULY 2021 | MANAGING INPUTS 12 me didn’t have a grand design and aren’t Ontario, Finger Lakes, Western New York, Leadership insights looking for accolades. We’re driven by and the Southern Tier associations into Caroline Potter and Julie Berry learning and curiosity. Humility and a Western New York Farm Credit willingness to learn are key,” Noble said. Association. He also served as a director of Upstate Niagara for 20 plus years during Maureen Torrey, Torrey the merge of Upstate Milk Co-op and Farms, LLC: has served Niagara Milk Co-op, and during the build Workforce Development, church, and the industry for over 50 of several cultured milk plants and Hospice. King has chaired some of the years, beginning in high expansion from three original milk plants committees she served on and enjoys school where she was in to the present nine milk plants. One of his collaborating with and learning from charge of the veg-crop proudest accomplishments was being a other business owners and professionals. display at the state fair for founding partner, along with Dick Popp, 10 days, as an assistant neighbor Dale Van Erden, and other active “I was taught that to have a voice you leader in 4-H, and a N.Y. New York dairy farmers, of the Northeast need to be present for the conversation,” Farm Bureau (NYFB) state and then Dairy Producers Association. He received King said. national Youth Power winner. Her activity both the NEDPA Dick Popp Award (2002) evolved and after college she was an and the PRO-DAIRY Agriservice Award David Fisher: served Extension educator in Wayne County and (2018). starting in 4-H, and then then was the first woman hired by Holstein club in high Chiquita to manage merchandising in their “The Dick Popp Award is the most school and college. stores in western N.Y. She got bored with precious of the awards I have received Cornell gave him that job and returned to the home farm. in my long career as a farmer. They said connections, She received the NEDPA Dick Popp Award some nice things about me followed opportunities, and in 2021. by Dick Popp’s widow and daughter opened doors years later “Leadership came naturally. I was and presenting me with a plaque and a hug that he did not expect, am driven by a passion for agriculture, the that I will forever treasure. That plaque including service on the Cornell Animal people, and the industry,” Torrey said. looks down on me in my office. Dick Popp Science ag group and the CALS dean's has long been my hero and the hero of advisory council. He also served on the Dale Van Erden, Van the whole Northeast dairy industry. His NEDPA board and as chair. Locally he Erden Family, LLC: has design of dairy facilities with California served on the Soil and Water served nine years on the style parlors and breezeways was copied Conservation District board, the County Dairylea board, on the when we built our own milking parlor,” Farmland Protection board, and in many Cayuga Marketing board, Mueller said. Farm Bureau roles, including county, on the NEDPA board and state, and national. as president, on the Mapleview Dairy LLC Fabius planning board, Mapleview Dairy, owned and operated “It has always been expected in our and on the local DHIA by the Fisher family, received the PRO- family that we be involved and try to help, board as president. He received the DAIRY Agriservice award in 2017. Fisher said. NEDPA Dick Popp Award in 2018. “It’s the adage that if you don’t go to LouAnne (Fisher) King: Jon Greenwood, the polls and vote, don’t complain. Well, The Fisher family has a Greenwood Dairy: has if you’re not serving in the dairy industry, history of involvement in served in a number of don’t complain about the direction,” Van industry organizations New York Farm Bureau Erden said. both locally and roles, including young statewide. LouAnne farmer representative George Mueller, Willow served in 4-H, school, and chair, on the board Bend Farm, LLC: has Dairy Promotion, and Jr. and national committees, served as the Ontario Holstein roles that and as vice president, County Farm Bureau evolved into both industry and and also on the northern N.Y. Ag Program president, Ontario County community participation, including board, as a county legislator, and on the Extension president, and NEDPA, Farm Credit East, Holstein USA NEDPA board and as chair. He received on the N.Y. Farm Net Legislative Affairs, local and N.Y. Dairy the PRO-DAIRY Agriservice Award in board of directors. He Promotion, and PRO-DAIRY and Cornell 2016. served 20 years on the Farm Credit board Animal Science advisory roles. Local of directors during the merge of Lake involvement includes Assessment Review, Continued on page 14 13 THE MANAGER | PRO-DAIRY Published by Progressive Dairy LEADERSHIP GROWTH interest? We have found all sorts of ways in a support role. It allows you to support, to preserve forests, battlefields, unique mentor, and grow other leaders. Leadership insights, cont’d from page 13 landscapes, recreation, and even swamps. Dale Van Erden: In an industry that Meanwhile cropland, especially reasonable has been good to me I feel an obligation “You can’t make a difference if you level cropland, continues to be considered to give back. It’s important to be proactive don’t show up,” Greenwood said. idle or vacant waiting for something and be involved so you participate in the ‘useful to happen to it’. Establishing a land direction of our industry. Legislation, George Allen, Allenwaite trust for the purpose of protecting ag regulation, the cooperative, processing, Farm: has served when lands as a local response became another all need to be connected back to the important issues or endeavor,” Allen said. He received the production of dairy. developments surfaced PRO-DAIRY Agriservice Award in 2012. It’s important to get involved in all of and based on individual “Much of this might better be termed the demographics in the leadership of our interests. Both the N.Y. active participation; leadership sometimes industry, from small farm to large farm, Department of a consequence,” Allen said. from younger to older, and so forth. You Environmental need a balance in the boardroom. The Conservation and the U.S. WHY BECOME INVOLVED? Northeast faces specific challenges, from Environmental Protection Agency were John Noble: Serving in leadership climate change, to regulation, to taxes, and established during his college years, so positions gave me an opportunity to geography. We need producer involvement Allen inadvertently had a front row seat interact with others who were “heading to steer direction for the long-term and hearing the lofty objectives set forth. It to where the puck was going”. When you to be able to compete with other regions was clear to Allen environmentalism wasn’t interact with others who are innovative of the U.S. If we don’t attempt to lead and just an enhancement of conservation and pushing the envelope it is stimulating. represent ourselves, someone else will, practices being used in agriculture, but he You bring that back to your own business and not necessarily in a beneficial fashion. had no idea how much of a shift it and use it to propel it forward. For George Mueller: I have always wanted represented. During those years a favorite example, in my early career I worked with to be a farmer since I gave up the idea of theory in academia was the certainty of a spectacular leaders in dairy who were on being a railroad engineer or a steam boat looming mini-ice age and as a student he the DHIA board. People like Dick Popp, captain in first grade. Once involved in wondered how a N.Y. dairy farmer was Dave Porter, Dale Van Erden, Ron St. John, farming, the need to improve the industry going to cope with that. Now the looming and others. It was out of that interaction here in N.Y. state is just good business. As threats are considered something of the about current nutrient management leadership roles come, it is part of your opposite, but the challenge to the industry issues that the Northeast Dairy Producers responsibility to do your share to help remains the same; how best to respond? Association was born. the farm community we work in. As a A farm accident injury and personal Maureen Torrey: I could see that it participant in farmer organizations I have experiences with Workers’ Comp led Allen was the future, if you don’t help shape certainly gained much more than I have to an interest in establishing ag safety the outcome, the outcome is generally contributed. We are blessed to have the groups for cost control and on-fam safety less than you desire. I had many great excellent farm organizations we have in awareness and training. role models around me. Laing Kennedy N.Y. Allen values information exchange and who became the hockey coach at Cornell LouAnne King: When our family sharing in the industry and has been active was a great role model. Richard and Bob was young, my involvement was locally- in local Cooperative Extension and was a Call who helped develop the idea for ag based, but we know that state/national/ proponent of PRO-DAIRY’s development. districts to protect and promote land for international policies and markets are He also supports attracting the next farming and fellow farmers were great role impacting our industry so I am glad for generation of agriculturalists through 4-H models. There were strong agricultural the opportunity to learn, question, and and FFA. leaders all around me. And I could see that contribute to these conversations, which “Especially after the passage of the hard work could get results and help shape can have an impact. Recently, my husband Swampbusters legislation in 1985, in the direction and future of agriculture. told a friend that I said, “We are not the which preservation of wetlands became a I also feel it’s important to be involved wait and see kind of people”. I think that priority, and the on-going encroachment in other organizations to bring more to the sums it up pretty well. of suburbia onto farmland the question table from agriculture. I have participated David Fisher: If you want to continues of where do agricultural lands in many other organizations as a leader make a difference you need to be in and productivity fit into the national (e.g., Federal Reserve Bank board), but also the conversation. My parents and JULY 2021 | MANAGING INPUTS 14 grandparents were always involved in people in government positions brings more than just ag. Community and church, a lot to the table for our agricultural speakers at meetings gives a very different and our philosophy of trying to leave industry. It’s important for people to be perspective when returning to the farm. things better than you find them, in all engaged and represent their industry, Just being around other wonderful aspects of life. I never went into anything even if for a short time. successful business people makes it fun looking for leadership, but just trying Dale Van Erden: You learn a lot from and challenging. Most rewarding is being to make a positive impact and help the other people and about the other pieces in able to see something that has been industry or organization. I have often said the dairy industry. It connects production advocated for has an impact. if I can help I will try my best. agriculture back to industry. Leadership Jon Greenwood: I was able to meet Jon Greenwood: I have always been roles contributed to my personal with a lot of great, knowledgeable people, interested in policy issues and wasn’t development and I was able to take that and ask questions that helped in my seeking leadership roles, but was asked back to my business. It helps develop a business. It is eye-opening, especially for and encouraged by others who came vision for the future of your business. someone who didn’t grow up on a farm. before me. The old cliché about it’s those George Mueller: By meeting with Working on a board is different from who show up that are heard, and that fellow farmers who have their farms under running a business. You learn patience is true. There are a lot of people who control enough to attend meetings is and how to bring people along with you. would speak up on your behalf who don’t always an educational experience. Getting There’s value in learning that process to necessarily hold the same views. to know other progressive farmers, and impact issues and make a difference. For George Allen: I don’t know if I ever being invited to visit, is a great method to example, in N.Y. I believe we have good, thought about it as a choice. Rather, I promote the sharing of ideas in our dairy workable CAFO policy around nutrient think, following the example of my parents industry and our whole ag industry. We management that farmers are able to and grandparents. are blessed in our state to have a strong work with and which contributes to good Extension system, and all the other farm water quality. This came from farmers and VALUE OF SERVICE organizations that have meetings and other key stakeholders working with our John Noble: It broadens your publications to help us share ideas to regulating agencies. experience and gives you the opportunity improve our farm and our industry. My There are a lot of dedicated and to see what others are doing as well and participation and modest leadership in talented people working in the industry. deepens your understanding of all the organizations has kept me abreast of latest They are great people to be around pieces tied into production agriculture. happenings and events in our industry. and when you can leave re-energized For example, LEAD NY helped me to better As a city boy who wanted to be a farmer I and invigorated it’s a great feeling and understand food systems on a broader could not have been more blessed than by contributes in a positive way to your level. These kinds of experiences help an ag community that welcomed me in if business. put the pieces of the puzzle together and I was willing to work hard. Also marrying George Allen: On the family level, the contribute to the vision for your business Mary Lue Morgan, a farmer’s daughter, most meaningful aspect is participating and where it fits in the future. By far you sure helped my career. In a small way in activities that can make this industry receive more value than you give when we have tried to keep farming open and an attractive alternative out of many from you engage in your industry. welcoming to others who also have the which to choose for the next generation, Maureen Torrey: The value has been same strong desire. not an albatross hung on them. These tremendous. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge LouAnne King: I have learned so much activities increasingly involve issues that and I’ve watched people I’ve mentored from listening and interacting with other cannot be solved single-handedly and blossom, shaping policy, and impacting managers, public figures, and peers. I that’s where the value of investing time agriculture for this generation and the have gained a better understanding of with others in seeking solutions accrues. next. I’m still hopeful for immigration what influences the industry and our We often are not in the position of being reform. I value bringing commodity communities. able to set the agenda, but we do not have groups together and my experience from David Fisher: Just getting away and to be subservient to it, which is exactly the vegetable to the dairy side. Seeing having time to think about the farm what happens when we don’t effectively Agricultural Workforce Development while not there or traveling is good for state our case. come to fruition has been rewarding. The me. Meeting and learning from others, people and friendships I’ve made have hearing different ideas and perspectives, Caroline Potter (cjh42@cornell.edu) been tremendous. There’s value in the I have stolen so many ideas from others. and Julie Berry ( jrb7@cornell.edu) are grassroots experiences. Interacting with The outside the box thinking of so many both on the PRO-DAIRY team. 15 THE MANAGER | PRO-DAIRY Published by Progressive Dairy It’s Magnesium. It’s Calcium. It’s the cost-saving rumen buffer your dry, transition, and lactating cows need. It’s MIN-AD. Sourced from a single, high-purity mine, MIN-AD® is a premium-quality rumen buffer that delivers the essential minerals necessary to smooth the twists and turns associated with dry, transition, and lactating cows. 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