The 2015 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit that is hosted by The Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and the Center for Dairy Excellence and the two week countdown is underway. Many producers and organizations have registered and plan to be at the February 4-5 event, located at the Lancaster Marriot in Penn Square.Up to 25 students and young adults between the ages of 17 25 will receive financial assistance to attend the Dairy Summit. A special pre-conference reception for young entrepreneurs will be held the evening of February 3. The scholarships have been made available by the Pennsylvania Dairymen's Association and the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation. Successful scholarship applicants will be notified by January 31, 2015.
There will be multiple opportunities to visit exhibitors in the trade show area. This year, participants will get to enjoy cafeteria style seating for lunches in this area, with the forage competition winners and the more than 65 vendors all on display. Many activities, including Side Serving Discussions and Demonstration Areas will be held during the trade show times.
Side Serving Discussions are new this year and will be roundtable discussions held during lunch periods in the trade show area. They offer insight and sharing opportunities on key area that could be affecting your business. Grab your lunch and join a table the sparks your interest listed below:
- Wednesday, February 4, the topics will include: Satellite Dairies, Managing Grass Mixes for Forages, and EPA Permitting
- Thursday, February 5, the topics will include: Heat Monitoring & Ruminant Activity Detection Systems, App & Technology- Sharing Ideas, and Right to Know- ICE, OSHA, EPA
Demonstrations Areas will be stations that are open during all exhibit times and will be placed throughout the trade show area. The demonstrations will be led by the Penn State Extension Dairy Team and include:
- Tools to Improve your Milk Quality, Amber N. Yutzy, Dairy Herd Health Educator and Greg Strait, Agricultural Educator Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension
- Keeping Dairy Farm Employees and Family Members Safe, Ginger Fenton, Dairy Extension Educator and John Tyson, Agricultural Engineer Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension
- Mobile Apps and Other Tools for Producers 24/7, Heather Weeks Extension Educator, Dairy Profitability and Farm Bill Coordinator and Virginia Ishler, Extension Dairy Specialist Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension
More program details can be found by visiting www.padairysummit.org and clicking under the "Trade Show" tab. Please call 814-355-2467 or email info@padairysummit.org for additional questions and information.
1.20.2015