Raising quality replacement stock involves spending money without an immediate return. UW-Madison’s Dairy Management Specialist Matt Akins will talk through the complex issues that interfere with having the right amount of high-quality heifers. Akins works with producers and industry professionals with a specific focus on the management and nutrition of dairy replacement heifers.  He also collaborates closely with scientists at the USDA-ARS Institute for Environmentally Integrated Dairy Management at the Marshfield Stations, working to solve problems related to interactions between agronomic practices, herd management protocols, animal facilities, and the environmental impact of dairy operations.

If you have a date/time conflict, you can watch the recorded session on-demand at your leisure from the PDPW World Class Webinar Library, following the Webinar date.  All past PDPW webinar sessions can be found online at the PDPW World Class Webinar Library – this incredible collection highlights key experts from around the globe. Find the greatest ideas, solutions and resources at www.pdpw.org/webinar_library.

PDPW’s World Class Webinars are perfectly suited for those who are not always able to leave the dairy for ongoing education on key dairy industry topics. For additional information regarding PDPW’s past or future webinar sessions, please contact us at mail@pdpw.org or by phone at 800-947-7379. Listen to Matt’s interview on Dairy Radio Now:

The Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety and Health (RFDASH) project provides farm safety tools and knowledge to rural firefighters through community colleges, emergency responder training events, and individual training officers. Fire departments, community colleges, and insurance companies in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois are currently participating. Dr. Casper Bendixsen is a project scientist with the National Farm Medicine Center. He tells us more on today’s Dairy Radio Now, sponsored by the PDPW, dairy’s professional development organization.

It is extremely important that employees have an understanding of exactly how your farm operates, according to Attorney George Twohig, who provides agricultural estate planning, corporate and real estate legal services in Wisconsin. He joined us on today’s Dairy Radio Now with some tips on writing a farm employee manual.

Just like big city stress – dairy producers have a lot on their shoulders  Dr. Josie Rudolphi, Associate Research Scientist with the National Farm Medicine Center joined us to spotlight the resources available and what Congress is doing to put farmers first.

This is the second part of our interview with Dr. Rudolphi, brought to you by the PDPW, dairy’s professional development organization.

Part I of our conversation with Dr. Josie Rudolphi, Associate Research Scientist with the National Farm Research Center. She gives us an overview of the recent research in the area of farmer mental health.

Something Special from Wisconsin™ is a trademarked marketing program administered by the Division of Agricultural Development of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, based in Madison, Wisconsin. Founded in 1983, the Something Special from Wisconsin™ program has helped its members stand out above the rest.  Products showcasing the logo enjoy a strong competitive edge with consumers.  Surveys indicate that over 70 percent of Wisconsin consumers are more likely to purchase a commodity made or grown in Wisconsin than one from outside the state.

Lois Federman is the Something Special from Wisconsin™ Program Director. She joined us on today’s PDPW’s World of Dairy segment to share insights into managing the day to day details including assisting program members with increasing their brand presence and sales through building networks and business education.

UW Discovery Farms develops on-farm and related research to determine the economic and environmental effects of agricultural practices on a diverse group of Wisconsin farms; and educates and improves communications among the agricultural community, consumers, researchers and policymakers to better identify and implement effective environmental management practices that are compatible with profitable agriculture.

Co-Director Amber Radatz tells us how farmers have learned through the years and continuous improvement of practice in water quality and soil health. Listen here:

In partnership with PDPW, UW Discovery Farms is presenting a Water Matters Tour in Verona, Wisconsin on June 26th from 9:30am-3:30 pm. Stops include SunBurst Dairy, City of Verona Public Works, and Wisconsin Brewing Company. Together, with community members, dairy producers, consumers and local elected officials, learn how we work together to keep our water safe and accessible.  Join for tours, discussions, solutions, and answers to your water quality questions.

The registration cost of $30/person includes bus travel, snacks, refreshments, and lunch.  Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Amber Radatz is Co-Director with Discovery Farms. Her work focuses on assisting farmers with issues related to manure management, water quality and nitrogen use efficiency, especially in western Wisconsin. She joined us on Tuesday’s Dairy Radio Now to preview this year’s tour.

For additional information or to register, call 800-947-7379 or email mail@pdpw.org.

Too often we hear or read of farm incidents where a farm worker or family member was seriously injured or killed, but injuries are preventable. Melissa Ploeckelman, outreach specialist with the National Farm Medicine Center says the center is providing resources to help drastically lower the number of on-farm accidents involving children.

She tells us about the UMASH Farm Safety Check – a quick monthly review to identify and fix potential hazards before they cause harm to your family and employees – and your bottom line.  Each month, Farm Safety Check focuses on a different topic, offering checklists and tips to help identify hazards, along with resources to remedy any problems.

Listen to Melissa Ploeckelman’s comments here:

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have teamed with the National Farm Medicine Center at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation to examine how farm environments, especially those with livestock, stimulate stronger immune systems and make children far less likely to develop allergic diseases.

The study is part of the five-year Wisconsin Infant Study Cohort (WISC) project. It is being funded by the National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the University of Wisconsin Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, and the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) at the University of Minnesota.

“If we can identify the key microbial exposures on farms, then we would want to offer it to non-farm kids,” said Casper Bendixsen, Ph.D., NFMC principal investigator for WISC. Listen to his comments on Dairy Radio Now, sponsored by the Professional Dairy Producers.