For most dairy producers, this is a slower time of the year. With a bit of free time in your hands, you should manage to make room for planning. We know that you dont like sitting behind a desk to scribble numbers on a piece of paper. Thats a female job I was once told. But this female job is a vital component of management.
First, you must do some short-term planning. What meetings will you attend in the next 2-3 months. Getting a free hat should not be an important criterion to your selection of meetings! In this issue of Buckeye Dairy News, we suggest a few meetings/conference/workshops that you, your spouse or employees should consider attending.
Second, the tax season should provide you with an incentive for long-range planning. In Northeast Ohio, Dairy Excel is offering four workshops titled Positioning Your Dairy. Participants will learn how to prepare long-range plans and what factors should be considered in the process. If you have an interest in the workshop but do not reside close to any of the four locations, call your county Ag. Extension agent. We'll see how we can accommodate your needs.
Why should you waste your time planning for the future if the world is coming to an end? The issue of Y2K is getting more and more attention by the news media. Some even predict an end to human life as we know it! What are facts and what is fiction? What should you do? To help you manage Y2K in your herd, we are reprinting an article written by Dr. Roger Cady from Washington State University that explains the problem, how it will affect you and how you should manage the crisis. Sit down, relax and enjoy (then start planning)!