Mr. Chris Zoller, OSU Extension Educator, Tuscarawas County
It may seem a long way off, especially as you are managing the fall harvest, but winter will be here before we know it and along with it comes a variety of outstanding Extension workshops and educational seminars to help you be a better dairy producer. This winter will be no different. A team of Ohio State University Extension educators and specialists applied for and successfully obtained a grant from the USDA North Central Risk Management Education Center to develop a three-day workshop to address three important topics all dairy producers will face. The workshops will be conducted at four locations across Ohio and are targeted at those producers who expect to be in the dairy business for the next twenty years.
Each day has its own theme and will address specific issues related to the successful management of a dynamic dairy industry. I am a Manager, is the theme of day one at all locations. This session will provide you the opportunity to learn more about yourself and those around you by completing a “Colors” exercise, identifying goals for your business, and developing a mission statement for your farm.
The theme for day two is Information I Need to Be a Better Manager and will focus primarily on the economics of dairy production and what future managers will need to know and understand as the industry changes. Topics will include determining your cost of production, evaluating business alternatives, and developing budgets for the business.
The final day is titled Managing for the Future. This session will focus on two important functions of operating a dairy business: having a well developed business plan and the need to manage labor.
Along with funding from the North Central Risk Management Education Center, an excellent group of co-sponsors has realized the need for this educational program and have agreed to assist with promotion and recruitment efforts. Our co-sponsors include: Farm Credit Services, Ohio Dairy Producers, Dairy Farmers of America, Land O’Lakes Purina Feed and Affiliated Dealers and Co-ops, and the Ohio Dairy Veterinarians Association.
Registration details will be available soon. If you have questions about the workshops, please contact Chris Zoller (330-339-2337) or Dianne Shoemaker (330-263-3799).