This document will guide you to many of the resources available for training dairy farm employees.  Topics include:

Using a Facilitator to Keep Your Succession Planning Process on Track

Succession planning can be a daunting task.  Many farm managers, particularly in smaller businesses, may only be involved in succession planning once or twice in a lifetime, when getting into or out of the business.  Thinking about succession planning as a process rather than an event can help one gain perspective on the intentional time commitment required to make your transition plan work.

Working Paper

Achieving Improved Soil Health Outcomes While Maintaining or Improving Economic Viability: Case Study of a Dairy Farm Business in the Genesee River Watershed, New York

John Hanchar, Cornell University/College of Agric. & Life Sciences/CCE/Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program
Aaron Ristow, American Farmland Trust

Summary

• The owners and primary operators of the Mulligan Farm, a dairy farm business in the Genesee River Watershed of New York, like many farm business owners today, seek to achieve improved soil health and related outcomes while maintaining or improving economic performance.
• The Mulligan Farm has successfully planned and implemented numerous cropping system changes designed to achieve improved soil health and related results.
• Economic analysis suggests that successful implementation of soil health improving practices coincided with improved economic performance.

The new Dairy Forward program is a partnership between American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Chobani. This program aims to help select dairy farm families in New York access information and professional services to help plan for farm transitions in the face of tremendous challenges such as a weak dairy economy, disruptions from severe weather, and an aging farmer population. AFT will make grants of $500 to $5,000 for professional services that further goals associated with farm transfer and succession planning, farm business planning, permanently protecting land, or adopting regenerative farming practices. This is a great opportunity for dairy farm families who are thinking about transitioning their farm to a new generation, hoping to protect their farm, looking to improve farm profitability, or are interested in adopting regenerative practices. Applications are currently available until funds are used up. Funds will be paid directly to business providers.

Check out the latest issue of the Dairy Culture Coach: 

• Communicating with Your Multicultural Team
• What's Happening in Mexico and Guatemala
• Recognizing Your Team
• Covid-19 

Check out the latest issue of the Dairy Culture Coach! 

• COVID-19 Update
• Flu Season is Here
• Influenza (gripe) / Influenza (flu)
• Somatic Cell Count / Conteo de Células Somáticas
• Keep SCC Low / Mantener bajo el CCS

The latest issue of the Dairy Culture Coach is out, including the following:

• New and Effective Method for Cockroach Control
• What is the Census? 
• ¿Qué es el Censo?
• Encuesta Sobre COVID-19  Survey (For industry, dairy producers, and dairy farm workers)
• Spanish Farm Management Program Inquiry
• Farmworker Survey about COVID-19 from NYCAMH

Thanks and as always please reach out with any questions or comments!

Sound financial planning and control improve owner's abilities to manage their businesses during unfavorable economic conditions.  Consider the current environment affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lack of rain in many areas.  Budgeting is a valuable farm financial management practice for these situations.  Visit (Brandie, please insert link here) to learn more about budgeting and its value in managing your farm business.

This article shares resources from Pro-DAIRY to help you develop management strategies for your dairy moving forward.  It shares some lessons from the historical Milk Diversion Program that might help inform decision making in this price downturn.  Your business must be nimble and ready to change production practices to bring costs in line with the prices you are receiving and paying.  Eventually, markets will reopen and sales will return.  In the meantime, easing back on the throttle in how we manage cows and how many cows we keep could be good strategies for the current situation.

During times of financial difficulty it is important to be mindful and methodical in financial decision making. " Do's and Don'ts for Dairy farmers When Facing Financial Difficulty" provides guidance on making objective decisions during a financial downturn.

The latest issue of the Dairy Culture Coach includes the following topics:

• Reliable Resources for Spanish- & English-Speaking Farmworkers about COVID-19
• Spanish Webinar: Mastitis Treatment Decisions
• Growing Great People Webinars
• Bring Your Own Bag

Excerpts from information provided by Andrew Novakovic, PHD, Professor Emeritus, Cornell University and, Dr. Mark Stephenson, University of Wisconsin, Madison