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Offered by Eric Hillan, PDPW President and dairy producer from Ladysmith, Wis., and Vice President Mark Diederichs, dairy producer from Malone, Wis.
PDPW is a producer-led organization that encourages producers to take active responsibility for their own professional development. We are an organization representing every type and size of dairy operation across the nation.
Our vision for our industry.
Our producer-led board believes it is our responsibility to be a voice for the independent, professional dairy producer, and so we engaged in a strategic planning process that both helps our organization, and also helps define industry issues from a producer perspective.
VISION: “A financially, socially and transitionally sustainable and diversified industry.”
- “Financially sustainable” means each producer needs to focus on their own individual profitability and success—determining what you can and cannot control and seeking resources to succeed.
- “Socially sustainable” means we need to help build consumer trust in the food industry, the social acceptability of what we do, have our own houses in order, and become better at telling our story. Animal care, managing the land, caring for our people and providing food for others – that's what we are doing every day. Let's make sure we are leading positive discussions and not reacting to others who may have an agenda that is not fruitful.
- In order to be “transitionally sustainable,” the industry needs to help producers transition their businesses, and we need to grow that next generation of capable producers.
- Finally, “diversified” means we do all these things regardless of farm size, geography or type of operation. A 100-cow dairy can be just as professional and profitable as a 1,000 cow dairy. As far as the consumer is concerned, milk is our product, and so milk is our brand to be protected and promoted across a diverse industry.
Progress is being made toward that vision. The PDPW 2011 Business Conference is the place where producers of all types and sizes will come together to learn and exchange ideas on these topics. This year's conference is intentionally focused on issues related to the vision.
Our “Clarion Call” to all dairy producers:
We are privileged to be in an industry where producers remain independent professionals, and our businesses are largely family-owned, many through generations.
With privilege comes responsibility. Consumers want us to prove that trust is deserved, in the systems we set up for ourselves, the way we talk about what we do, and the product we deliver to the table. We must be on a continuous path for improvement, better understand our consumers, and train and educate those who work alongside us on our dairies.
PDPW, as a producer-led professional development organization, is committed to helping producers BE, and BE SEEN AS, professionals in today's world. We ask our fellow dairy producers to
- Join us on this quest for continuous improvement—and true professionalism in our industry.
- Stay focused on what you can control.
- Learn by networking with other producers, and
- Be confident in what you do every day.
It all comes together at PDPW's 2011 Business Conference:
This year's Business Conference, March 15 & 16 in Madison , Wis. , is themed “Pathways to Profit.” Please join your fellow dairy producers in networking, learning, and finding your own pathway to profit. Registration for the conference is available here on the PDPW web site. Get the latest updates here on our web site, and find us at www.facebook.com/dairyproducers .
COMMENTS? Please voice your opinion. Send an email to LeadersVoice@pdpw.org. |
