The 2016 joint annual meeting of the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA), National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB), and National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) was held Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Given the past year’s milk prices, times are hard out there right now for even very well-managed dairies. Tough times call for hard conversations and difficult decisions, and my role is often to lead the charge through uncomfortable situations in order to find the best solution for a dairy to work its way back into the black.

I’ve got good news and bad news. First, the good news: The global dairy market cycle has bottomed and is now beginning the process of rebounding. While international demand is finally showing signs of growth, the global supply of milk is also decreasing in every significant milk-producing region outside the U.S. But now the bad news: The recovery is going to be slow.

Digital video communication is changing life down on the farm. Dairymen are using the latest technology like never before, enhancing their operations in ways they could not have predicted just a few short years ago.

What happens if you are cow-rich, land-poor, and your son or daughter hates cows but loves driving tractors? I had a 500-cow dairy farm where one boy was into the cows, and the other boy did the field work.

Fifty years ago, Betty Rose Elliott could sign the checks, but she had to send a man to pick up parts at the local implement dealership because they refused to sell to a woman.

After seeing how popular his daughters’ (Anne Doe and Susan Blouin) maple products and goats’ milk soap were at the local Vermont farmers’ markets, Robert Gervais joked with them that they needed to open their own store. They responded, “Yeah, right.”

The greatest spectacle in racing – the Indianapolis 500 – has a unique tie to the dairy industry. As the winning driver completes the 200 laps and pulls into Victory Circle, two Indiana dairy farmers are waiting for that winner with the famous bottle of milk.

If you’ve headed home from a dairy meeting full of excitement from talking with friends, meeting new people or discussing technology, you’re not alone. The excitement when meeting with like-minded people who share the same passion is felt at every industry meeting and event.

“By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be boss and work 12 hours a day.”—Robert Frost We may have our daily schedule written down or have a good idea of what it looks like in our mind. Before we know it, we are double-booked and are trying to squeeze in one more thing. Then one kid sends a text: