Note: This is the sixth article for Progressive Dairyman about dairy culture. Since we first offered organizational culture inventory (OCI) assessments to dairy producers and their teams, data has been collected from 37 U.S. dairies including more than 600 participants.

Out the window of our Twin Falls, Idaho, office we have a privileged view of both Perrine Bridge/Snake River base jumpers, as well as the evolution of dairy market hedge plans. Some may consider a leap into dairy marketing as frightening as a jump off a bridge to the canyon floor nearly 500 feet below.

You’ve formed a limited liability corporation (LLC) and taken the initial legal steps toward a dairy farm succession plan. Don’t just put that plan in a filing cabinet or safe.

After raising the benchmark interest rate just once in seven years, the Federal Reserve increased the rate 0.25 percent in December 2016 and hinted three similar increases may be coming in 2017.

Despite being in an economic downturn, opportunities for growth remain in agriculture. “There are very few industries that have the growth potential this industry does.

For John, the focus was never about just making money. What started as a desire for independence quickly became a quest for sustainability and long-term success. John readily admits, “Nothing great is ever accomplished as a solo affair.”

If you thought dairying has been volatile the last few years, shifts in fundamental economic drivers could make dairying a much more expensive endeavor in the years ahead.

“Change is happening out there!” Mike Hutjens exclaimed as he enthusiastically began his presentation on the opportunities and solutions for dairy producers in 2017 and beyond at the recent Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference held in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

In 2010, I retired as the CEO of Southeast Milk Inc. (SMI), a Florida-based regional dairy cooperative. From July to November of last year, seven years after retiring, I returned to SMI as the cooperative’s interim CEO. During those seven years some things changed and some things remained the same. Let me share with you the major ones.

2017 is a year of changes for the dairy industry. An upgraded Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program, activation of the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) use restrictions in a large part of the country and government policy changes will have numerous implications from the perspective of employee management.