Production growth, dairy price inflation and the strength of exports will be key features of the 2023 dairy producer financial picture.

What once was old is new again after an old cheese factory was rebuilt into an eight-room boutique hotel, restaurant, café and micro-dairy plant. 

No industry is immune from disruptions, but dairy can survive and thrive through innovation, building relational trust and being active participants in government, speakers told producers and allied industry representatives during the 2023 Dairy Strong conference.

“We absolutely loved the sustainability aspect and were really impressed by Rogue Creamery’s use of technology – the use of artificial intelligence robots, RFID chips, etc. David [Gremmels] explained all the benefits and demonstrated how the entire dairy could be run from the apps on the dairy manager’s phone, which we found fascinating.”

In the social media world, “influencer” has become a term used to describe someone who can sway a target audience, often measured by the number of their “followers.” We took a broader, perhaps “old-school” approach, seeking individuals who personally shape, engage, motivate and inspire others, creating a positive impact locally, regionally and/or nationally. 

As I reflect on my career working for America’s dairy farmers, it’s important to know that it began with a single, deeply entrenched personal premise:

When Kimberly Little, owner of Little Moments Photography, posted her Christmas calf mini session photos of 6-month-old John Waylon and her Jersey calf named Rudolph, she never expected it to go viral on Facebook.

In 4-feet-high letters strung across the front of the manure pit on Ryans Glade Farm, a twinkling light display reads “Moo Moo Moo Dairy Christmas” – a dairy farmer's take on “Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas.”