The High Plains Dairy Conference kicked off in Amarillo, Texas, at the Ambassador Hotel March 11-12. As is customary for the conference, producers took part in two days of educational presentations and networking that organizers hope will help them improve their dairies. Success through people Tom Fuhrmann talked about management systems and how to get more out of your dairy and your employees, especially Hispanic workers. He emphasized the differences between American culture and Hispanic culture and why those differences may get in the way of some of the results producers expect out of their new managers.

For its 50th anniversary, the Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) Farm Show received a most appropriate gift – plenty of golden sunshine. Unseasonably warm temperatures attracted 23,000 visitors from throughout Wisconsin, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Minnesota, Illinois and Canada to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) grounds in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, March 30-April 1.

All Ohio dairy farmers were invited to attend the Ohio Dairy Forum on March 31, 2010. The forum’s featured speakers presented federal dairy policies that are being discussed around the country and helped dairy farmers gain a better understanding and a more comprehensive insight to the design of the policies.

More than 1,300 dairy producers and industry representatives gathered in Madison, Wisconsin, March 16-17 for the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW) Business Conference. The annual conference brings together producers from across the country to learn and share ideas that will help make them successful in the year ahead.

Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative celebrated its 90th year of operation with record earnings of $14.5 million and reaffirmed its mission to maximize returns to members. CEO Jay Bryant announced the year-end results at the Annual Meeting held in Ellicott City, Maryland, on March 26 and continued on March 30 in Asheville, North Carolina.

The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association’s annual conference wrapped up on March 25. By all accounts, it was a very successful meeting and trade show. More than 300 growers, producers, veterinarians, academia, and dairy industry representatives attended the conference March 23-25 in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Kansas Department of Commerce and the western Kansas Rural Economic Development Alliance (wKREDA) hosted a day-long bus tour, designed to showcase Kansas as an ideal location for dairy farmers. About 25 dairy producers attended the tour and came from a variety of locations, including Kansas, Tennessee, Virginia and Saudi Arabia.

The newly renamed Professional Dairy Producers Foundation, formerly known as the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Education Foundation, has received a commitment from a Wisconsin producer that shows he is proud to dairy. Mitch Breunig of Mystic Valley Dairy LLC donated Jenny-Lou Million 2719 for this year’s PDPF fundraiser auction held March 16-17.

Maryland & Virginia Milk Producer Cooperative Association hosted their annual Young Cooperator Conference March 2-4 in Concordville, Pennsylvania. Twenty-four YCs gathered to hear about current issues in the dairy industry and build relationships with fellow young dairymen. After some icebreakers and get to know you games, the group was joined by the Maryland & Virginia field staff and management team to hear from Wawa Dairy’s marketing team.

After a year most experts are calling the worst dairy economic climate since the depression, California dairy families were in the mood to hear some brighter forecasts as they gathered in Modesto, California for Western United Dairymen’s annual convention. Several speakers gave credence to the convention theme “To a Brighter Future” as they noted some encouraging economic developments.