Delicious, nutritious dairy products are the foundation for a wholesome meal or snack any time of the day – and what better time to promote the versatility of these foods than June Dairy Month.

June Dairy Month is a time for many dairy producers to open up their barn doors and educate the public through tours and community events. Some have even made it into a business. Whether you host an occasional elementary school tour or promote your farm as a tourist destination, there are a few things you should consider.

Imagine being part of a school where the agricultural curriculum offers the opportunity to tour progressive dairy farms that are embracing robotic milking technology, using methane to generate electricity and on the edge of innovation in the industry.

A record crowd of 4,250 people traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for the 2016 Central Plains Dairy Expo, March 29-31.

“Inspire” was the theme for the 24th annual Professional Dairy Producers Business Conference, which fulfilled its purpose of motivating and exciting more than 1,600 dairy producers and industry partners, March 16-17 in Madison, Wisconsin.

As dairy farmers who currently (Brian) and formerly (Ray) represented farmers on the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, we’ve attended our share of farm and trade shows.

More than 300 hoof trimmers, experts and allied industry supporters teamed up to tackle some of the toughest issues facing dairy animal foot health during the 2016 Hoof Health Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, Feb. 17-20.

Don’t miss out on the exciting lineup at this year’s Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) conference being held April 11-13 in Madison, Wisconsin.

The 2016 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference attracted more than 450 dairy industry enthusiasts to Mount Pleasant, Michigan, on Feb. 4-6 to hear about the global dairy market and learn from other dairy producers on various topics vital to production and profitability.

Have you ever had to deal with conflict on your farm? Do you have a preparedness plan in place the next time a crisis hits? Or do you just feel like going somewhere that doesn’t have snow in the middle of January?