The second session of a three part webinar series titled Dairy Business Management Success Today and Beyond will be held on Monday, June 6, from noon to 1 p.m. CDT. Registration for the webinar, hosted by the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW), is required by June 1.

Everyone is invited to attend Breakfast on the Farm on June 11, 8 a.m. to noon at The Dairy Center in Calmar, Iowa. The menu includes pancakes, sausage, eggs, coffee and milk. The family-oriented event includes a tour of the 250-cow dairy farm at The Dairy Center and a farm animal petting zoo.

What seemed like a technology that was only a dream a few years ago continues to make progress in Iowa and neighboring states. Robotic milking systems can be customized to the needs of each cow resulting in quality milk production. This automation frees up farmers to focus on other aspects of their farming operation and family activities. For producers looking to become more familiar with robotic milking and possibly adopting robotic milking technology, Iowa State University Extension (along with Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois) is leading tours for producers to visit current robotic installations.

Visit dairies from around the U.S. without leaving World Dairy Expo 2011. Virtual Farm Tours will focus on a variety of management topics, including: land conservation and forages, technology and innovation, unique marketing, robotic milkers, family transition, milk quality, reproductive success and transition cow management.

There is no better way to appreciate the delicious simplicity of dairy foods than experiencing a traditional breakfast on a Wisconsin dairy farm. Every June, dairy farmers throughout Wisconsin open their farms to the community and serve a big breakfast in celebration of June Dairy Month. It is an exciting opportunity to spend some time on a working dairy farm and get a firsthand look at what makes Wisconsin’s signature industry so special – all while enjoying a hearty, homemade breakfast.

The theme of the 2011 North American Manure Expo is Professionalism in Manure Management and will include commercial field demonstrations, "hands-on" product and safety education, educational sessions and commercial vendor displays. For the first time the event will be held in Nebraska at the Northeast Community College’s Ag Complex in Norfolk. It will take place on Wednesday, July 20, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Know Farming, Know Beef” was the theme of the checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI) 2011 Beef Boot Camp. The one and a half day conference was held in Hadley and Hatfield, Massachusetts, May 10 and 11. A total of 46 retail meat buyers, managers and directors participated in the event, the highest boot camp attendance for the NEBPI program to date. Retailers came from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Since its introduction in 2008, genomics has significantly changed how dairy cattle breeders choose sires and make matings for the next generation. In fact, genomics has likely made the biggest impact on dairy cattle selection in Holsteins, Jerseys and Brown Swiss since the introduction of genetic evaluations nearly five decades ago. With any new science, there are opportunities and concerns as it is incorporated into the dairy operation. To help breeders better understand the impact of genomics and how the technology may fit into their breeding program, the Wisconsin Holstein Association will be hosting a forum to discuss this pressing matter. The town hall meeting will take place on Thursday, July 21, at 1 p.m. at the Rib River Ballroom located at 3237 State Highway 29, Marathon, Wisconsin. The four genomic specialists will provide the opportunity for dairy producers throughout the Midwest to ask questions and get answers regarding genomics. All interested in dairy genetics are welcome to attend the afternoon event.