Dairy producers and their milkers can learn the essentials of quality milk production at the upcoming Best Milking Practices workshops to be presented by Penn State Dairy Alliance. Use of consistent milking practices that emphasize teat cleanliness, udder massage and rapid milking is one of the most important jobs on a dairy farm. Consistency of milking affects cow well-being, mastitis risk and milking speed. Consistent use of standardized milking practices such as pre-dipping, fore-stripping, drying teats with a single-use towel, unit alignment, and rapid unit attaching and detaching at the right time are essential for quality milk.

Minnesota Milk is hosting a webinar on Feb. 3 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. titled, “Forming Your Farm’s Legal Entity: Why is it important and what are my options?

Feb. 28 is the date and the people side of business transition is the topic of the next PDPW World-Class webinar. Leading the “Compensation: Why Pay is a Critical Business Strategy” presentation will be Dr. Donald Jonovic, Family Business Management Services. The Monday, Feb. 28, PDPW World-Class Webinar will begin at noon CST and last for 60 minutes.

The sixth annual Dairy Business Association's (DBA) Expansion Symposium will be held Feb. 24-25, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The simple goal of growing Wisconsin's dairy industry is the charge DBA is leading at the 2011 Symposium. Following two years of low milk prices and increasing costs for corn and fertilizer, farmers need the skills necessary to help protect and grow their livelihoods. This year's Expansion Symposium will give attendees the information they need to keep their dairies progressive and profitable.

Dairy producers and their employees have the opportunity to improve their calf raising skills at the upcoming Calf Health and Management Workshops presented by Penn State Dairy Alliance. This Calf Health and Management Workshop will focus on calf care for animals from birth through 6 months of age. Colostrum management, calf health, vaccines for calves and younger heifers, calf and weaned calf housing, and calf and weaned calf nutrition are among the topics to be explored. Animal well-being issues will also be discussed.

For the first time in 44 years, World Ag Expo is going mobile. Available for both the iPhone and all phones with the Android Market, World Ag Expo's Application gives its users access to everything the expo has to offer. "World Ag Expo 2011 is themed Tools for Agri-Business, and our new app is just that - a tool for success at the expo," said Lee Coito, 2011 Chairman. "Our app adds another free option for our attendees, building on our success in providing tools to help attendees identify in advance the exhibitors and seminars they want to see."

The focus of the sixth annual I-29 Dairy Conference will be on helping dairy producers provide their cows with the best possible care. The event will be held Feb. 9-10, 2011, at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The following is a list of the seminars that will be conducted during World Ag Expo this year. Seminars will cover different topics each day. They will be held at the Expo Seminar Center. Individual information is included for the international trade, general agriculture and dairy seminars. For more information, visit www.worldagexpo.com International Trade Seminars Seminar Center, Tuesday, Feb. 8The Center for International Trade Development’s international trade symposium is focused on preparing you for the future in a global marketplace. Experts are here to tell you what your company can do to prepare for tomorrow’s global markets.

The ninth annual Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference (GLRDC) scheduled for Feb. 3-5, 2011, at the Bavarian Inn Lodge and Conference Center in Frankenmuth, Michigan, includes two days of educational sessions, one half-day of breed association and youth meetings and an industry-wide awards banquet honoring a host of industry winners including the MSU Dairy Farmer of the Year.