The WMMB Link: Commitment to lifelong learning and teaching

The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

Being a successful dairy farmer today is a commitment to continuous improvement. Not only to grow and learn, but also to teach.

Kay Zwald

Whether it is information and technology or equipment enhancements, there are technologies that will enhance our industry while delivering a sustainable, affordable, and nutritious supply of dairy products to consumers. It’s exciting to see collaboration between both producers and industry professionals to help improve our efforts on the farm and in the dairy isle.

These strong collaborative efforts between farmers and Wisconsin dairy infrastructure help improve our efforts every step of the way from field to fork.

As dairy farmers we have to be proactive educators. We’re experts on what we do and need to take active roles in sharing our knowledge. I understand it can be hard to make time for tours, but the reality is there is never a perfect time. Opening up our farm for tours is an opportunity for conversations and that can be the most impactful opportunity we have as individuals in bridging the gap between consumers and our dairy farm families.

While the weather is still cold and wet, there is no better time to think about hosting a tour. Did you know our check-off provides to farm tour resources that are readily available from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board? Our checkoff developed the Wisconsin Dairy Farm Tour Booklet to be a quick reference for helping you give a successful farm tour. The booklet was originally developed with school groups in mind, but the information it offers can be easily adapted to fit any touring audience.

Dairy farmers can also request materials ranging from dairy facts and stats and nutrition information, to coloring books and a bag for the kids to take everything home to share with their families. If interested in these materials for a farm tour call 800-373-9662 or visit http://www.wmmb.com/producers/farm-tour.

Besides tour resources Dairy farmers can receive key talking points, get training to enhance our communication skills or, when faced with the most difficult questions, ask WMMB to provide the most informed response possible. The possibilities are endless in terms of resources available for us to educate, we just need to continue our efforts and strive for continued improvement.