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.

At the United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) annual meeting on March 2 in St. John’s, the first class of the Board Mentor Program was announced. Participants include Jason Griffin of Hastings, Kent Inniger of Middleton, Abigail O’Farrell of West Branch, Katelyn Packard of Manchester, and Sanne Van Loon of Saint Louis.
Board Mentor Program participants

UDIM launched the Board Mentor Program to develop and identify future dairy leaders, increase knowledge and understanding of UDIM programs, and spread the word about dairy promotion programs.

“UDIM offers many great programs to help dairy farmers better promote their agriculture story within their communities. I want to learn more about UDIM and their programs,” said Packard about her participation in the program.

Current UDIM board members will be actively involved with the program through sharing organization and program information with the group. Participants will be tasked with sharing this information with their peers and fellow dairy producers who have questions about checkoff. Communications workshops will help participants fine-tune their leadership skills by the end of the program.

“UDIM’s work promoting dairy foods keeps milk, cheese and yogurt top-of-mind with consumers and builds confidence in dairy farmers’ on-farm practices,” said Jim Reid, UDIM president and Jeddo, MI dairy farmer. “It’s important for the future of Michigan’s dairy community that we also attract new ideas and develop future dairy farmer leaders.”

Board Mentor Program participants will attend two of the four 2018 UDIM board meetings, learn about dairy promotion program updates and UDIM history, develop leadership and communication skills, and participate in dairy promotion events to see how UDIM’s programs connect to consumers.

About the United Dairy Industry of Michigan

The United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) is dedicated to serving Michigan’s hard-working dairy farm families and promoting Michigan’s locally produced dairy products. UDIM is the umbrella organization for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council of Michigan. These non-profit organizations provide dairy product promotion and nutrition education services on behalf of their funding members.