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.
The Professional Dairy Managers of PA (PDMP) ‘Fall Forum’ on November 8th in Adams County, PA is designed to give PA dairy producers all the information they need to be among those granted implementation dollars for farm improvements that can reduce the methane and nitrous oxide emissions coming from their dairy cows.
“Even if producers are only just thinking about installing or adopting new technology or practices, which might also help reduce the greenhouse gasses coming from their cows and perhaps generate some revenue in the carbon market, they don't want to miss the PDMP Fall Forum, where they will get all the information they need to tap this new grant that will actually pay to implement those practices,” said Allen Behrer, PDMP President and dairy operator from Huntingdon County. “Attendees will learn what kind of projects the grants will cover, and which will be prioritized for funding, what producers need to apply, and what we’re learning about leveraging climate footprint reductions toward efficiencies and diversified revenue to help the dairy’s bottom line.”
The new grants through the Center for Dairy Excellence are now available for dairies, of 35 cows or more, to work with the ag engineer of their choice to plan, design and permit projects, and to pay for purchase, construction and other implementation costs. On November 8th, PDMP and their partners in the project will offer a step-by-step explanation of how dairy farms can be among the first to qualify for a grant from the newly acquired $10 million now available in Pennsylvania to put technologies and practices directly on the dairy operation that just might help reduce their carbon footprint and add an additional revenue stream.
“If dairy producers continue to be pressed to reduce their carbon footprint, then we must give them every opportunity and all the assistance available to do so, without putting their farm businesses at even more of a disadvantage,” added Behrer.
PDMP is bullish about this project with Center for Dairy Excellence and Penn State, not only because it puts implementation dollars in the hands of producers, but it will also give PA producers much needed benchmarks and measurements and to know how much the practices employed on the farm help reduce emissions. “We need to know the true value of the mitigation practices we employ in a carbon market so we can negotiate to our advantage and have realistic ROI estimates when determining in which to invest,” Behrer added. Producers attending the PDMP Fall Forum will be the first to learn how they can tap these implantation resources and they share their priorities for the carbon offsets they produce to help establish a carbon market that results in true value for farm income.
Attendees will also be the first to see plans for a major initiative to connect consumers to where their food come from in an entertaining and interactive way. Participants on November 8th will be treated to a taste of what is envisioned for the PA Ag Discover Center with a tour of the “Beyond the Battlefield” Museum in Gettysburg.
Advanced registration is requested, and free to dairy producers. Lunch is included as well the following visit through the museum . For more details or to register, call the PDMP Registration Office at 877-326-5993 or go to the Upcoming Events page at www.pdmp.org to download a registration form or to register online.
The ‘Fall Forum’ is part of the Professional Dairy Managers of PA’s ongoing commitment to offer programs to help producers improve their productivity and profitability with continued stewardship of our animals, environment, and community. Workshops such as these help producers keep abreast of the latest technologies and management techniques, and provide important networking opportunities. Registration for the Fall Forum is kept at a minimum, or free with the support of event sponsors including: PA Center for Dairy Excellence, the Penn State University, PA Dairymen’s Association, Acuity Advisors and CPAs, American Dairy Association North East, Horizon Farm Credit, King’s AgriSeeds, and Land ‘O Lakes, Inc.
