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.
Three more Animal Care Workshops will be held this April for both English and Spanish-speaking dairy producers and their employees. The events will be held on April 1, April 8 and April 15, and they are hosted by the Center for Dairy Excellence, PA Beef Council, the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) and Penn State Extension. The workshops will focus on animal care skill-building to help dairy producers fulfill training requirements in four areas of the National FARM program. Attendees can also get certified in Calf Care and Quality Assurance (CCQA) or get recertified in Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) if they are interested. Following each workshop, attendees can take an optional tour of a nearby dairy operation. Biosecurity protocols will be closely followed during each farm tour.
“We’ve had about 80 individuals from dairy farms across the state join us for the first few workshops this spring. We’re looking forward to having more dairy teams join us this April for these free National FARM training opportunities that include a tour of other dairy operations,” said Valerie Mason-Faith, Risk Education Manager at the Center for Dairy Excellence. “After rotating through the four training areas during the workshops, you'll get a physical certificate that you can save in your files to show your commitment to FARM standards.”
The training areas for the workshops include:
- Antibiotic Stewardship, Pain Management, and On-Farm Chemotherapeutic Stewardship. What procedures do you have on your farm to ensure that all medications are being administered at the right time to the right animal at the right dosage – and that you are following all necessary meat and milk withholds?
- Calf Care and Nutrition. What Average Daily Gain (ADG) do you need to achieve in order to reach optimal growth targets by your desired Age at Calving?
- Biosecurity and Premise Mapping for Dairy Producers. What are the critical control points (CCPs) on your dairy farm where disease transmission risks are highest?
- Fitness for Transport and Quality Assurance. Are there any protocols or management decisions you could alter or areas to make improvements when it comes to fitness to transport and quality assurance?
The April events will be held on the following dates and locations:
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Crawford County)
- Crawford County Extension Office
- 1099 Morgan Village Road, Suite A
- Meadville, PA 16335
- Optional Dairy Farm Tour: Apple Shamrock Dairy Farm
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Mifflin County)
- Belleville Community Center
- 95 N. Penn Street
- Belleville, PA 17004
- Optional Dairy Farm Tour: Kish View Farm
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Bradford County)
- Troy Fire Hall
- 88 Firehouse Drive
- Troy, PA 16947
- Optional Dairy Farm Tour: Gorrell Dairy LLC
To register for one of the free animal care workshops, call 717-346-0849 or visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/animal-care. Please include the names of employees who will be attending from your operation.
In addition to workshop partners and speakers, these events are made possible through support from dairy industry sponsors. Thank you to the following businesses for sponsoring the workshops: Centerra Co-Op, Fisher & Thompson, Huber’s Animal Health LLC, JBZ Dairy Advantage, Keystone BouMatic, Dairy Famers of America, Allegheny Ag LLC, Apex Ag-Tek Solutions, Bank of Bird-in-Hand, Belleville Livestock Market, Clover Farms, Dairy One, Dairyside Veterinary Service, Diamond V, Hoober, Inc., K&K Feeds, East Gate Feed & Grain, Lancaster DHIA, Maola Local Dairies, Mid-Maryland Dairy Veterinarians, Milk Barn, Organic Valley, Phibro Animal Health, Premier Select Sires, Reliance Bank, Udder Comfort, Univest, W.G. Dairy Supply, Inc., and Zoetis.
The National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring Responsible Management works to set the highest standards when it comes to animal care, workplace settings, and environmental and antibiotic stewardship. These workshops qualify as National FARM training for dairy producers and employees.
The Center for Dairy Excellence is a non-profit organization initiated by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture in 2004. Bringing together people from more than 40 different dairy organizations in Pennsylvania, the Center’s mission is to enhance the profitability of the dairy industry by empowering people, creating partnerships, and increasing the availability and use of resources. Learn more at centerfordairyexcellence.org
PDMP is a not-for-profit, farmer-driven organization advancing the State’s dairy industry through improved productivity and economic viability with continued stewardship of our animals, environment, and community. Programs offered by PDMP are designed by dairy producers for dairy producers. For more information on PDMP, visit their website at pdmp.org
The Pennsylvania Beef Council is a non-profit organization working on behalf of nearly 18,000 beef, dairy and veal producers in the Commonwealth. The Beef Council administers the Beef Checkoff Program assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef.
