The Dairy Discussions: Risk Management and Labor Issues program is set for Tuesday, Dec. 4 at the Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach – Sioux County office in Orange City.
Dairy Discussions: Risk Management and Labor Issues grew out of concerns expressed by the Western Iowa Dairy Alliance (WIDA) board as to the hardships of finding qualified labor and keeping them in a depressed milk market. ICE raids earlier this year and the political climate in general, have heightened stress levels. Discussions will also include consistent labor management and how that relates to cow management, risk management tools, and a market update.
Dr. Hugo Ramirez, ISU Extension Dairy Specialist, will outline the importance of consistency when handling animals and teaching employees the reasons for specific protocols. He will discuss why farm guidebooks and manuals are especially vital in a tight labor market.
The second topic is risk management education, especially information on the new Dairy Revenue Protection program, LGM, contracts and other risk management tools. Ron Mortensen from Dairy Gross Margin, LLC, will lead the discussion and answer questions.
Bob Naerebout, with the Idaho Dairymen’s Association, will discuss responsible immigration reform. His role with the Idaho Dairymen’s Association is to lead the IDA in its government affairs and he continues to serve on various national dairy industry boards. Many of those boards’ primary goal is to see responsible immigration reform successfully moved forward. Naerebout currently serves on the Executive Committees of both the National Immigration Forum and the Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform. He is also a committee member of the University of Idaho Latino Advisory Committee and the National Milk Producers Federation Immigration Taskforce. Through his engagements surrounding immigration reform, Naerebout and the IDA have become widely recognized as a leader in the immigration reform debate.
ISU Extension Dairy Specialist Fred M. Hall will discuss current trends in the milk market and offer some useful benchmarks for dairymen as they evaluate their enterprise.
The day will begin with registration at 9:00 a.m. at the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County office located at 400 Central Avenue Northwest in Orange City, and will conclude around 2:00 p.m.
There is no registration fee, but pre-registration is required by calling the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County office at 712-737-4230. Deadline for registration is 12:00 noon on Friday, November 30.
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