Event Schedule

First Evening: Monday, March 9, 2009
	6:00pm - 7:30pm	Reception in Table Top Tradeshow
Second Day: Tuesday, March 10, 2009
	7:00am – 8:00am	Continental Breakfast in Table Top Tradeshow
	8:00am – 8:15am	Welcome
	8:15am – 8:30am	Introduction video - A proactive dairy industry.
	8:30am - 10:15am	Keynote speakers present domestic and global challenges. Plus, other industry leaders review existing responsible programs and processes that the industry has adopted. Confirmed speakers include Michael Marsh, CEO, Western United Dairymen, and Mike Brown, dairy economist with Glanbia Foods.
	10:15am – 10:30am	Break in Table Top Tradeshow
	10:30am – 12:00pm	“What does responsibility mean to me?” Progressive representatives from the producer, processor, retail and consumer-advocate sectors will discuss what they are doing to produce dairy products responsibly. Confirmed speakers include Colorado dairy producer Mary Kraft and Dairy Institute of California Director Rachel Kaldor. Audience Q&A
	12:00pm – 1:30pm	Lunch
	1:30pm – 3:00pm	Animal Well-Being. Panel discussion. David Pelzer, of Dairy Management Inc., will discuss the National Dairy Animal Well-Being Initiative and the National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring Responsible Management. Texas veterinarian Angela Daniels, Wisconsin dairy producer Deb Reinhart, animal bioethicist Candace Croney and David Darr, of Dairy Farmers of America, discuss responsibility from an animal well-being perspective. Audience Q&A
	3:00pm – 3:15pm	Break in Table Top Tradeshow
	3:15pm – 4:45pm	Human Capital: “How am I leading my employees?" Well-known leadership coach and trainer Jorge Estrada and Wisconsin dairy producer Liz Doornink will discuss staffing priorities and challenges. Audience Q&A Liz Doornink (bio) co-owner, Jon-De Farms Inc.
	4:45pm – 5:00pm	Wrap Up
	5:00pm – 6:00pm	Cocktail reception
	6:00pm – 8:00pm	Dinner event
Third Day: Wednesday, March 11, 2009
	7:00am – 8:00am	Continental breakfast in Table Top Tradeshow
	8:00am – 8:05am	Good morning/reconvene
	8:05am – 10:00am	Environmental stewardship: "What is your role today and tomorrow?" Panel discussion. Panelists include Wisconsin dairy producer Randy Roecker, Frank Mitloehner, of the University of California-Davis, and Dale Gardner, of Water Stewardship Inc.  Rick Naczi, of Dairy Management Inc., and Chip Jones, of Dean Foods, will discuss an industry-wide sustainability initiative. Audience Q&A Moderator Rick Naczi (bio) CEO of American Dairy Association and Dairy Council Inc., and Executive Vice President of Strategic Industry Analysis and Evaluation at Dairy Management Inc. Panelists Randy Roecker Roecker Farms
	10:00am – 10:15am	Break in Table Top Tradeshow
	10:15am – 11:15am	Food Safety: "What's the next issue? " Michael Payne, director of the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program, and foodservice or retai representative (to be announced) will discuss current food-safety issues. Audience Q&A
	11:15am – 12:15pm	How to feel comfortable talking to the media and getting your message across, Amy Richards of Charleston-Orwig. Amy Richards (bio) Charleston-Orwig
	12:15pm	Wrap Up
Optional Dairy Tour : Wednesday, March 11, 2009 — $400 per person
	2:30pm	Omega Dairy, Hartley Texas. This is a really interesting place. The owner, Curt Miersma, moved here from southern California. They are doing a lot of things to be environmentally responsible and reduce their carbon footprint. They also want to show that a 500-cow dairy can prosper in the Texas panhandle amid all of the mega-dairies going in.
	4:00pm	Van Ryn Jerseys, Hartley, Texas. Owner Rick Van Ryn also moved here from southern California. His dairy, which is milking 2,000 cows, is very employee conscious and has built some special amenities for the employees. The dairy is about a year old and looks immaculate.
	6:00pm	Dinner
		Hotel - Holiday Inn Express
Optional Dairy Tour: Thursday, March 12, 2009
	8:00am	Dalhart Jersey Ranch west of Dalhart, Texas. Currently, the facility has 15,000 heifers, but recently expanded to handle 26,000. And, it is permitted for 40,000 head. The theme here is animal care. In November, only six animals out of 15,000 died, which is an incredibly low death loss for this size of operation. They have built special “weather sheds” or windbreaks for the animals. Lots of other cool things as well.
	9:30am	Hilmar Cheese plant. While we probably will not get to tour the inside of the plant, the manager will talk to us on site and show us a video.
	3:00am	Arrive to Amarillo Airport
		If time permits, we will try to visit another farm with a cross-ventilated barn.