Leadership development is a vital ingredient for a dairy farm’s success, especially as young farmers take on more management decisions on their farms. Through the National Young Cooperators (YC) Program, upcoming industry leaders not only get an opportunity to better understand the issues facing farmers, but they also get an opportunity to learn more about the issues facing milk marketing cooperatives.
When dairy farmer Dustin Brunn was encouraged by his field representative a decade ago to get involved in his milk cooperative’s YC program, he said yes, only because he thought it would be a great opportunity for him and his wife to bridge out and learn more about their co-op, as well as meet other producers.
“Being involved in the YC program has exceeded my expectations,” he shares. “It has allowed me to be better informed about all aspects of the industry.”
From learning more about co-op programs to getting a firsthand experience from other producers about what opportunities they are considering, Brunn says the whole YC experience has been positive.
“It has been rewarding learning from other producers,” he shares. “It is eye-opening to learn about what opportunities and challenges face other producers, which sometimes makes me really appreciate what we have here in Wisconsin.”
Brunn, alongside his parents, Duane and Sue, and his brothers Matt and Cody and their families, owns and operates Brunn Dairy Farm LLC. Located in Beaver Dam, Wis., the family farm is home to 450 cows and 600 acres. Brunn represents the fifth generation on the family farm.
The Brunn’s ship their milk to Dairy Farmers of America, and he shares that being involved in the YC program is not a huge time commitment.
“I think we all want to know before we say yes to an opportunity how much time it will require and how it will fit into our schedules,” he says. “The YC program fits pretty well into my farming schedule.”
Brunn made his way to the national stage, as he was recently named the National Young Cooperators (YC) Program Advisory Council Vice-Chairperson. The program, managed by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), was established in 1950 and provides year-round educational opportunities to inform and build leadership abilities in the generation of dairy farmers, like Brunn.
One community project that Brunn became involved with after being involved in young leadership programs was a local June Dairy Month project. “I worked with our local library reading program and thought I could provide dairy snacks and literature to make an impact,” he notes.
Brunn worked with Wisconsin Dairy and his milk cooperative, which helped provide reading materials and dairy products.
“Opportunities present themselves quite often, and becoming more involved in the community can take many different paths,” he shares.
With fewer farms than ever before, Brunn believes it is vital for producers to step up and let their voices be heard.
“The opportunity to have an impact is a lot higher now,” he says.
National YC Program
At the national level, YCs learn about NMPF’s current policy priorities, attend a lobbying how-to event, and meet with their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. In the fall, the national YC Leadership and Development Program is held in conjunction with NMPF’s Joint Annual Meeting.
In 2021, NMPF’s virtual and in-person programming reached more than 500 dairy farmers and since its inception has reached thousands of young dairy farmers.
Several of NMPF’s member cooperatives sponsor their own YC programs, but representatives from each cooperative can participate in national YC activities. Every June, a fly-in event is held in conjunction with NMPF’s June Board of Directors meeting.
“Many of the farmers who participate in the National Young Cooperators Program are current or future directors for our board, the boards of our member co-ops and the boards of state and local organizations,” Theresa Sweeney-Murphy, director of communication for NMPF says. “It is in the best interest of our industry that they are well-informed on policy issues and have the necessary skills to effectively lead these organizations and meaningfully influence policymakers, the media and their local communities.”
Sweeney-Murphy shares that it’s rewarding for her when she sees farmers who have gone through their Young Cooperative Program become engaged with other work at NMPF through leadership on their board and with their various programs and committees.
“One of the highlights of leading the program so far has been seeing James Weber, who served as chairperson before and during the pandemic, become much more comfortable and confident in his role over his two-year tenure. It’s a great joy to have played a small role in his development as a leader, and I am confident that we will see him again in another leadership capacity soon,” she notes.
Read more about Weber’s story here - Starting New: How One Farmer Started from Scratch and Dug to Survive During a Tough Dairy Climate | Dairy Herd
