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Up? Down? Sideways? What Direction for Dairy?

April 30 and May 1, 2019, Grand Rapids, Michigan

 

This is the 25th Annual National Workshop for Dairy Economists and Policy Analysts. We will be meeting in Grand Rapids Michigan at the DoubleTree Airport Hotel. You may reserve your room with the "Hotel" button above for a negotiated rate of $125 per night. The registration fee for the program itself is $380. Please "Register" for the workshop through the button above no later than April 26th.

The general format for the Workshop will be a one and a half day event much as we have done in the past; however, we have decided to begin at noon on the first day – Tuesday. It is our hope that this will facilitate travel for people coming from all but the western states and allow most if not all of us to leave our home airports that morning.

Please note that there is an optional a tour of a new and innovative processing plant as well as Michigan dairy farm. We will travel to the sites via bus and you must also preregister for this portion of the program if you would like to participate in that day.

Slides Tuesday, April 30, 2019
11:30 Registration Open
12:00 Lunch—provided
  1:00 Welcome and Introduction—Andrew Novakovic, Cornell University
1:15 Session I: Implications for Dairy Market Performance – Changes in Dairy Farm Structure and the Production Economics of Farming
3:00 Break
3:30 Session II: Implications for Dairy Market Performance – Changes in Dairy Market Complexity, Logistics, and Consumer Perceptions
5:15 Adjourn
5:30 Reception and Hosted Bar
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
7:00 Breakfast—provided
8:00 Introduction—Chris Wolf, Michigan State University
8:15 Session III:  Recent Innovations in Milk Production and Marketing – How to get your farm Groove back
10:00 Break
Session IV:  Recent Innovations in Milk Production and Marketing – How to get your processing and marketing Groove back
12:00 Lunch—provided
  1:00 Welcome Back—Andrew Novakovic, Cornell University
1:10 Session V: Global Dairy Markets – Near Term Prospect and Longer Term Challenges
 
  • A panel of international dairy experts speaks on their analysis of the outlook for milk production, dairy sales, and prices over the next 1-3 years and major technological, consumer, or policy challenges and opportunities over the next 5-7 years
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    3:00 Break
    1:10 Session VI: The U.S. Role and Opportunities in Global Dairy Markets
  • A panel of U.S. dairy experts speaks on their analysis of the outlook for participation in global markets by U.S. dairy companies.
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    5:00 Closing Comments and Adjourn—Mark Stephenson, University of Wisconsin
      Evening: Supper on your own or departure
    Thursday, May 2, 2019—Optional Dairy Tour
    We will be visiting the Fairlife plant in Coopersville. Then, visiting the Windemuller Farm where cows are robotically milked, finally, we will finish with one of Tim den Dulk's farms—a large, complex and well-run operation.
    7:00 Breakfast—on your own
    8:30 Bus leaves
    4:30 Return to Grand Rapids
    Friday, May 3, 2019
      Semi-annual Meeting of the IDF Standing Committee on Dairy Policy and Economics (IDF Members and Observers only)