Midwest Dairy is eager to welcome Class 3 of the Dairy Experience and Leadership program as we kick off the new year. Offering opportunities like DEAL to young people within the industry is important to checkoff as we are committed to creating dairy advocates and developing the next generation of dairy leaders.
The DEAL program is an 18-month, three-phase program created by Midwest Dairy that provides young dairy farmers in the Midwest region with a better understanding of the dairy checkoff and other opportunities to grow within the industry and in leadership skills.
In 2024, we welcome the program’s third class and will continue to give these emerging dairy leaders the skills and opportunities to share their dairy farming stories with others, build trust and drive demand in dairy. The 2024-25 class includes 17 participants from Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska.
Class 3 will meet for the first time in late February in Nashville, Tennessee, as Phase 1 of the program commences.
The theme for Phase 1 is, “Who am I? And, who is Midwest Dairy/dairy checkoff?” This meeting will include personality training, specifically coloring training, allowing participants to discover their personality color. Through the presentation, they will quickly learn to apply their color learning to leverage their strengths, improve their leadership and collaboration skills, and support their personal and professional well-being. The group will also discuss dairy checkoff with presentations from Midwest Dairy and The Dairy Alliance. Additionally, six farmers will give a presentation to share about themselves and their farms. We look forward to hearing from a new partner, The Dairy Alliance, and how they work to build trust and sales for dairy.
I have worked closely with the DEAL classes, and each year, it is fun to see relationships blossom and grow among participants. I am most excited about the networking opportunities that will take place. This class offers diversity, and the farmers will have much to learn from each other. It is gratifying to see the evolution of the friendships made throughout our DEAL program because it’s not every day that these farmers have a chance to meet with other like-minded peers. I’m also looking forward to providing farmers with professional development opportunities they can take home to help them grow as leaders within their community. I am passionate about sharing more about how the dairy checkoff can help farmers share their stories locally to build trust. Dairy farmers have an incredible story to share, and it is important we help provide them with resources to help them do just that.
Every class, the DEAL program excels and grows, and Class 3 is no exception. This year, Midwest Dairy is excited to partner with The Dairy Alliance, the dairy checkoff organization for dairy farmers in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. This partnership will allow other young dairy farmers in those states to participate in our DEAL program alongside Midwest Dairy’s participants. This partnership also allows dairy farmers from Midwest Dairy’s region to learn from and network with dairy farmers from other parts of the country. Currently, one farmer from Kentucky is signed up to join Class 3.
“We are eager to partner with Midwest Dairy on this leadership opportunity for farmers across the Southeast,” said Farrah Newberry, vice president of agriculture and environmental affairs at The Dairy Alliance. “This program has proven successful in building leaders that support local communities and serve as advocates for agriculture.”
Midwest Dairy is ready to welcome these participants to DEAL Class 3 and extends thanks to all those participants from previous classes for their support. We will continue sharing more about Class 3’s adventures and learning as the year unfolds. To learn more about the DEAL program, visit www.midwestdairy.com/DEAL.
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