Contacts:
Louise Calderwood, (802) 586-2239
Kelly Loftus, Agency of Agriculture, (802) 828-3829

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The VT Feed Dealers and VT Dairy Industry Association are presenting their annual conference for VT’s dairy industry, September 22 and 23 at the Double Tree Inn in S. Burlington, VT. On Wednesday from 8:30 to 4:30 VDIA will cover a range of topics including milk flavor with Pat Cleary (retired, St. Albans Cooperative Creamery), industry trends with Ed Pcolar of Agri-mark, animal welfare assurance programs with Leon Graves, DMS, milk pricing and policy with Bob Wellington of Agri-Mark, and dairy product food safety issues with Paul Kindstedt , UVM. These topics should be of interest to all in the dairy industry from producer to processor. For more information on Wednesday’s program contact Nate Miller at kettletop@gmavt.net or (802)545-2320.

On Thursday the VT Feed Dealers Association will present a full day of dairy risk management information. Richard Sellars, VP of the American Feed Industry Association will discuss Feed Safety and Risk Management: How Congress Plans to Help You. Gordy Elliott of the F.C Stone Corp will provide an overview of managing commodity volatility and dairy pricing risk. Eugene Gantz of USDA Risk Management will discuss the use of USDA dairy insurance as a floor for income over feed cost. Gary F. Sipiorski will facilitate a panel of agricultural credit providers to discuss their approaches to risk management.

A dairy industry reception will be held at the Double Tree Inn on Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 7:30. For more information and registration materials contact Louise Calderwood at 802-586-2239.