For Immediate Release - January 24, 2006

2006 PA Dairy Summit Approved for Nine Continuing Ed Credits

The American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) will offer nine Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for attendance at the 2006 PA Dairy Summit being held February 1 and 2 at the Lancaster Host Resort and Conference Center, Lancaster, PA. 

The Summit’s theme is “Passion, Progress and Profit,” and it is hosted jointly by the Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders and the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP). Supporting partners are Penn State Dairy Alliance, The Center for Dairy Excellence, and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. It is designed to provide practical and timely information for the Commonwealth’s 9,000 dairy producers and dairy industry leaders.

The American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, ARPAS, is the organization which provides certification of animal scientists through examination, continuing education, and commitment to a code of ethics.

Register now to take advantage of this opportunity to earn CEU’s for attendance at this year’s Summit, packed with up-to-date information offered by outstanding national speakers and a variety of breakout sessions. For additional information and registration material, visit http://www.pdmp.org/dairySummit/announcement.htm.

Over 60 exhibitors will have products and services on display, and there is ample time to visit exhibits and interact with other producers.

Featured speakers and their topics include:

• “Collision of Vision” - Bruce Vincent, Libby, MT, a third-generation logger who formed Communities for a great Northwest, an organization devoted to intelligent use of natural resources
• “Stirring Your Passion for Dairy” - Shelly Mayer, Executive Director, Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin
• “Moving a Passion to Profits” - Mike Schouten, Mission Dairy, Hereford, TX
• “Keeping an Eye on the Customer” - Stan Erwine, Vance Publishing’s Food 360 Group. Lenexa, KS
• “Finding the Leader in You” - Jolene Brown, an Iowa grain farmer who will help meeting attendees build leadership skills
• “Leading the Community to Dairy” - Andy Werkhoven, a Washington state dairy farmer

Under the sponsorship of WestfaliaSurge, two-time Olympic medalist Rulon Gardner, who grew up on a small dairy farm in Wyoming, will be the featured speaker at the closing luncheon on Thursday.  He will bring his personal message of courage and inspiration.

There is still opportunity for sponsorships of speakers and program segments, as well as for exhibitors.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Dennis C. Wolff will speak at the Summit and there will be recognition of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association Award Winners.

Conference hosts, PDMP and Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders, work together to provide leadership to producers and agribusiness across the state, striving to promote excellence and expand the dairy industry through improved productivity and profitability.

MEDIA CONTACT: Georgene Thompson, 717-243-1349/georgenethompson@comcast.net