FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -  December 11, 2007 
Contact N. Alan Bair: 717-948-6328           

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO FUTURE DAIRY LEADERS TO ATTEND 2008 PA DARIY SUMMIT
Deadline for Applications is December 31

MIDDLETOWN (December 11, 2007) –  Students and young adults between the ages of 17 and 25 may be eligible to receive financial assistance to attend the 2008 PA Dairy Summit being held February 6 and 7, 2008 at the Lancaster Host Resort and Conference Center, Lancaster, PA. The Summit will feature an outstanding array of speakers from around the country, and provide practical and timely information for the Commonwealth’s 8,500 dairy producers and dairy industry leaders.

Scholarship funding is being provided by Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association and the Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders. Young persons qualifying for the scholarship and the Work Force Development Board discount will pay only $25 of the normal registration cost of $175. To be eligible, applicants must operate a dairy farm, be employed on a dairy farm or be enrolled in an agricultural degree program in a college or trade school. All applicants must agree to attend and pay the $25 difference at the time of registration.

Scholarships are also available to offset hotel costs.  Up to 25 one or two night hotel scholarships are available for Dairy Leader Scholarship winners. Each hotel scholarship has a maximum value of $220 and may be used only on February 5 and/or 6, 2008.

The PA Dairy Summit 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.

The scholarship application deadline is December 31, 2007, and applications must be mailed to N. Alan Bair, Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders, 777 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057. A Scholarship Committee will make the selection and notify successful applicants by January 5, 2008. Scholarship applications and complete conference information are available at .

In addition to exceptional speakers, including motivational speaker Alan Hobson, breakout sessions will offer practical information on topics ranging from media training and succession planning to energy and environmental credits, and dairy animal well-being. The focus will be on meeting the educational needs of the Commonwealth’s more than 8,500 dairy producers.

This is an outstanding opportunity for “the next generation” of Pennsylvania dairy producers to network with professionals, hear some great speakers and learn some valuable lessons.  Scholarship application deadline is December 31, 2007.  For additional 2008 PA Dairy Summit information go to www.padairysummit.org or call 717-948-6328.