For Immediate Release - Jan. 30, 2007

BERRY, HANSON OFFER LOOK AT MARKETPLACE, YOURSELF
2007 Dairy Summit starts next week, walk-in registrations welcomed

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Producers and dairy business professionals alike can learn more about their industry and more about themselves at the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit, held on Feb. 7 – 8 in Lancaster, Pa. Donna Berry, senior editor for Dairy Foods Communications, and Ron Hanson, University of Nebraska agribusiness professor, team up for Thursday morning’s general session, with Berry discussing new product innovations and Hanson sharing ways to improve communications both on the farm and in the industry.

Berry has spent more than 13 years researching and writing about the dairy marketplace, focusing on new products, marketing, ingredients, packaging and technology. She also worked in Product Development for Kraft Foods and will share her perspective on the latest innovations shaping the dairy case both now and in the years to come.

Hanson serves as the Neal Harlan Professor of Agribusiness at the University of Nebraska. His innovative approach to university teaching, student advising and working with farm groups across the country has earned him more than 20 college and national recognitions. His highest honor was earned last year when he was named the Nebraska Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation. Professor Hanson has counseled farm families for 30 years and has been honored for his dedicated service to rural youth and farm families.

Hanson will share insights on how to break down the “fence posts” or barriers that can hinder effective communications between family members, business partners and others who work closely together. He has spoken to many farm groups across the country and is well known for his perceptive look at the barriers that can cause break downs in communications.

The Pennsylvania Dairy Summit is next Wednesday and Thursday and will be held at the Lancaster Host Resort in Lancaster, Pa. The event is hosted annually by the Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders and the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, with support from the Center for Dairy Excellence, Penn State Dairy Alliance and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The deadline for advanced registrations were due on February 1. However, walk-in registrations are welcomed at a cost of $175 per person.

This year’s Summit also features Animal Agriculture Alliance’s Charlie Arnot, Cornell University’s Mark Stephenson, Colorado Dairy Producer Gary Henrickson, Cowboy Comedian Baxter Black, and Citizen’s State Bank of Loyal’s Gary Sipiorski, along with 24 breakout sessions that are focused on the day-to-day issues that every dairy producer faces. More program information can be found at www.padairysummit.org. A copy of the Summit registration brochure is also available online. You can receive more information by calling the PDMP office at 814-238-2893.