PA Dairy Summit

Success is not genetic. You’ll never find ‘success’ in your DNA. Full of energy and storytelling, Michael defines what success actually means – and how it involves owning your choices, shifting your culture, contributing your best daily, and finding your true north in a business where change is a constant factor.  Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State C...

When brothers Brody and Jory returned to their family’s farm, Farm Stapels in Howards Grove, WI, they were filled with enthusiasm and energy and had one thing in mind: opportunity. Opportunity to raise their families on a farm, opportunity to work for themselves and bring about their own success, and opportunity to be part of our country’s food security. In 2025, exactly 430 days after returning h...

" How can we connect more people directly with American farmers?” “How can we perfect our chocolate chip cookie recipe and use real butter? In this Business Showcase, hear how the Painterland Sisters and Taylor Chip Cookie’s stories began – two Pennsylvania-grown, independent businesses who got their start with a strong passion for real dairy products. With both businesses being included on F...

This year, a feature-length documentary called World Without Cows had its Pennsylvania debut on the Dairy Summit stage. The documentary explores the complexity behind a seemingly simple question: Are we better off in a world without cows? Through interviews with farmers, ranchers, scientists and others on the front lines of agriculture and science, award-winning journalists Michelle Michael and Br...

What’s next for dairy pricing? What does the road ahead like? As we head into 2026, a year likely to bring global expansion and a temporary milk surplus, staying grounded in your long-term purpose becomes even more critical. Markets will ebb and flow, but your True North should be your goals and values that reinforce and guide your decisions. As managing partner with Ceres Risk Management, Sara Do...

There are a lot of factors that drive profitability on a dairy farm, so how can you rise to the top and stay there? The path to profitability is different for every single dairy farm family. Hear from three dairy producers from different sized dairies who share their own unique approach to profitability and how they have remained focused on their goals for the farm, the family, and the business. J...

What’s exciting about dairy’s future? How can you get in touch with your “why” and use that to guide your future? For the past 15 years, Peggy Coffeen from the Uplevel Dairy podcast has been sitting down with dairy farmers across the country to tell their stories as a dairy magazine editor and podcast host. Based on her conversations with dairy managers across the nation, Peggy dives into what the...

At Oakridge Dairy, a people-first culture, a rotary milking parlor, environmental responsibility, and the idea of supplying milk direct to consumer are the notions driving change at their dairy operation. It’s all part of their mindset of staying ahead of the curve and building a future where people know their farmers. Oakridge Dairy is a 2,900-cow dairy farm in Connecticut, the largest single sit...

As demand for fresh fluid milk continues to struggle, embracing innovation and pursuing new market opportunities offers opportunities for the fluid dairy case. Hear about the latest research in milk molecule separation and learn how Maola’s recent investment in the Philadelphia area could lead to growth in market opportunities for Pennsylvania milk. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join...

When it comes to designing your tomorrow, the pathway to chasing dreams and achieving goals is never linear. Caleb and Alice Crothers of Long Green Farms both have nontraditional journeys and careers that eventually led them back to their family’s eighth-generation, 150-cow dairy farm. Learn from their experience interfacing with consumers, farming with sustainability and heritage in mind, and the...

When the only constant in dairy markets is the never-ending shifts, learning how to navigate change and uncertainty is crucial. In this Keynote Session, hear the latest updates on shifting market dynamics and factors you can control. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State College, PA! Visit www.padairysummit.org .

How can we think differently about what it means to earn trust, both inside and outside the farm gate? In this keynote session, hear about the varied pressure points that shape today’s food system and ways we can build deeper transparency. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State College, PA! Visit www.padairysummit.org .

As farmers, good stewardship ranges from our animals and natural resources to the employees we work with every day. In this Keynote Session, hear how Noblehurst Farms takes a team approach and cultivates a multi-faceted family farm. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State College, PA! Visit www.padairysummit.org .

We might dream about controlling our own destiny and creating a producer-led milk market, but bringing an idea like this to fruition takes cohesiveness, creativity and persistence. In this Keynote Session, hear how these panelists approached the idea, found a market, and formed a cohesive group of producers. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State College...

 Learn about export opportunities for Pennsylvania dairy products and the potential to grow our market share through moving product overseas. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State College, PA! Visit www.padairysummit.org .

This session discusses the physiological impact of management interventions, including heat stress abatement, at various stages of the lactation cycle to help you harness that knowledge and optimize your herd health and performance. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State College, PA! Visit www.padairysummit.org .

All too often we pour ourselves into caring for our animals at the expense of our own well-being. Being physically strong doesn’t matter if we aren’t mentally fit as well. This session equips you with strategies to effectively take control of your mental fitness, manage stress, take care of yourself, and be available to others in this high-demand field. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit:...

If we can’t meet the environmental demands and expectations of our customers, our industry isn’t going to be sustainable, and if our industry isn’t sustainable, it jeopardizes the sustainability of each farm business. Recognizing what “customer demand” means to your farm’s future is the first step. This panel discussion features professionals from all sectors of the food chain to discuss the inter...

This session features an insightful panel discussion about how we can cultivate regenerative agriculture to increase biodiversity, improve soil health, protect waters, and support high-yielding livestock and growing businesses. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State College, PA! Visit www.padairysummit.org .

Now that we know why environmental sustainability is linked to your business’ sustainability, come learn which on-farm practices are likely to get you the best bang for your buck, and where to find the resources and funding to get them implemented on your operation. There is more funding being committed to reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint than the total budget of some countries, and...

Learn about dairy processing supply chain logistics by getting an insider’s perspective on how milk moves from your farm to the retail space and the channels and challenges it encounters along the way. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State College, PA! Visit www.padairysummit.org .

Our speakers for the Young Dairy Professionals Reception have all completed the On-Farm Internship program during their college years and now have meaningful, full-time careers serving the dairy industry. They share fresh, real-world perspective to high school and college students who are interested in pursuing careers in herd management, nutrition and beyond. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy S...

Diversifying the family farm can not only strengthen your dairy operation, but it can lead to future revenue streams. During this panel discussion, multiple dairy producers share their unique journeys, roadblocks they have encountered along the way, and the opportunities they have found with diversification. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy Summit: Join us on February 3-4, 2027 in State College...

Technology is continually evolving, but how do you know if the “latest and greatest” dairy tech tools are worth investing in? What’s the true return on investment? In this panel discussion, several dairy producers have an honest conversation about their firsthand experience with tools like activity monitors, precision farming technology, feed watchers and more. Save the date for the 2027 PA Dairy...

Developing a detailed business plan can help ensure your dairy business remains profitable, but your business plan isn’t something you can stick on the shelf once you finish it. It’s a living and breathing document that must evolve alongside your business– whether you open a farm store, install robots, bring on the next generation, or enter the retail space. In this panel discussion, hear from two...