Madison, WI – More than 120 students from 13 colleges and universities across the northeast and Canada are expected to attend the 2016 Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge, held November 3-5, 2016 in Glens Falls, NY. The three-day event is a hands-on educational opportunity to prepare students for careers in the dairy industry.

The Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge is designed to create an educational environment and facilitate a real-world dairy evaluation. To accomplish this, students are placed on mixed- university teams. The Dairy Challenge strives to incorporate a higher-learning atmosphere with practical application to help prepare students for a variety of careers in the dairy industry.

Students will arrive on Thursday evening, November 3 and participate in event orientation and team-building activities. On Friday, students travel to one of three host farms to conduct an evaluation of the operation. The five-person teams of students then develop a comprehensive program for their host farm including recommendations for nutrition, reproduction, milking procedures, animal health, housing and financial management. On Saturday, team members present their plan of recommendations to a panel of judges. Participant knowledge is tested as they field questions from judges. Presentations are evaluated based on student analysis and recommendations. The evening concludes with a reception and awards banquet.