We are being inundated with alarming news every day about tariffs, targets on agriculture in global trade wars, and hyper speculation about how that is impacting the domestic dairy industry now and in the future. In an industry that is already trying to manage with a product surplus around the nation, low milk prices and fickle consumers, dairy producers are now also having to forecast their future based on short soundbites and tweets; some of which may be crafted intentionally just to create alarm and reaction.

So, at its Fall Issues Forum on Nov. 14, Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) will try to get past the spin and political rhetoric by talking with the folks who are analyzing and moving dairy products every day, here and around the world. With a dairy economist, a trader in dairy commodities and a dairy food manufacturer, attendees will candidly discuss the current state of the industry, how trade negotiations may or may not impact U.S./Northeast producers and what dairy businesses should be thinking about to evolve with the markets.

"Successful dairy producers need to know so much more than how to run the daily operations of a dairy," said Alan Novak, PDMP executive director and facilitator of the Nov. 14 Forum. "They need to understand all the influences on the markets in which their product is purchased and sold in order to make sound decisions about their business."

By bringing together Matt Gould from Dairy & Food Market Analyst, LLC , Tom Roosevelt of Roosevelt Dairy Trade, Inc and Tom Wegner of Land O'Lakes, Inc, PDMP will tap into their different perspectives and expert insights on the economic issues that ultimately impact dairy farm gate opportunities.

"We intend for this interactive discussion to prompt an honest assessment of the future of our fluid milkshed and processing proposals, along with the consumer trends that influence them," adds Novak.

The Fall Forum includes a networking lunch sponsored by Farm Credits AgChoice and MidAtlantic, to encourage interaction and information sharing between dairy producers and industry professionals and after lunch, attendees can tour PDMP member farm Meadow Vista Dairy, for a look at how the Risser family have made improvements to meet the challenges of a growing business.

Registration fee of $85 for non-PDMP members and $35 for PDMP Members is required and includes the lunch and farm tour. Check in and on-site registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the Forum will start at 9 a.m. o register, call the PDMP Registration Office at 877-326-5993 or go to the Events page at www.pdmp.org to download a registration form. Producers who become members of PDMP for the first time in 2019, will be registered at the member rate for the forum.

The 'Fall Issue Forum' is part of the Professional Dairy Managers of PA's ongoing commitment to offer top-quality professional development programs to help improve the profitability of the state's dairy producers. Attending workshops such as these help producers keep abreast of the latest technologies and management strategies, and provide important networking opportunities. Registration fees are kept low with the support of sponsors including: American Farm Products, Farm Credits, Elanco, Fulton Bank, Phibro and Select Sires.