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| navigate: home: magazine: winter 2000: article | |
| Professional Dairy Managers of Pa. plan their future at Team Decision Center | |||||||
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In 1994, a group of dairy managers from south-central Pennsylvania decided to create an organization where they could talk about common issues and problems and address learning needs. They formed the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania organization after attending a Dairy Forum sponsored by the College of Agricultural Sciences and the state secretary of agriculture. Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania is an outgrowth of the Dairy Forum, according to Dr. William Heald, professor of dairy science at Penn State, who helped plan the forum and serves as the organization’s academic extension adviser. “The dairy managers have met regularly since the summer of 1994, but they have now outgrown their original reason for organizing—to be a local discussion/educational/social group—and wanted to expand the organization to serve dairy producers throughout the state,” Heald said. “That’s why eight dairy managers came to Penn State in July for a strategic planning session at Penn State’s Team Decision Center. The center’s facilities are ideally suited for identifying key issues and defining and developing a new vision and goals in a short time frame.” With the assistance of Heald, Dr. John E. Park, associate director of Management Development Programs and Services; Dr. Lisa A. Holden, assistant professor of dairy and animal science; and Dr. Terry D. Etherton, head of Dairy and Animal Science, the members of the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania were able to chart a new course for the 21st century. Dr. Theodore R. Alter, associate vice president for outreach and director of Cooperative Extension and associate dean, said, “Penn State is pleased to assist the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania in planning for the future. We can provide dairy managers across Pennsylvania with our faculty research and scholarship in dairy and animal science and the educational resources and support of our Cooperative Extension offices, located in each county of the state. Together, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State’s Continuing Education and Management Development Programs and Services units can help the organization realize its new goals and objectives.” Park noted that the Penn State–Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania partnership involves the contributions of many Penn State outreach units. “Management Development is working collaboratively with Penn State’s Department of Dairy and Animal Science and Cooperative Extension to help the dairy managers create the structure and future direction of the organization,” Park said. “Management Development is facilitating the organization’s strategic planning at Penn State’s computerized Team Decision Center.” While meeting at the Team Decision Center, the dairy managers formed a new vision: “Progressive dairy producers joining together to promote the well-being of their businesses, families and communities.” They also set six goals: building the organizational structure; enhancing and developing membership services and benefits; increasing membership; creating beneficial external partnerships; establishing internal and external communication strategies; and promoting a favorable dairy business climate in Pennsylvania for progressive dairy producers. The College of Agricultural Sciences will help the organization achieve these goals, Heald said. Following the meeting, the dairy managers toured Elk View Farm in Centre County. They had an opportunity to learn about elk herd management, Heald said. Established in 1991 by Ron and Kathy Murphy, the farm has already garnered international attention. The Murphys hosted a Chinese and U.S. Department of Agriculture trade delegation in Minneapolis, Minn. | ||||||
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