Multi-session programs designed to enhance dairy producer financial proficiency
DAIRY NEWS – The foundation of a successful dairy operation is the sound management of business financials. Financial Literacy for Dairy®, developed by Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP), is a multi-level program built to give dairy producers, veterinarians, nutritionists and other agribusiness professionals a comprehensive understanding of dairy-specific financial metrics.
Featuring two levels of training, all sessions will be held at Moraine Park Technical College in Beaver Dam, Wis. Participants will complete an online assessment prior to the program to determine which level is the best fit.
- Level One provides four days of training over two sessions in 2026: Nov. 11-12, and Dec. 1-2. The sessions will focus on core financial concepts, including understanding and constructing accurate financial statements, with a goal of building a strong foundation for analysis and decision-making.
- Level Two provides six days of training over three sessions in 2027: Feb. 2-3, Feb. 17-18 and Mar. 9-10, with an emphasis on using financial analysis, planning and budgeting to make informed decisions.
Program facilitators are Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, PhD., professor of agribusiness at UW-Platteville and UW-Extension farm management specialist, and David Coggins, senior financial leader and retired agriculture loan officer. Class size is limited to 30 participants to allow for question-and-answer time between attendees and presenters as well as networking opportunities between fellow attendees.
“Headed into the financial literacy course, I regularly worked with our banker, accountant and a quarterly financial advisor,” said dairy producer Sydney Flick of Jazzy Jerseys near Lodi, Wisconsin. “Now I’m able to have more productive conversations with those professionals.”
Dairy producers who participate in the program are encouraged to check with the lending partners involved in the “Count on Us” program, which provides attendees an opportunity for full or partial scholarships. Those partners recognize the value that comprehensive financial training provides to dairy producers and have committed to offering financial support to eligible registrants.
“Count on Us” partners include BMO, Citizens State Bank of Loyal, Compeer Financial, Dairy Business Consulting, Inc, Farmers & Merchants Union Bank, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Nicolet Bank and Rabo AgriFinance.
Registration information and more details are available at www.pdpw.org or by contacting PDP at 800-947-7379. Up to 32 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available from Dairy AdvanCE (DACE) for Level One and up to 48 DACE CEUs are available for Level Two.
Follow along digitally in advance of and during the event by following @dairyPDPW on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.
Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) is the nation’s largest dairy producer-led organization of its kind, focusing on producer professionalism, stakeholder engagement and unified outreach to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.
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