Release Date: September 6, 2017
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Media Contacts: Rick Hummell, 608-224-5041 richard.hummell@wi.gov
or Bill Cosh, Communications Director, 608-224-5020 William2.Cosh@wi.gov
MADISON – The dairy
industry, whether in Wisconsin or other U.S. states with strong dairy
traditions or internationally, faces new opportunities and challenges as the
industry adapts to changing trends in milk production, genetics, processing,
consumer demand, and even shifting trade agreements.
To help sort out these complex issues, the Wisconsin Department
of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is hosting a symposium during
this year’s World Dairy Expo featuring leading researchers from several top
U.S. dairy states who will share insights about current issues facing the dairy
industry.
The free-of-charge symposium, entitled “The Changing Landscape
of Dairy: A Regional Report,” will be held Friday, Oct. 6, starting at 9 a.m.
in Mendota Room 3 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.
At the symposium, Dr. Mark Stephenson, director of dairy policy
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will be joined by academic colleagues
from major milk producing states to report on regional production and
processing capacities. Joining Stephenson for an in-depth analysis and panel
discussion will be Dr. Andrew Novakovic, professor of agricultural economics at
Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y., and Dr. Christopher Wolf, professor of
agriculture, food and resource economics at Michigan State University, E.
Lansing, Mich. Their comments, backed by extensive research, will focus on the
current issues facing the dairy industry and how those issues are impacting
dairy farmers and processors.
Stephenson will discuss the changing landscape of milk
production across the U.S. with a focus on large trends, from altering genetics
in herds, to milk production increases beyond local capacity to process the
milk in some regions, to contraction in others. These changes, says
Stephenson, are revealing themselves in spatial milk prices.
Novakovic will summarize changes in both domestic and export
demand for dairy products. These include insights into recent imbalances
in fat and protein in dairy products. He also will discuss the
implications of trade negotiations on export demands for U.S.-sourced products.
Wolf, who has been researching farm-level financial data, will
present a summary of findings in different regions, sizes and business models
on dairy farms. Wolf’s comments will also provide insights on the evolving
competitiveness of the U.S. dairy industry.
“We are pleased to present the excellent research our panelists
have conducted in order to better understand the current issues facing the
dairy industry, from our farms, through processing and into the consumer
marketplace,” said Dan Smith, administrator of DATCP’s Division of Agricultural
Development. “This is an important and informative seminar for anyone connected
to the dairy industry. We are excited to present this important research and we
invite World Dairy Expo attendees to join us.”
There is no fee, beyond the admission cost to World Dairy Expo.
Seating is on a first-come basis and refreshments will be available.
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