EAST LANSING, Mich. — The ninth annual Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference will feature workshops on animal care, dairy product marketing, labor issues and other hot topics aimed at preparing dairy producers for the future, Feb. 9-11 at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant.

The conference will include two days of educational sessions and one-half day of breed association and youth meetings. In addition, the sixth annual Dairy Industry Recognition Night will include honoring the industry’s leading producers, recognizing scholarship winners and dairy judging team members and announcing the 2012 winners of the Michigan Dairy Ambassador Program.

Since 2003, the conference has been dedicated to helping dairy producers learn new ways to increase their profitability while doing more with less. This year, leading experts will make presentations on topics ranging from labor management and community connections, to children’s nutrition and global issues concerning the dairy industry.

The conference will kick off Feb. 9 with a series of speakers addressing dairy marketing, animal health and facilities.

Participants will discover why applying knowledge of consumer marketing and perceptions to how producers communicate is critical to achieving and maintaining consumer trust from the farmgate to the kitchen table in “Closing the Knowledge Gap Between Food Producers and Consumers,” presented by Jennifer Garrett, president of JG Consulting Services, LLC.

Tom Suber, president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), will teach producers about “Capitalizing on Growing Global Dairy Demand.” During this session, he will discuss trends in global demand for dairy products.

In addition, producers will learn about the latest efforts by the USDEC to assist suppliers in building the volume and value of U.S. dairy exports to help meet a worldwide increase in demand.

For those considering renovation or construction projects, “10 Things to Ask Your Contractor” will start from square one. Presenter Curt Gooch, senior extension associate with the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, will discuss whether to start from scratch or renovate and how to ensure a cost-effective project.

Also, he will explore the latest concepts for new facilities and why they work, and he will help producers identify questions they should ask before hiring a contractor.

“What We Learned from Modifying Facilities” is a producer panel featuring insights from representatives of Swisslane Dairy, Daybreak Dairy Farm and Palm Boys, LLC. Other sessions will focus on school nutrition and dairy herd replacements.

The first day of the conference will end with the Great Lakes Commercial Heifer Extravaganza VII Sale, followed by a dinner program. During dinner, Hall of Fame Speaker David Okerlund will discuss why “Cash Cows Sometimes Make the Best Hamburger,” focusing on how change can be positive and fulfilling.

On Feb. 10, attendees will learn about reproduction, labor and employment, connecting with communities and building relationships. A series of morning workshops all focus on reproduction, including “The Value of a Pregnancy,” “Improving Service Rate” and a producer panel on “Servicing More Cows – How We Do It.”

The final morning session, “Labor Training: Q&A,” will help producers discover how developing mentoring and training programs to train the trainers in all areas of dairy and business operations about labor management can benefit their dairy, and learn the roles owners and general managers should play in the process.

Labor and employment issues continue in the afternoon with “Your Employee Hiring Process: Can You Pass Inspection?”

During “Connect with Your Community: Every Relationship Counts,” Jane Hillstrom, president of Hillstrom Communications, Inc., will discuss how to reach out to neighbors, community leaders and other public influencers to help them understand how a dairy farm operates and why farmers implement certain practices.

Producers also may explore “The Economies of Getting Cows Pregnant” and “Leading the Conversation: How to Answer Difficult Questions from Curious Consumers” in the afternoon.

Registration forms and a complete program schedule are available online at www.glrdc.msu.edu

Participants may also register and receive more information on the conference by calling 517-353-3175. Early registration, which includes reduced fees, ends on Jan. 20. Online registration ends Jan. 27. On-site registrations are subject to availability.