By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH

Indiana Correspondent

PLYMOUTH, Ind. — The Hoosier state will host two dairy-related conferences next month: the Indiana Milk Quality Professionals (IMQP) annual event is April 9-10 in Plymouth, and the Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference is April 22-24 in Fort Wayne.

The nutrition conference has a registration deadline of April 7. The dairy conference doesn’t have a registration cutoff, but organizers would appreciate advance notification. Both events will accept registrations at the door.

The conferences come as the dairy industry continues to see lower profits. “It’s been a multiyear depressed economy for dairy,” explained Maurice Eastridge, a professor of animal sciences at The Ohio State University and an organizer of the nutrition event.

“We’ve seen so many dairy farms go out of business. Other producers are expanding the size of their farms. The profit from dairy farming has been very limited.”

The economy is causing farmers to reflect. “They’re looking for things with a high benefit-to-cost ratio,” Eastridge said. “If I invest a dollar, will I get $2 to $3 back? What is my expected return? They’re looking for those proven things. They’re not looking to be the first producer in the area to try something new.”

The overall focus of the IMQP conference is “protecting the dairy image.” It’s important for producers and others in the industry to share with the public how safe and regulated dairy products are, said Andrew Kuehnert, the organization’s president. Kuehnert is also a partner is his family’s dairy operation in Fort Wayne.

“There’s more interest in where our food comes from,” he said. “We know it’s the safest food on the market. We want to be proactive. How do we reassure people it’s the safest food on the market? We need to understand the struggles producers are in and adapt to the struggles to survive.”

Milk conference

The IMQP has hosted a conference since 1999. Kuehnert expects 150-200 people at this year’s event. Speakers include Bruce Kettler, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, and Dr. Bret Marsh, Indiana state veterinarian.

Producer, processor, and crisis preparedness panels are planned, as are sessions on sensory milk tasting, social media, and goat farming. “We try to bring up hot topics and try to get ahead of those,” Kuehnert said. “We try to make the conference beneficial to everybody.

“We’ve had good results with the panels. They’re people you can put your full faith in.”

Attendees will have an opportunity to tour the Homestead Dairy in Plymouth on April 8. The conference is at the Swan Lake Resort. The cost is $125; for a complete schedule and to register, visit www.imqpinc.com

Nutrition conference

The event has excelled in size and scope since it began 28 years ago, Eastridge said. “It’s really beyond a tri-state program,” he noted.

“We have international visitors each year. We’re pleased with the growth of our undergraduate and graduate student programs. They’ve exceeded expectations.”

Topics include an industry economic outlook, the prevention of mycotoxicosis, and breeding for feed efficiency. One presentation will focus on vitamin supplementation for lactating cows.

“We’ll be looking at vitamin costs and diets,” he said. “People are asking what do I need to supplement, not over-supplement?”

Last year’s attendance was 529; Eastridge hopes for about the same this year. The conference will be in the Grand Wayne Center. The cost is $175 until April 7 and $205 after that; for more information, visit www.tristatedairy.org