Dairy Youth Conference Planned

US - Indiana youth involved in the dairy industry have the opportunity to learn more about the animals and their products and to brush up on their showmanship skills at Purdue Extension's 2011 Indiana Dairy Youth Conference.
calendar icon 23 March 2011
clock icon 2 minute read

"The youth should be ready for a conference filled with activities related to dairy foods, marketing, flip video, showmanship, fitting and more," said Kelly Heckaman, Purdue Extension educator in Kosciusko County. "Everyone will get to practice with live heifers for showmanship, too."

The conference will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 9 at the Boone County 4-H Fairgrounds, 1300 E. 100 S., Lebanon.

Participants will be divided into two age groups and will attend workshops and presentations with titles such as "Are Your Tires Inflated?" about hoof trimming; "Moo Book, Moo Tube and You," focused on using social media to promote the dairy industry; and "Getting Your Game Day Jersey On," where youth will practice fitting show heifers and showmanship skills.

They also will have the chance to create an ice cream product and produce a commercial to market it.

"Dairy youth from around the state will be able to visit with one another and to meet this year's Indiana Dairy Ambassadors," Ms Heckaman said.

The Indiana Dairy Ambassadors are a group of high school and college students who work to promote the industry through dairy events participation, speaking engagements and planning committees for conferences such as the Indiana Dairy Youth Conference.

Students interested in ambassador applications can contact Ms Heckaman at 574-372-2340 or [email protected]. Applications are due April 1, and interviews will be conducted at the conference. Winners will be announced at the end of the day.

The 2011 ambassadors will help the dairy youth planning committee further develop a statewide dairy youth leadership programme to be implemented in 2012.

Conference registration is $15 per person, due by April 1 and includes a T-shirt, meals and materials. More information is available by contacting Heckaman or visiting http://www.ag.purdue.edu/counties/kosciusko/pages/default.aspx

In addition to Purdue Extension, conference sponsors are Prairie Farms, Dairy Marketing Service, Foremost Farms USA, Elanco Animal Health, Indiana Professional Dairy Producers, Indiana State Dairy Association, Milk Promotion Services of Indiana, Michigan Milk Producers and Carterly Farms. Elanco Animal Health also sponsors the ambassadors programme.

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