Joint Annual Meeting to Celebrate Accomplishments, Build for the Future
October 6, 2026
Dairy leaders from National Milk Producers Federation, National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, and United Dairy Industry Association will travel to Kissimmee, FL on Oct. 19-21 for Joint Annual Meeting, themed “U.S. Dairy: Committed. Resilient. Ready.”
A highlight of every Joint Annual Meeting is the Awards Luncheon, and this year’s program, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, puts the meeting’s theme into focus by honoring the farmers and cooperatives who embody commitment, resilience, and readiness every day.
The luncheon will recognize recipients for:
- Richard Lyng Award
- NMPF’s Dairy Product Contest Awards
- NMPF’s Communications Awards
- FARM Program Awards
Made possible by the generous support of CoBank, the Awards Luncheon is a chance for farmers, cooperative leaders and industry partners from across the country to come together, share a meal, and celebrate the achievements that keep U.S. dairy strong.
This year, the Awards Luncheon will also feature the National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program’s Live Auction. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on prizes, including the top prize of welcoming USDEC President and CEO Kyrsta Harden to work on your farm for a day.
Attendees will have more chances to win prizes, including two tickets to a Buffalo Bills at New York Jets game, a holiday cookie box, a pie subscription, a cheese fortune-telling session, and more, at the silent auction during the evening cheese reception and through NMPF’s online scholarship fundraising raffle, which is live now.
The NMPF National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program supports Master’s and Ph.D. students conducting research important to dairy farmers. The scholarship program is largely funded through the raffle fundraiser, making ticket purchases essential to its funding. Sustaining this program means ensuring that critical research benefiting the entire dairy community can continue.
Registration for Joint Annual Meeting remains open, giving dairy farmers, cooperative leaders, and industry partners the chance to be in the room as the industry honors its best.
