Young Cooperators

Leadership Development and Education Opportunities for Young Dairy Farmers

The National Milk Producers Federation created the National Young Cooperator (YC) Program in 1950. The purpose of the YC program is to educate and build leadership abilities in young dairy farmers.

To become leaders in the dairy industry, YCs must first gain a better understanding of the needs and problems facing farmers and milk marketing cooperatives. Through meetings, conferences and grassroots engagement, these educated, articulate young people will pave the future direction of the U.S. dairy industry.

Leadership development is encouraged and recognized at the local and national levels. Many current dairy industry leaders, including some current NMPF board members, have participated in NMPF’s YC Program.

Several of NMPF’s member cooperatives sponsor their own YC programs, but representatives from each cooperative have the opportunity to participate in national YC activities. Every June, a fly-in event is held in conjunction with NMPF’s June Board of Directors meeting. YCs learn about NMPF’s current policy priorities, attend a lobbying how-to event, and meet with their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.

In the fall, the national YC Leadership and Development Program is held in conjunction with NMPF’s Joint Annual Meeting. This event includes an entire day of speakers and presentations just for the YCs, and addresses timely topics of interest to dairy farmers of all ages.

YC Program Requirements

The NMPF YC Program accepts any dairy producer 45 years of age and younger. To represent his or her member cooperative at a national YC event or serve as a national YC Advisory Council member, a young farmer may not have reached his or her 41st birthday by Jan. 1 following the Joint Annual Meeting. If running as a couple, the age requirement applies to the younger spouse. Interested farmers should first contact their member cooperative’s program to express interest in the national chapter.