Established in 1950, the National Young Cooperators (YC) Program provides up-and-coming leaders in the dairy industry with a better understanding of issues facing farmers and milk marketing cooperatives. The program, managed by the National Milk Producers Federation, provides year-round educational opportunities to inform and build leadership abilities in the next generation of dairy farmers.
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.
The 2021-2022 National YC Program is sponsored by Farm Credit.
To be eligible for participation in the National YC Program, you must meet the following criteria:
NMPF asks that program participants commit to participating in monthly webinars and attending two in-person events throughout the year.
Every NMPF member cooperative with a recognized YC program is eligible to have at least one seat on NMPF’s YC Advisory Council. NMPF member cooperatives are responsible for selecting the YCs who will serve as their representatives on the YC Advisory Council. Each cooperative has its own way of choosing YCs for the council. Each new YC Advisory Council is democratically elected and takes office at the end of the Joint Annual Meeting.
YC Advisory Council members are the leaders of NMPF’s YC program. They are required to commit to at least two of the following leadership development opportunities:
Lorilee Schultz
Chairperson
Prairie Farms
Justin & Hannah Watt
Vice Chairpersons
Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association
Nate Carlson
Northwest Dairy Association
Marika Cowan
Tillamook County Creamery Association
Sarah Douglas
Dairy Farmers of America
Rachel Holtz
Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc.
Isabel Mullin
Agri-Mark, Inc.
Carl & Heather Olson
First District Association
Katelyn Packard
Michigan Milk Producers Association
Amber and Ben Selman
Prairie Farms
