Registration Open for NMPF/NDB/UDIA Annual Meeting Oct. 27-28

October 14, 2020

Registration is open for the joint annual meeting of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB) and the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) that will be held virtually Oct. 27-28. The meeting is being offered at no cost, allowing dairy farmers and others nationwide to participate in the annual policy and promotion leadership gathering.

“This unusual year, for all of its volatility, also provides an unusual opportunity to involve more farmers in the flagship meeting of our organization,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We hope the farmers who own our member cooperatives join us in a meeting that will be like no other, showing the strength and collaborative spirit of the dairy community.”

“Farmers attending the 2020 meeting will have the opportunity to learn more about how their dairy checkoff organizations adapted plans to move milk and dairy during a truly unprecedented year, and how this learning will affect domestic and international marketing plans for 2021 and beyond,” said Tom Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), which manages the national checkoff program and is co-funded by NDB and UDIA.

The two-day sessions will start at 11 a.m. Eastern/8 a.m. Pacific and will last three hours. General session highlights include:

Tuesday, October 27

A dairy farmer leadership panel featuring NMPF Chairman Randy Mooney, Pennsylvania farmer and DMI Chair Marilyn Hershey and Texas farmer and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) Chairman Larry Hancock will focus on lessons learned during unprecedented times.
David Wasserman, House editor for The Cook Political Report, will offer a forecast ahead of the 2020 local, state and federal elections. Wasserman can address questions about specific House and Senate races, as well as the presidential campaign.
NMPF also will hold a moderated Town Hall discussion, featuring senior staffers offering updates and answering questions regarding key policy issues that affect dairy farmers and U.S. dairy.

Wednesday, October 28

A dairy executive panel will share promotion priorities and plans for 2021 and beyond, including how COVID-19 has uncovered and accelerated opportunities for U.S. dairy. Featured panelists include Gallagher and USDEC President and CEO Tom Vilsack.
Peter Sheahan, founder of Karrikins Group and a globally recognized thought leader, will share his thoughts on how companies develop and sustain a competitive edge. Sheahan’s books include the recent “Matter: Move Beyond the Competition, Create More Value and Become the Obvious Choice.”
A spotlight panel will share critical updates and context around the industry’s sustainability journey, featuring Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, co-op, farmer and other experts who will share why this topic is more important than ever among consumers and customers and how U.S. dairy is positioning itself for today and in the future.