Virtual Agenda

Virtual Agenda

Below you will find the current agenda for the virtual 2020 Forward TogetHER National Conference. All sessions will be shown via live stream at the times notes but also available by recording. All times are in Central (CDT). *All items are subject to change.

All breakout session presentations will be available for online access starting on Monday, October 26th, 2020 for viewing before attending the conference. Live Interactive Q&As on the breakouts will happen via live stream.

  • “Dairy Policy: Looking Back and Moving Forward” presented by Mary Knigge, sponsored by Michael Best
  • “Learning Styles for Effective Employee Training ” presented by Elsie Gonzalez, sponsored by Udder Tech
  • “Building Your Financial Confidence” presented by Amber Hewett and Matt Lange, sponsored by GPS Dairy Consulting and Compeer
  • “Turning Friction Into a Positive” presented by Michelle Jackson, sponsored by Zoetis
  • “From Field to Feed” presented by Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, PhD, sponsored by Vita Plus and Lallemand Animal Nutrition
  • “Legal Learnings Through a Crisis” presented by Leah Ziemba, sponsored by milc group
  • “Behaviors Impacting Your Bottom Line” presented by Dr. Kelly Reed, sponsored by Diamond V
  • “Building Resiliency and Finding Joy” presented by Monica Kramer McConkey, LPC, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim
  • “Understanding Your Milk Check” presented by Mike North, sponsored by CRMG/Rice Group
  • “Turn Observation into Actions for Better Calves” presented by Michelle Sullivan, sponsored by Cargill
  • Pre-Conference Session: “Calf Care 201” presented by Ellen Cushing and Dr. Kailey Ann McPhail, sponsored by First Defense and StateLine Vet Clinic

**Breakout session descriptions and speaker bios can be found HERE

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020

  • 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM: “Mental Health First Aid Training: Identify. Understand. Respond.”, presented by Anne Chapman, sponsored by Wisconsin Farm Center
  • 4:00 PM- 4:30 PM: Calf Care 201: Interactivity Session, sponsored by First Defense and StateLine Vet Clinic
  • 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Flavors of Wisconsin: Virtual Welcome Night, sponsored by Balchem

Wednesday, November 4th, 2020

  • 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM: Dairy Girl Fitness Workout with Emily Shaw
  • 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM: Virtual Showcase Open: Coffee Talk
  • 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Welcome
  • 9:15 AM – 10:00 AM: “Confidence in Uncertainty” presented by Mary Ledman, sponsored by Dairy Farmers of America
  • 10:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Break
  • 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM: “Building an Ecosystem Utilizing Technology” panel with Tera Baker, Craig Blough, Kelly Broughton and Manny Salcedo, sponsored by Nedap Livestock Management
  • 11:15 AM – 11:30 AM: Break
  • 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM: “Tactical Actions that Yield Profitable Outcomes” presented by Matt Lange, sponsored by Farm Credit
  • 12:15 PM – 1:30 PM: Break, Virtual Showcase Open: Lunch
  • 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: “Why Net Zero Matters” panel with Krysta Harden, Tara Vander Dussen and Jim Wallace, sponsored by Dairy Management Inc.
  • 2:30 PM – 2:40 PM: Break
  • Afternoon Live Stream Interactivity Q&A Sessions with Breakout Speakers (Choose to join one or all 10!)
    • 2:40 PM – 3:00 PM: “Dairy Policy: Looking Back and Moving Forward” presented by Mary Knigge, sponsored by Michael Best
    • 3:00 PM – 3:20 PM: “Building Resiliency and Finding Joy” presented by Monica Kramer McConkey, LPC, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim
    • 3:20 PM – 3:40 PM: “Building Your Financial Confidence” presented by Amber Hewett and Matt Lange, sponsored by GPS Dairy Consulting and Compeer
    • 3:40 PM – 4:00 PM: “Turning Friction Into a Positive” presented by Michelle Jackson, sponsored by Zoetis
    • 4:00 PM – 4:20 PM: “From Field to Feed” presented by Michelle Chang-Der Bedrosian, sponsored by Vita Plus and Lallemand Animal Nutrition
    • 4:20 PM – 4:40 PM: “Legal Learnings Through a Crisis” presented by Leah Ziemba, sponsored by milc group
    • 4:40 PM – 5:00 PM: “Behaviors Impacting Your Bottom Line” presented by Dr. Kelly Reed, sponsored by Diamond V
    • 5:00 PM – 5:20 PM: “Learning Styles for Effective Employee Training ” presented by Elsie Gonzalez, sponsored by Udder Tech
    • 5:20 PM – 5:40 PM: “Understanding Your Milk Check” presented by Mike North, sponsored by CRMG/Rice Group
    • 5:40 PM – 6:00 PM: “Turn Observation into Actions for Better Calves” presented by Michelle Sullivan, sponsored by Cargill
  • 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM: Virtual Showcase Open: Happy Hour
  • 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Dairy Delicious Gifts: Flavored Butters and Ice Cream Drinks presented by Kara Kasten-Olson, sponsored by Land O’ Lakes

Thursday, November 5th, 2020

  • 6:00 AM – 7:00 AM: Dairy Girl Fitness Workout with Emily Shaw
  • Early Bird Gets the Worm Sessions Sessions
    • 7:30 AM – 8:15 AM: “Workplace 101: The Answer is Yes – How to Lean in, Learn, and Live Your Best Life” presented by Martha Trott, sponsored by DeLaval
    • 8:15 AM – 9:00 AM: “Milk Markets: Today, Tomorrow and Into the Future” presented by Mary Ledman, sponsored by Rabobank
  • 9:00 AM – 9:10 AM: Welcome
  • 9:10 AM – 10:15 AM: “Transitioning Into Your Next Purpose” panel with LuAnn Troxel, Julie Veldhuis, Catharine Kuber Perry and Beth Heinze, sponsored by Merck Animal Health
  • 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Break
  • 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM: “Animal Welfare: Essential for the Cow, the Producer and the Consumer” presented by Dr. Jennifer Van Os, sponsored by The National Dairy FARM Program
  • 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM: Break for Lunch, Virtual Showcase Open
  • 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: “Quiet the Noise, Set Your Intentions” panel discussion with Glenda Gehl, Portia Stewart and Becky Allen, sponsored by Dairy Girl Network’s #StrongerTogetHER
  • 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM: Break
  • 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM: “I Have Something to Say“ presented by Laura Daniels, sponsored by Alltech
  • 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM: Closing remarks, Kristy Pagel

** General session descriptions and speaker bios can be found HERE

** Breakout session descriptions and speaker bios can be found HERE

**Agenda subject to change**

Thank you to our Forward TogetHER conference sponsors!

Direction: Dairy Management Inc., Alltech, Dairy Farmers of America, National Dairy FARM Program, Balchem and Nedap Livestock Management.

Target: Wisconsin Farm Center, Boehringer Ingelheim, Compeer Financial, Farm Credit, Cargill, DeLaval, Diamond V, Land O’ Lakes, Merck Animal Health, Michael Best, GPS Dairy Consulting, milc group, Rabobank, UdderTech, CRMG / Rice Dairy Group, Vita Plus, Lallemand Animal Nutrition, Zoetis, First Defense, StateLine Vet Clinic and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

Arrow: Denkavit, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Festival Foods, GENEX, Holstein International and TechMix.