Session 1

SESSION 1, DAY 1

On the welcoming day of session one the eleventh California Dairy Leaders class hit the ground running in San Francisco’s South Bay.  After introductions and quickly learning the number of Fresno State graduates in the group was limited to myself (never the less, GO DOGS!), Annie AcMoody introduced Dr. Neil Koenig whom delivered a powerful presentation about what leadership is and the important role it plays in the success of not only our dairies, but also in our everyday lives.  Throughout his session we worked in groups of three and discussed the various questions he presented.  After taking a few minutes within our small groups we then exchanged our thoughts and ideas as whole.  During this session, we were able to learn about each other and the backgrounds which we have all come from.  As individuals conveyed their positions and points to the class Dr. Neil Koenig would pose additional questions and scenarios.  The session ended with a difficult question regarding leading the industry and words to inspire California dairymen, and a review of the meaning of leadership and its importance.  Following the time spent with Dr. Neil Koenig, the class met with Michael Marsh to discuss guidelines, assignments and expectations of the Dairy Leaders Program. That evening we had a delicious Italian dinner in the city and met with attorney John Vlahos and his wife Martha.  John Vlahos has great historical knowledge and experience with many of the issues the industry has dealt with, including the California milk pooling pricing system and all which that encompasses.  

SESSION 1, DAY 2

On day 2 of session one, the class went through media training provided by Ketchum and the California Milk Advisory Board.  Leslie, the media trainer, went through a presentation covering important aspects of an interview and being in control of the situation.  We learned a great deal about a media entities ability to take words and phrases and turn them into sound bites to be used in a manner which best benefits the message they are conveying.  Through our training we were given tools to avoid these situations and then were given the opportunity to practice in a mock interview.   These tools included methods of bridging, various ways to answer questions and how to respond in the case that we do not know the answer.  Jennifer Giambroni, the Communications Director at the California Milk Advisory Board, was able to offer advice regarding the discussion of various topics such as BSE, antibiotics and the various types of dairies (i.e. progressive/conventional, organic, pasture based, etc.) in business in California.  These interviews were then reviewed and critiqued and before the day convened we went through round two of interviews.  Following the session, our evening activities include a bay tour and cruise and a walk down Pier 39.

SESSION 1, DAY 3

The final day of session one, began with a presentation by the California Dairy Council.  Topics that were presented and discussed included school programs, educational materials, nutritional information and guides, family programs, blogs and websites maintained by the organization and also, the program which brings a milk cow to inner city schools for an up close lesson about California dairies and where milk comes from.  This presentation became interesting when the topic of flavored milk in schools and the decisions that have been made by the Los Angeles school district to remove these products from their school lunch program. Maureen Bligh was very passionate about this issue and the discussion that followed demonstrated the class’ knowledge of various issues facing the industry and also the classes understanding of the fallacies driving these issues.  The day continued with four other presentations, including Kevin Vogt, representing Hilmar Ingredients, Mark Looker, whom is the Communications Director at Western United Dairymen, Dino Giacomazzi, a dairyman, blogger and man with much social media experience and Kris Costa, the Director of Producer Relations at the California Milk Advisory Board.  The presentation by Hilmar Ingredients demonstrated the great capacity of the dairy industry and the bright future ahead with continued innovation and increased global market share.  During this presentation, we were able to discuss and learn more about the various markets that exists, the expectations and standards within, the hoops and hurdles that must be overcome required to get in and the investment in a strong relationship and trust that must be developed to secure those markets, which in some cases may take years. The presentation by Mark Looker discussed the constant flow of information, most specifically news, and how Western United Dairymen passes this information along to the dairymen within the organization.  The way Western United Dairymen responds to issues that arise, for example to recent BSE findings and the whey factor in the California pricing formula, was also discussed.  Dino Giacomazzi continued the discussion of a constant feed of information and how it relates to social media.  Throughout his presentation, he discussed the way the public perceives agriculture and what we are actually doing and how in most cases public perception, though not correct, is driving the future of our industry.  He discussed how we should be utilizing Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. to better our image and inform our peers and consumers of what we are really doing on our dairies.  He ended his presentation with a homework assignment; create your own blog and post about sustainability on your dairy and how you are achieving this.  The day ended with Kris Costa sharing with us what the California Milk Advisory Board is doing to promote California dairy products through advertising and the Real Seal program.  She discussed the CMAB’s travels to Asia and the training that has occurred with the chefs in these nations to teach them about our products, but also to learn what they are looking for.  The class also discussed the CMAB’s current position with PETA and also, the advertising campaigns from happy California cows to the current television ads with cows being part of your family.  Session one was a great start to the California Dairy Leaders Program and a great source of information to take back to the dairy and utilize as a management tool when making decision regarding future direction and the start of a foundation for stepping into the role of industry leaders.  This session also provided a bit of hope and inspiration to strive for continued success despite the current market down swing. 

Thank you so much to the presenters and everyone involved in putting on a great session 1 for class XI. Everyone did such a great job with us and gave us an opportunity to learn so much!

Lauren Reid

Fred Rau Dairy, Inc.