Session 2 - Journal

Jarred Mello
Session 2

On Tuesday June 12, the WUD Dairy Leaders met in Sacramento, CA for our session on the California state legislation. We kicked off the trip with dinner at the Broiler Room. This is where we were first introduced to Mr. Gary Conover and Mr. Jim Collin.

Mr. Conover is the Lobbyist for Western United Dairymen, or in other words, the Director of Government Relations. He is a contract lobbyist however, which means that he has the ability to lobby for other special interest groups that do not conflict with WUD beliefs. Along with WUD, Gary is currently lobbying for the CA School Nutrition Coalition. He is one of 2,000 registered lobbyists in CA.

Gary was our host/tour guide for our stay in Sacramento. He showed us all the “ins and outs” in all areas of the Capitol. He scheduled all our activities and meetings for the 3 days. Basically without Gary, we all would have been completely lost and confused.

Mr. Jim Collin is the chief consultant for Assemblywomen Cathleen Galgiani. Cathleen sits as the chair for the Assembly Ag Com Board. So therefore, Jim is a lead consultant for the board. On Tuesday night Jim and Gary helped break down the CA state government process as best as possible. With all the different legs and sections of the government, it was no easy task. Jim stated himself that after 30 years of working in Sacramento, he is still learning the process himself!

On Wednesday morning after breakfast, we started for the Capitol where we had a tour. This was extremely eye opening. Our tour guide was loaded with information and answered all of our questions with ease. There were so many different areas to the Capitol that we covered that I needed to take a second tour to get more comfortable with it. The most interesting part of the tour was being in the senate and assembly rooms. There is so much history in those two rooms that it was breathtaking. We concluded the tour with walking back into the Capitol through a mess of protestors who were purposely causing problems and getting arrested.

Immediately after the tour, we headed to the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee board meeting. Here we heard several different labor issues. It was really interesting because when they were presented to the board, we were able to hear both sides of the issue. So when the bill was presented, the people who opposed the bill immediately followed with their explanation.

Following the board hearing, we met with Assemblywomen Connie Conway. Connie is a Republican from Visalia, CA. She is the assembly minority leader. The most interesting thing about Connie is that her son is a dairyman in Tulare so her ties to the dairy industry are extremely strong. That is exactly what we need in Sacramento!

Right before lunch we met with Senator Anthony Cannella. Anthony is one of the few republican senators. He is from Ceres, CA and is a business owner back home with his wife and kids. Senator Cannella has two years left before he is termed out, where he jokingly said that he plans to run for president of the United States next.

This meeting took us right up to lunch where we met Michael Marsh. We ate at Bistro Michel where everyone ate a french dip sandwich! We regrouped and talked with Michael and Gary about what we thought so far.

Immediately following lunch, we had to run to the Assembly Ag Committee hearing. We were luckily on time. If we were five minutes late, we would have missed it all. The hearing didn’t take long. They heard one bill about the California State Fair. They passed it and the hearing was adjourned. I wish it would have lasted longer to get a better feel for the hearing process. Never the less, it was still beneficial!

The most interesting legislator that we met in our time in Sacramento was Assemblyman David Valadao. David is a republican from Hanford, CA. Talking with David, I got a different feeling with him than I did with anyone else we met with; almost a comfortable feeling. He was totally upfront with everything. He talked about his family background, his time running for office, his time in Sacramento, and his potential seat at the United States Senate. The best part of it all is that he is a CA dairyman so he honestly knows exactly what we are going through. The only people who know exactly what CA Dairyman deal with, are dairyman themselves. It’s a big deal that Assemblyman David Valadao is in Sacramento and is hopefully on his was to Washington D.C.

We also met with two democrats during our time at the Capitol. The first democrat we met with was Assemblywomen Fiona Ma. She is from San Francisco and is the Assembly Speaker pro Tempore. She leads the assembly floor. Fiona was very impressive. I wasn’t sure what to expect with her. However, surprisingly enough, she greeted us with a two page document that listed all the ag tours that she has taken in CA. It was impressive. When I asked her why she tours all the different ag communities in CA, she simply state; because I want to know where my food comes from. Simple and exact! I would love to host Fiona and whoever else is interested in learning more about where their food comes from. The other Democrat we briefly met with was Senator Leland Yee from San Francisco also. Our time with Leland was brief but positive. He has supported and carried a few bills for the dairy industry.

The last couple of visits were with the Berryhill brothers, Senator Tom and Assemblyman Bill. Tom is a republican who represents Modesto and Bill is also a republican who represents Ceres. We met with the Berryhill brothers separately, but both were strong supporters of many of the same things. The two of them are strong fighters for the water issues in the central valley farming community, which is a major issue in California. The Berryhill families are big tree and vine farmers in Modesto, CA.

Wednesday evening we concluded with dinner at Chops Restaurant. Chops sits directly next to the state capitol. It’s a local favorite for the CA government community. We met a lot of legislators there.

Thursday morning, following breakfast, we were introduced on the Assembly and Senate floors. On our way there, we took pictures with Senator Cannella and Assemblywomen Conway. Assemblyman Valadao and Senator Cannella introduced us on the Assembly and Senate floors. We were told that it was supposed to be on television but I was unable to find it. Following the introductions, session two was adjourned.

Overall, session two was a success. I did not know what to expect and I thought it turned out well. I thought Mr. Conover did a great job facilitating our group for the two and a half days. He gave us great insight and great information about the legislative process. I realized how important it was to have a voice in Sacramento. And as a lobbyist, I was impressed with Mr. Conover! I went home with a much better understanding of how everything works in Sacramento.

Session 1 - Media Training

              Day 2 of Session 1, Class XI participated in a Media Training workshop, presented by Leslie Jones of Ketchum and Jennifer Giambroni of California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), along with Ketchum IT guy, Paul. The course was centered on preparing class members in the event that we should be approached by a member of the media or an inquisitive consumer.

                One thing that is important for every member of the agriculture to understand is that having a specific message, something specific to share with the consumer population, is vital to being able to convey agriculture in a positive light. When presented with the opportunity to address an issue, there is often a very small window of opportunity available in which to get your message across. Knowing your message in advance and being prepared when the time may arise will help bring your message across in an organized and much more effective manner.

                In the event you may be approached by a member of the media, and requested to provide an interview or a statement, it is extremely important to be prepared and ask the following questions:

1.       What is the deadline for your story?

2.       What are you looking for?

3.       May I contact you back at another (scheduled) time?

It is also ok to remember that at any time it is acceptable to deny or deflect the interview. You are at no time required to provide a statement if you are not comfortable or prepared.

                When giving an interview, it is important to get to the point. Don’t beat around the bush, so to speak. The entire interview may be edited down to a single sentence, or limited to 30 seconds in length. If it takes 42 seconds to get to the point you are trying to make, you may not get the opportunity to share your message. Also, never say anything you don’t want to read/hear about later. By being prepared in advance, having your key message under your belt and on the tip of your tongue, it will come more fluid and you won’t flounder around trying to find the right words.

               Avoid “no comment”. By saying “no comment”, or refusing to answer a question in an interview, you may mistakenly convey the impression that you have something to hide. Instead of refusing to answer a difficult, ugly or awkward question, be prepared to turn it around into a positive, and come back to reiterate your key message. Take your time to answer a question – it is OK to pause before answering a question. By taking a breath before answering, you allow yourself the time to reflect on the question in your mind, consider your answer and again bring your answer back to your key message. It is alright to admit, “I don’t know…” when you are asked a question. Do not attempt to answer a question you if are not 100% certain of the answer. Do, however, be prepared to offer to find the answer and report back, or put the interviewer in touch with someone who can answer the question.

photo curtesy of Mark Looker

                Don’t use acronyms or industry terminology. Use of acronyms or terms that viewers do not understand can make for a confusing conversation. Be sure to layout the terms of an acronym, such as “F.A.R.M. Program certification – which stands for Farmers Assuring Responsible Management” before proceeding with the interview. This will help your viewers feel connected and more inclined to listen to the rest of the conversation. By using industry terminology, routine practices may come across as harmful or abusive. For example, drenching, used to give cows needed fluids by oral injection, may have a different meaning to those unfamiliar with the process.

               The presentation team provided many video excerpts of interviews where interviewees held fast to their key message, used in depth industry lingo that more than confused the panel and took over two minutes to get to the point they were trying to convey. They provided excellent examples before we began the on-camera portion of the workshop.

               Each class member was then given the opportunity to be interviewed on camera. After each interview, the video was reviewed and discussed amongst the class. The first round was pretty rough, as none of the class members had any type of extensive media training. Ms. Jones, having a media background, was able to accurately portray a reporter who would pick pieces of statements and show how things could get out of hand. It can be great to take the opportunity to “lead” the interview. By answering questions in a specific way, the interview can change direction and help you convey your key message.

                For example: should your key message be: We do our utmost to ensure our animals are well cared for; and the question arises: Why are baby calves pulled from their mothers after birth and placed in little cages? The question might be answered in the following way: We do our utmost to ensure our animals are well cared for. Calves on our farm are removed from their mothers within hours of being born, and placed in a special nursery area. This allows us to provide individualized care for both the mother and the baby, by making sure that the baby gets proper nutrition and is in a clean, safe environment where she/he can be monitored during its first days. The mother is also placed under special care, for new mothers, to be sure she remains healthy and receives appropriate nutrition requirements. We do our utmost to ensure our animals are well cared for.

               By presenting the key message up front, highlighting the question and directly answering, without using acronyms or industry terminology, and again reinforcing the key message at the end, “tearing babies from their mothers” does not become an issue, rather the farmer’s priority of individualized attention and care becomes the focus.

                After the initial round of on camera interviews, the class was given a second chance in the spotlight and it was great to see how the topics we discussed following the first round of questions helped each member to improve in their response.

                Should you be asked to give a statement or interview, it is important to remember to ask the focus and deadline of the story, as well as ask for contact information. Immediately contact the CMAB and request a mini-media training review to help determine the key message for the story in question. The team is available and ready to help you prepare to be in the public spotlight.

A Tour of the Capitol

Today's tour of the Capitol included the Senate (in red)...

the Assembly (in green)...

a Tiffany's rendition California seal...

gorgeous views of the Rotunda...

the Capitol rose gardens and...

just to round things out... 5,000+ protestors!

We had a great 3-day government experience!

Greetings from the Capitol!

Class member, David deWit, with a Golden California Bear.

Session 1

On May 22nd the leaders of WUD met in San Francisco. The session started with Dr. Neil Koenig. In this time we investigated the "in's and out's" of being a strong, stable leader. This was also the first time we met our fellow classmates. After a while, we broke into groups to discuss leadership and make formal introductions. That evening we met John and Martha Vlahos at the North Beach Restaurant in North Beach. John has been a representative of the dairy industry for many years. We are all, as dairyman, indebted to his service.

Day two started at the CMAB office for media training. It was a long learning curve for me. This is foreign to me. I now have a better understanding of the "do's" and "don't s" of being in front of a camera. Now I know what it takes to take part in a successful interview.  The plans for that evening were a San Francisco bay cruise. A fun activity, other than my battle with sea sickness, that could enable us to let loose a little bit.

Overall I feel I learned a lot about many different things, things that are very valuable to know. It was very important for me to get out of my comfort zone and now I have much more knowledgeable about interviews. I can utilize this information when interviewing employees on my own dairy, and becoming a stronger leader.

David DeWit

Session 1

Jarred Mello

Session 1

On May 22, the WUD California Dairy Leaders class met in San Francisco to kick off the program. Session 1 started with Dr. Neil Koenig and the very important topic of leadership. This meeting served a dual purpose for the class. It was an orientation which served as an ice breaker between the class mates and helped lay down the foundation for the leadership program and also was a discussion about the role of leadership.  We broke into groups and discussed what we did as leaders and what it meant to be a leader.

Immediately following our first discussion, we met John and Martha Vlahos at the North Beach Restaurant in North Beach, SF. The food was great, the atmosphere was awesome, and our company was honorable. It was very nice meeting and talking with Mr. & Mrs. Vlahos.

The following morning we met at the CMAB office for media training. This was the most interesting and exciting part of session 1. It’s not normal for any of us class mates to be on T.V.. So participating in what it takes to give a successful interview was a lot of fun and very educational. I realize how important it is to have some level of media training in our profession.

Soon after arriving back at the hotel, we departed for the dock to embark on our sunset cruise around the bay. This served as our evening activity. This is where we met Mark Looker and Dino Giacomazzi; our guest presenters the following morning.

Thursday morning we headed back to the CMAB office to sit in on our final presentations of the trip. Maureen Bligh from the Dairy Council of California supplied us with important information about what the Dairy Council has to offer for the dairy industry. Before this, I didn’t realize all the avenues Maureen and staff of the Dairy Council, had available to the consumer!

Along with the Dairy council presentation; Kevin Vogt of Hilmar Cheese, Mark Looker communication director WUD, Dino Giacomazzi, and Kris Costa of CMAB all presented and brought up interesting and exciting discussions about different segments of the dairy industry. All of which are helping the California dairy industry head in a positive direction.

To summarize in short, session 1 of the WUD Dairy Leader Program covered a substantial amount of information. We covered many areas of the dairy industry that I am not familiar with, which is why this session was a success.  All presentation, discussions, and contacts were important. This 3 day session in San Francisco set a solid foundation for what’s to come in the following sessions. I’m excited!

Session 1 Synopsis

This first session was definitely a great kick-start to get the Dairy Leaders Program rolling this year.  I enjoyed getting to meet everyone as well as getting to learn more about the program and what it entails, in addition to getting to learn from the first few classes.

The first day was an excellent start to the program.  Dr. Neil Koenig gave a superb session on the basic roles of leadership, which got me focused on what the program is designed for right from the start.  In the evening we had a very nice dinner with guests Mr. and Mrs. John Vlahos.  John was very interesting to learn from as he had a very important part in sculpting the milk pooling system in place in California today. 

During the second day, we spent a majority of our time at the California Milk Advisory Board's office in San Francisco.  This was the media-training day.  We started out with Jennifer Giambroni, from CMAB, and also Jennifer Reinhard, by going over key strategies on how to talk to the media.  We focused on striving to tell the story we want to tell rather than what they are asking.  After reviewing and watching both good and bad interviews, we were up in front of the camera.  At the end of the day we went on a Sunset Bay Cruise with the group as well as our guests Mark Looker, and Mr. and Mrs. Dino Giacomazzi.

The third day was focused on marketing and the roles of both companies in the industry, as well as ourselves as producers.  Maureen Bligh came and talked about Dairy Council of California and all that they do promoting nutrition and milk as part of a healthy lifestyle, as well as educational events like the mobile classroom.  Then Kevin Vogt from Hilmar Ingredients came and talked to us about what they are doing to push not only cheese from the parent company, but to promote the value added products such as whey protein isolates.  From there, Mark Looker came and talked to us about marketing from a personal point of view and getting connected to the news we want right now.  Dino Giacomazzi finished off the point by explaining to us the different ways we communicate now and pointing out that we as an industry have lost touch with the common people and need to rekindle that through embracing current communication methods.  Finally Kris Costa from California Milk Advisory Board came and gave us an overview of CMAB's history and the role they play in marketing California cheese and milk products through advertising and other venues.

This session was very valuable to me, I feel I learned a great deal from it and came back encouraged with a new perspective on how important it is not to only take care of the dairy and be with the cows, but to get out there and be a voice for the industry as a whole.  A change that I would like to see made would be to have more time spent outside of the classroom in a more "lab" setting with the class. I thoroughly enjoyed the session, however, I would have to say that I really pulled a lot from Dr. Neil Koenig and Dino Giacomazzi.  I was challenged with a new perspective on my role as a producer in this industry, which I really enjoyed.  In conclusion, I am looking forward to the remainder of this class and am very excited to learn more and get to meet more people who share the same passion for dairy.

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.

Session #1

Session 1 of the Dairy Leaders Program XI was a great experience which helped to broaden my horizons. From day one upon meeting other classmates in the program I realized I was in for a great experience. Dr. Koenig gave the first presentation and was helpful in breaking the ice for our new class and also there to talk to our class about leadership. This was a great way to start the program as Dr. Koenig was a great inspirational speaker who left us feeling positive with what lies ahead of us. I think everyone walked away from his presentation with something new that they can use in their everyday lives. His presentation not only addressed the qualities that we already posses as leaders but also the areas of leadership that each of us could individually improve on.

 For myself this presentation was very beneficial mainly because I am new to managing employees which requires a large amount of leadership. The following day was the focus of the session which was media training. Although this was the most stressful and exhausting part of the session, I left with a new understanding of how to take on reporters and also new techniques on how to promote the dairy industry. Coming out of this session I am much more informed and feel that I would have a better approach at an interview if the situation was to ever arise.

After a morning filled with training we finally had a practice run with a live interview and reporter. This was difficult for myself as I found it hard to answer questions in the right manner while under the pressure of a live interview. The last day of the session Dino Giacomazzi gave a presentation on social networking. This presentation was all about educating consumers about what we do as dairy farmers by means of social media. Dino promotes the dairy industry via Facebook, Twitter and by blogging. Dino explained that consumers and the American public have a misunderstanding about our industry and it is solely up to our generation to try and link the gap between farmers and consumers.  Overall I had a great experience and walked away from this session with knowledge and skills that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else.