YDLI kicks off in New Mexico

Guest blogger: Lindsey Worden, Holstein Association USA

Young Dairy Leaders Institute Class 6 Kicks Off Today!

Final preparations are being made for Phase I of Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) Class 6 in Albuquerque, New Mexico! While most of the country is experiencing frigid temperatures, the YDLI crew is enjoying beautiful weather in the low 60s, with no chance of snow.

Phase I kicks off on Wednesday afternoon with tours of two New Mexico dairy farms - Jones Dairy, Inc., in Veguita and H.A.W. Farms in Belen. Later in the evening is the New Mexico Welcome Fiesta, where class members will have the opportunity to mingle and meet their fellow classmates, Holstein Foundation Board of Trustees, and the YDLI Advisory Committee.

The rest of the week has a jam-packed schedule full of interactive workshops. Thursday’s program will focus on understanding different personality types and developing creative thinking. Friday’s workshops will cover life balance, extensive media training, nutritional issues, and will close with a hypnotist for evening entertainment. The final day, Friday, will include development of leadership skills, an industry discussion panel, understanding consumer issues, and planning for Phase II. The class will conclude with a final banquet on Saturday evening.

Seventy-five young adults from across the country will participate in this class of YDLI. Phase I is held February 27-March 1 and focuses on individual leadership and communications skills. Phase II takes place in the year after Phase I, and gives attendees the opportunity to apply and practice skills that they acquired during Phase I through activities and projects in their home communities. The class comes together again in Albuquerque February 25-28, 2009 for Phase III, which focuses more on group leadership skills and advanced media training.

Check back daily for pictures and updates from the events and workshops!

Sandia Mountain range

Sunset in the mountains

Welcome to YDLI!

Hotel entryway

The Albuquerque Grand Airport Hotel

Phase 1 of Class 6 of the Young Dairy Leaders Institute kicked off on Wednesday with tours of New Mexico dairy farms and a Welcome Fiesta.

New to YDLI this year, participants had the option to tour two New Mexico dairy farms. Approximately 60 class members visited the dairies, which were located about an hour south of Albuquerque. The first stop was Jones Dairy, Inc. in Veguita, run by Ron, Linda, Dale, and Jeff Jones. The Jones family milks 2,500 cows in a 56 stall rotary parlor. The second stop was H.A.W. Farms in Belen, NM. This dairy is owned by John and Holly Woelber, and their son, Luke. They milk 2,000 cows in a double 30 parallel parlor. We would like to thank both dairies for their hospitality! The weather cooperated once again, with temperatures in the low 60s. Both farms exposed class members to a style of dairying that many hadn’t experienced before, and it was a great learning experience for all.

After getting cleaned up, it was time to officially kick off the program with the New Mexico Welcome Fiesta. Going along with the “fiesta” theme for the class, everyone was able to enjoy some delicious Mexican food – chips, salsa, tacos, taquitos, and empanadas – while listening to good music and enjoying great company. After eating and some informal mingling, Holstein Foundation Programs Manager Jodi Hoynoski and YDLI Coach Michele Payn-Knoper lead the group in a mixer, challenging the class to step outside of their comfort zone and get to know their classmates a little better. The assignment was to pick a person that they didn’t already know and “interview” them to find the answer to some interesting questions. It was a great activity to get everyone acquainted and have some good laughs along the way.

Thursday will mark the beginning of the workshops for the class. Michele Payn-Knoper will kick off the session, giving everyone an idea of what lies ahead on their YDLI journey, and challenging them to expand their horizons. Next, Jim Henion will lead a workshop on understanding and working with different personality types. At lunch, the Holstein Foundation will honor the Distinguished Alumni Leader Award recipients, Bonnie Burr (2006) and Duane and Marilyn Hershey (2007). The afternoon begins with David Williamson helping everyone to think outside the box and stretching the limits of their creativity. Finally, the keynote speaker at dinner will be Patricia Katz (who is also leading a workshop on Friday), speaking about life balance leadership and sharing some strategies to help everyone “keep the fire in their fiesta”.

Check back tomorrow for updates and pictures from Thursday’s session!

Class members start to roll in….Jodi Hoynoski and Kelli Dunklee talk to Josh Hushon at the registration desk.

Annie McCullough and Jeni Dingbaum check out the calves at Jones Dairy in Veguita.

Group picture in front of the milking barn at H.A.W. Farm in Belen.

Headlocks as far as the eye can see at H.A.W. Farm!

Michele Payn-Knoper listens to Andy Meyer and Lori Connelly respond to the question, “If a movie were made about your life, what would it be called and what actor would portray you?”.

YDLI Day 2

Second day of activities in New Mexico (supplied by Lindsey Worden, Holstein Association USA)

YDLI class members began their leadership training on Thursday with a full day of insightful and eye-opening workshops.

YDLI Coach Michele Payn-Knoper began the opening session with a rousing video, showing students why it is critical for the dairy industry to have a strong voice. She also got the blood pumping with some kickboxing to ensure that everyone was awake and enthusiastic for their workshop on personality types!

Are you a lion, a beaver, an otter, or a lab? The answer to this question can define how you relate to your family, friends, and coworkers. Jim Henion lead a very interesting session on understanding personality types and investigating why people act the way they do. Everyone completed a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator survey and answered introspective questions to help determine their personality type. After deciding which group they fit into, the class broke into teams based on their type, and were challenged to come up with a solution to a scenario about the proper way to handle dairy expansion. This exercise sparked quite a bit of lively discussion between the different types, and everyone came away with a better understanding of themselves and each other.

At lunch, the 2006 and 2007 Distinguished Alumni Leader Award (DAL) recipients were honored. Bonnie Burr, from Connecticut, and a member of the first class of YDLI was honored as the 2006 DAL, and Duane and Marilyn Hershey from Pennsylvania, also Class I members, were honored as the 2007 recipients.

After lunch, David Williamson stretched the creative limits of the classes’ imagination with several team building exercises. Participants quickly learned that coordinating 76 people to accomplish a task required strong leadership and perseverance. Williamson used the theme of petroglyphs to demonstrate that people can have different perceptions of the same situation and that it is important to think outside the box to achieve difficult tasks. Self-discovery was again a theme in the afternoon workshop, when everyone was challenged to figure out exactly what drives and motivate them to do what they do and accomplish their goals. The workshop concluded with people creating their own “metro-glyphs” and tapping into a creative side that many didn’t know they had!

Patricia Katz provided the evening entertainment after dinner, speaking about the importance of life balance. It’s a fast paced society that we operate in, and it is important to take a step back and pause to re-charge our batteries and avoid burn out. Katz will provide more insight on this topic that most can relate to during her opening session on Friday morning.

Also on the agenda for tomorrow is a YDLI favorite – media training, lead by David Pelzer and Joan Horbiak. Class members will learn how to speak up for and defend their cause when the camera is in their face and they’re being challenged with difficult questions. They will also have the opportunity to hear from Donna Manring and gain some understanding about consumer and nutritional issues facing the industry. Finally, the evening will close with some entertainment that promises to be absolutely “mesmerizing”.

Check back tomorrow for more updates and pictures from Day 3 of YDLI!

Holstein Foundation Chairman Chuck Worden, Bonnie Burr, and Programs Manager Jodi Hoynoski.

Marilyn Hershey accpets the 2007 DAL Award.

Joanna Samuelson taps into her creative side with David Williamson.

Class members get “pumped up” by Pat Katz’s life balance discussion.

(By Lindsey Worden, Holstein Association USA)

Day three of YDLI has come and gone…only one day left! It’s hard to believe that the conference has gone by this quickly. Class members were in for a real treat on Friday with some of YDLI’s favorite sessions on the agenda.

Do you ever feel like life is just flying past you at an incredible rate, and you don’t have that much time for yourself? Pat Katz’s morning workshop focused on life balance, and the importance of taking time to pause each day and recharge your batteries – for your own good, and the good of people you interact with on a daily basis. She challenged participants to give themselves “permission to pause”, and offered up several great tips on little things people can do to lighten up their day. With the demands of today’s fast paced society, many people were able to relate to the session and the take-home message.

Next came one of YDLI’s most highly anticipated workshops – media training with David Pelzer and Joan Horbiak. It is important for dairy producers to be able to speak up for their livelihood and make their voice heard in the media. Some may feel overwhelmed by having to speak up, but with the proper tools, they can be excellent spokespeople for the industry. If dairymen don’t tell their own story, you can bet that the opposing viewpoint will tell the story for them! These are just a few of the lessons that class members learned today. The session began with a mock riot, demonstrating some common issues that the industry faces – biosecurity, animal welfare, high consumer prices, and environmental issues. Some basic media tactics were reviewed, and then everyone was given hands-on practice at defending the industry that they love. Joan Horbiak challenged people with tough questions that are commonly asked, with volunteers demonstrating their skills on camera and in front of their classmates. Participants learned important key messages,and, by the end of the workshop, realized that every negative question they’re asked is an opportunity to tell a positive story.

Later in the afternoon, Donna Manring provided a unique perspective on how the dairy industry can work together with nutritional professionals to reinforce the fact that milk is a wholesome, nutritious product for consumers. There is a great deal of information (and misinformation!) available when walking in the dairy aisle at the supermarket, but with proper education, producers can help dispel consumer concerns as to the health benefits of consuming milk and other dairy products.

The highlight of the evening was maybe one of the funniest YDLI sessions ever – a hypnosis show by Dr. Al Snyder. Around fifteen YDLIers were hypnotized by Dr. Snyder, and hilarity ensued. Audience members laughed until they cried, and participants in the show “came to” feeling refreshed, and likely with some hilarious memories (and pictures to prove it!). Throughout the evening, we were treated a look into the life of a CIA agent, witnessed an amazing demonstration of the Irish jig, and even got a special performance by “Alan Jackson”! It was an excellent way to end a long, yet exciting, day of learning.

The final day of YDLI will start to prepare class members to apply their new leadership and communication skills in the real world. Jolene Brown will give a workshop on “piloting your leadership journey”. Everyone is in for a real treat mid-morning with the key industry issues panel discussion, which promises a lively debate on milk labeling and other current events affecting the industry. In the afternoon, participants will “take flight” and dig deeper into the minds of consumers to see what affects their purchasing decisions, and gain first hand insight into their perceptions of the dairy industry through interviews with actual consumers.. Plans will be made for Phases II and III, and Phase I will wrap up with the grand “Fiesta Finale”!

Check back soon for a wrap-up of Saturday’s events and Phase I of this class of YDLI!

Recognize any familiar faces? Rioters challenge industry advocates to stand up for what they believe in!

Can’t believe how warm it is! Trent Olson, Charlie Knigge, Ashley Yager, Kelly Sheehan, and Megan Pierce enjoy some New Mexican sunshine during the morning break.

Joan Horbiak challenges Michael Lax to be an ag advocate and defend the dairy industry.

“Secret Agent” Dawn Mausser tries to be sneaky while spying on Dr. Snyder and “Alan Jackson” (Eric Sonnek)

Everyone’s down for the count! Must have been quite a fiesta….and an entertaining show!

Day Four of YDLI – Wrapping Up
By Lindsey Worden, Holstein Association USA

The dust has settled and the smoke has cleared…Phase I of Class 6 of Young Dairy Leaders Institute is now complete! Saturday provided a busy day of workshops preparing attendees for their Phase II projects and wrapping up with a final banquet.

Jolene Brown being the morning with her session, titled “Pilot Your Leadership Journey”, where she talked about taking charge of their actions and guiding their own path. Also discussed were questions that all leaders should be able to answer, generation differences and strengths that can affect team situations, and making sure that your actions and behaviors reflect your dedication.

Next was the highly anticipated Key Industry Issues Panel discussion. Sitting on the panel was Richard Cotta, CEO of California Dairies (a milk cooperative), Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff, and Liz Doornink, a Wisconsin dairy producer and co-chair of American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology (AFACT). Panelists gave brief presentations concerning their businesses, interests, and motivations, then gave class members the opportunity to ask questions, which covered a wide variety of topics. Popular subjects related to milk labeling and rBST usage, relating to consumers, milk marketing tactics, and how dairy producers can adapt to the ever-changing demands of consumers while still running a profitable operation.

After lunch, people were challenged to step outside of their comfort zone and explore differing opinions. Everyone matched up with their learning partners and ventured out around Albuquerque to the airport and University of New Mexico campus to do some “man on the street” style consumer interviews. They were given a set of questions to ask, relating to factors that affect consumers purchasing decisions and their feelings on hormones, antibiotics, and animal welfare. Although some were a little nervous at first, the exercise turned out to be fun, and a great learning experience for all. Some even got to test out their “key messages” answering interviewees’ questions and providing a positive image of the dairy industry.

Michele Payn-Knoper lead the final session of the day, preparing everyone for their Phase II work, which will take place over the next year. YDLIers are given a set of “assignments” to accomplish during this phase, reinforcing the ideas learned during Phase I. The tasks include an outreach project of their choice, as well as encouraging interaction with their community, local media, and consumers. Class members brainstormed ideas and discussed them with YDLI Advisory Committee members. It will be exciting to see what this very talented group is able to accomplish!
After four intense days of training, everyone was ready to relax and enjoy a final evening with their classmates at the Fiesta Finale banquet. During dinner, everyone was entertained by a six-person, authentic mariachi band. Some class members even joined in the fun, singing and dancing with the group! Jolene Brown gave a memorable keynote on “letting go of the rope”, and soaring to new heights in the dairy industry. Everyone enjoyed their last evening in Albuquerque before getting up early and heading home.

The class will come together again in Albuquerque February 25-28, 2009 for Phase III, which focuses more on group leadership skills and advanced media training. All-in-all, Phase I was a resounding success. Thanks for reading this week! For more information on YDLI, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org or contact Jodi Hoynoski – jhoynoski@holstein.com or 800.952.5200, ext. 4261.

Panelist Liz Doornink answers a question

Groups work together to build bridges in a closing activity

Annie McCullough and Allison Specht enjoy the final evening

Class member Elias Torres Barrera sings along with the mariachi band!

Holstein Foundation Trustee and banquet sponsor WestfaliaSurge representative Rob Kolb poses for a quick picture with the band.

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