The Dairy Girl Network’s mission has always been to reach dairywomen where they are. This means making more resources available to more members and reaching those that cannot be there in person. DGN’s national conference, Forward TogetHER, is no exception to this, and the organization is excited to shift resources and attention to creating an exceptional virtual conference this fall.
The national conference will be held November 3 to 5, 2020, and connects both producers and industry members to learn, grow and recharge their batteries, together. As the Forward TogetHER experience pivots for 2020, these values will not change. In fact, DGN is finding even more ways to reach members and provide a top notch, interactive and educational experience for everyone, no matter their location.
The conference will provide over 25 dynamic speakers (both live streamed and recorded), recorded breakouts with live Q&A interactive sessions and provoking panel discussions. The topics for the sessions range from sustainability, dairy financials, people management, technology, milk markets, technical herd topics, mental health and more. There will also be interactive online networking features, a virtual Showcase trade show and other sessions attendees can enjoy from the comfort of their home, barn, desk or tractor, on their time.
The event will kick off with an optional pre-conference session on Tuesday, November 3, and a virtual welcome event that evening. On Wednesday, November 4, the conference will open with the inspiring and knowledgeable Mary Keough Ledman of Rabobank, followed by an exceptional technology panel and financial session. The day also features the powerhouse of “Why Net Zero Matters” panel discussion with Krysta Harden and Jim Wallace, both from Dairy Management Inc., and Tara Vander Dussen, Environmental Scientist, dairy farmer and the New Mexico Milkmaid. The afternoon of November 4 will feature the breakout interactivity sessions and networking opportunities. The final day of November 5 will start with two earlybird sessions and a workout with Dairy Girl Fitness, Emily Shaw. Thursday will continue with two exceptional panels on “Transitioning Into Your Next Purpose” and “Quiet the Noise, Set Your Intentions” showcasing many motivating and dedicated dairywomen. The final day will also include sessions on animal welfare by Jennifer Van Os, University of Wisconsin-Madison and a
closing session by DGN founder and president, Laura Daniels. All of these sessions will be recorded as well.
