Business consultants to help dairy farm families achieve their goals
The center offers free one-on-one counseling to families on dairy farms
To assist Pennsylvania dairy farm families with transition planning, business management consulting and risk management planning, the Dairy Center has several consultants and staff working with Pennsylvania dairy farm families. Dr. Brian Reed and Dr. Charlie Gardner work as Center consultants to help dairy farm families navigate the complex process of transition planning, business plan development and business transformation through individualized counseling and support. Zach Myers, the Center’s risk education manager, is also on hand to help dairy farm families develop risk management strategies for their operations. (photo from file)
HARRISBURG, Pa. — To assist Pennsylvania dairy farm families with transition planning, business management consulting and risk management planning, the Center for Dairy Excellence has several consultants and staff working with Pennsylvania dairy farm families. Dr. Brian Reed and Dr. Charlie Gardner work as Center consultants to help dairy farm families navigate the complex process of transition planning, business plan development and business transformation through individualized counseling and support. Zach Myers, the Center’s risk education manager, is also on hand to help dairy farm families develop risk management strategies for their operations.
With years of experience in the dairy industry, the Center leverages the knowledge and experience of these consultants and offers their services free of charge to dairy farm families throughout the state. Farm families who benefited from one-on-one counseling through the Center focused on:
- Business plan development and transformation:
“About five years ago, I started the path to opening my own dairy shop. Dr. Charlie Gardner helped me write my business plan and was a great resource to ask questions, get advice and find other contacts in Pennsylvania who have worked on similar projects,” said Amy Brickner of Destiny Dairy Bar at Stover Farms in Cumberland. County, Pennsylvania
“I did some research on the pizzeria and I liked the idea of creating a market for our milk. It was quite scary, but with the help we got in the business plan and our own knowledge of hard work and not easy things, we felt we could do it. [Our consultant] helped us learn the best ways to protect ourselves and our employees,” said Jessica Kennedy of Farmer in Dell Creamery in Venango County, Pennsylvania.
- Transition and succession planning:
“We talked about transitioning to LLC and about the next generation, but everyone is always very busy. It’s always on the back burner. Finally, we just needed some direction. The Dairy Center of Excellence really provided that. Our consultant is very good at following up and making sure we stay on track. We have monthly meetings where he gives us tasks and expects us to make some progress. He was good at pushing us to make things happen,” said Joan Stoltzfus of Pennwood Farms in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
“Even though we felt like we were starting from a good place, we didn’t want things to go south [during the transition planning process]. We wanted to honor everyone and make sure we didn’t miss anything. Bringing in a third party helps a lot to validate all of our feelings about how things should go and listen to what we want to accomplish,” said Jared Kurtz of Kurtland Farms in Berks County, Pennsylvania.
- Risk management planning and strategy development:
“Zach Myers’ seminars at the Dairy Center of Excellence were extremely informative in understanding market conditions, providing solutions to combat the downturn and determining the best strategy for our farm. Zach also visited our farm and met with me to explain the programs in detail. Researching the several programs available and determining the cost of the produce is important information to make informed and strategic decisions to protect the financial health of your farm,” said Ginger Breon of Weaver Family Farm in Center County, Pennsylvania.
“Zack’s Protect Your Profits resources provide a wealth of global, domestic and regional dairy market information that demonstrates where the markets have been and helps show where they are headed.” I could go to all the individual data sources myself to gather all this information, but Zach condenses the data into about a 15-minute, easy-to-read presentation [each month]” said Michael John, executive vice president of milk marketing for the Maryland and Virginia Cooperative Milk Producers Association.
To learn more about the Center’s business advisors, who are available free of charge to dairy farm families, contact Melissa Anderson at manderson@centerfordairyexcellence.org or call 717-346-0849 to speak with a counselor.
– Emily Barge, Dairy Center of Excellence
https://www.morningagclips.com/business-consultants-available-to-help-dairy-farm-families-achieve-their-goals/ Business consultants to help dairy farm families achieve their goals
