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Farmers, vendors appreciate in-person dairy event

Farmers and their suppliers are glad to see each other face-to-face after a year of COVID-19 restrictions.

The Professional Dairy Producers business conference was one of the first ag events moved to a virtual format because of COVID-19 a year ago.  Vendors including Wally Bingham with Vantage Dairy Supply are glad to get out in front of farmers again. “Keeping the customers wasn’t as hard as getting new ones because we could still go. We were considered essential workers.”

Bingham says working with farm customers was more difficult in certain states. “Michigan, California, they were always changing the rules so it was different. As far as the dairymen, they were glad to see you but you just had to adapt how you ate, where you went, and that kind of things.”

Jeff Lyon with FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative appreciates returning to in-person networking. “One of the most fun things is just getting out and meeting with the farmers, and it’s good to get out here and see them and see what’s going on. I can only handle so many Zoom meetings.”

Cody Weiser with Weiser Concrete agrees. “It’s great to see the customers and other vendors and face-to-face. It’s a lot more personable and a lot better way to make connections than over the phone.”

And like their farmer customers, Weiser says, “You know, you make it work, you adjust, and overcome.”

Bingham tells Brownfield to his knowledge, the Professional Dairy Producers business conference is the first agricultural program to return to an in-person format since COVID-19 shut down activities a year ago.