Project Overview
Project guided decision-making process to assist small, beginning or transitioning Iowa dairy producers to determine health, family, price, and financial risks and production variables for determining which milking system is best for their future dairy success. Using 33 financial impact surveys, 20 on-farm tour-workshops, 2 webinars, 9 informational meetings, 8 focus groups, and 60 individual visits, producers and agri-business partners systematically increased awareness, understanding, and decision-making ability regarding various milking systems. Producers reduced risk involved in more correctly deciding which milking systems was best for their health, safety, profitability, cash flow and production skills with the ultimate goal of helping these producers stay in business since each dairy cow generates $23,000 of local economic activity. Over 400 dairy producers evaluate systems, with 64 attending in depth focus groups. 22 have developed and constructed modernized milking systems while 26 additional have developed plans and/ or started construction to implement a modernized milking system in their best interest to enhance future sustainability and reduce exit risk.
Number of Participants: 889
PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS
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