The Dairy Innovation Hub will hold its sixth annual Dairy Summit conference on November 18, hosted by the University of Wisconsin–River Falls College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES).
Formatted for a general audience, the Summit features the Hub’s newest projects. Anyone unable to attend in person can participate through a live virtual option. Sessions will also be recorded and posted to YouTube after the event.
Hub events are free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required.
In addition to research presentations, the event will highlight an inaugural student impact panel, featuring students from UW–Madison, UW–River Falls, and UW–Platteville, who have benefitted from the Hub through research grants, networking opportunities, and other unique experiences. The panel will also highlight the Hub’s commitment to workforce development — helping prepare the next generation of talent that Wisconsin’s dairy community depends on.
Four students will share their perspectives – Mitchell Armstrong, a PhD student in UW–Madison’s food science department, studies membrane filtration technologies and their applications to dairy byproducts, exploring their nutritional potential. He also serves as an officer in the Wisconsin National Guard. Gracie Krahn, a master’s student in the life sciences communication department at UW–Madison, researches how sustainability messages are communicated to dairy farmers nationwide. She also supports the Hub’s communications and marketing efforts as a project assistant. Kylie Beilke, a senior at UW–River Falls majoring in Animal Science with a pre-veterinary emphasis, is an undergraduate researcher supporting ongoing milk quality research related to mastitis and immune function. Mackenzie Krajco, a UW–Platteville student majoring in Soil and Crop Science with an agronomy emphasis, interned over the summer exploring the use of biochar covers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from manure storage.
After lunch, guests will be divided into smaller groups and will rotate between three tour stops at UW–River Falls – the Dairy Pilot Plant, the Meat Plant, and the Humane Handling Institute. Each tour will overview diverse research experiences, facilities, programs, and will include discussion about any Hub-funded research and equipment. All tours and scheduled content are expected to be completed by 4:30 pm.
“CAFES is excited to host the Dairy Summit this November. We will provide attendees the opportunity to explore the facilities where cutting-edge agricultural research is conducted during guided tours. We are especially excited to show off our relatively new dairy pilot plant in the Wuethrich Family/Grassland Dairy Center of Excellence. ” says Mike Orth, Dean of UW–River Falls, CAFES.
Register and view the complete schedule, including a listing of all speakers, at dairyinnovationhub.wisc.edu/dairy-summit
DETAILS:
DAIRY SUMMIT AGENDA – Nov. 18, Riverview Ballroom, University Center, UW–River Falls
- 9 a.m. – Registration, posters, and continental breakfast
- 9:45 a.m. – Welcome comments, UW–River Falls interim chancellor John Chenoweth
- 10 a.m. – Student impact panel
- 10:45 a.m. – Break, refreshments, and poster viewing
- 11:15 a.m. – Hub-funded research introductions
- 12:15 p.m. – Lunch
- 1 p.m. – Poster session
- 2-4:30 p.m. – Tours (participants will be split into smaller groups and rotate between three tour stops.)
- 4:30 p.m. – Adjourn
In just five years, this unique initiative has funded more than 260 research and outreach projects across three campuses and four priority areas.
The Dairy Innovation Hub, is supported by a $7.8M annual state investment to drive research and development across the UW–Madison, UW–Platteville, and UW–River Falls campuses, ensuring that Wisconsin’s $52.8 billion dairy community remains a global pacesetter in producing nutritious dairy products. This is all accomplished with a keen focus on economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
Contact: Maria Woldt, Dairy Innovation Hub program manager, (608) 265-4009, maria.woldt@wisc.edu.