Program

Exhibits Open

Registration and Coffee

Welcome

fairlife – Journey to Canada

Carolyn was appointed in 2016 to lead to fairlife project in Canada. In this role, Carolyn has worked closely with Dairy Farmers of Ontario to gain an appreciation for the Canadian dairy industry in order to work in partnership with producers to introduce innovation and sector growth with the launch of fairlife in Canada. This work led to Coca-Cola Canada making an $85 million investment in Ontario’s dairy industry. This presentation will highlight fairlife and what it means for the Ontario dairy industry. Carolyn was born in London, Ontario – a city that has always been closely connected to farmers and to farming. Growing up there, she understands how critical the agri-food sector is to Canada’s economy. With over 20 years of experience in marketing, she has been with Coca-Cola for 12 years. Prior to joining Coca-Cola, Carolyn held progressive roles in Marketing at Cott Beverages, Heinz, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

If You Don’t Have a Story, You Don’t Have a Business

Marketing is a big part of any industry and has been the center of many conversations in regards to dairy products. Terry O'Reilly will join us this year at South Western Ontario Dairy Symposium where he highlights the importance of having a story about your business in marketing in order to succeed. Some of the best companies in the world use storytelling to gain confidence, trust and loyalty from their customers. In his intriguing talk. Terry will talk about the importance of advertising and marketing to the dairy industry, followed by a question period. Terry O’Reilly is the familiar voice behind the hit CBC radio shows O’Reilly on Advertising, The Age of Persuasion, and his current program, Under the Influence, where he explores the business, the craft, and the promise of promotion. In his intriguing talks, O’Reilly explores how our culture is shaped by marketing, as well as providing his expertise on branding, campaigns, spin, and more. O'Reilly began his career in radio, and then went on to become an award-winning copywriter for a number of Toronto advertising agencies. He created campaigns for many of the top brands in the country, including Labatt, Molson, Bell, and The Hudson's Bay Company. In 1990, Terry co-founded Pirate Radio & Television with a staff of 50, with eight recording studios in Toronto and New York City. O'Reilly has received Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Advertising & Design Club of Canada, The Television Bureau of Canada, and the American Marketing Association. He has also been granted an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from McMaster University in 2012, an Honorary Bachelor of Applied Arts Degree from Humber College in 2014, and an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law Degree from St. Mary's University in Halifax in 2015. He has co-written the bestselling book, The Age of Persuasion: How Marketing Ate Our Culture, and his second book, tentatively titled Lessons From Under The Influence will be published in the spring of 2017. Check out Terry's website at https://terryoreilly.ca/

Hot Lunch featuring “Food from our Farms”

Organic as a Business

Together, John and Justin join us to discuss their dairy operations and decision to produce organic milk. John will discuss his reasoning as to why he switched from producing conventional to organic milk, and Justin will touch on his experience as a new entrant.

Managing Protein Content in Milk

Tom Wright joins us on stage to discuss the breakdown of protein in our milk and how to optimize our protein sources in order to reach the true potential of the dairy cow. Tom is a dairy cattle specialist with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Tom earned his Ph.D. from the University of Guelph in dairy cattle nutrition and metabolism in 2004 and has been working for OMAFRA for 13 years. Tom’s graduate research into milk fat composition at Guelph, led to the discovery of a specialty feed supplement and the production of DHA-enriched milk for which he was recognized as a co-inventor on the patented technology. DHA-enriched milk was successfully marketed as Dairy-Oh! in Ontario. He has been an advisor to Progressive Dairy Operators for many years and Tom’s recent projects include applied research looking at the management features of composted bedding pack barns. Tom works in the Department of Animal Biosciences in Guelph and is also an Adjunct Professor.

Managing your Dairy with Narrower Profit Margins

Although the full impact of recent trade deals on market share and raw milk prices is not completely clear yet, there is no doubt we need to learn to get by with less. Dairy consultant Jack Rodenburg has 44 years of experience working with the Ontario dairy industry. He will identify herd management opportunities to improve your bottom line as profit margins decline.   Jack Rodenburg is a 1974 University of Guelph graduate in Animal Science. From 1974 to 2008 he worked in dairy extension for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, with a focus on advising farmers on all aspects of dairy herd management. Specific areas of expertise include developed during this time included water quality, somatic cell counting, multiple component pricing, stray voltage, barn design for cow comfort and labour efficiency, and robotic milking. After 34 years in dairy extension, Jack retired in 2008 and started “DairyLogix” consulting, with a focus on designing dairy barns for robotic milking, and lecturing on robotic milking, and other dairy automation and precision technologies. Jack is a "certified CowSignals trainer" and has co-authored three books in the popular "CowSignals" series, entitled "Robotic Milking", "Building for the Cow" and "Feeding Signals" with Dr. Jan Hulsen. The father of four adult children, Jack lives in Woodstock Ontario with his wife Flora.

Speak your Mind!

Open microphone session; audience response system sponsored by Gay Lea Foods   Submit your Questions under the Discussion Tab on our Website!

Exhibits Close