
2026 Conference Information
"Safety & Progress: Strengthening Michigan’s Dairy Industry Together"
2026 Agenda
7:30 - 8:00 am Registration (Coffee, Danishes & Bagels provided)
8:00 - 8:15 am Welcome
Carl Kohlhoff, MDIC President
8:15 - 8:45 am MDARD Update
Dr. Tim Boring, Director, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)
8:45 - 9:30 am Dairy Economics Update
Danny Munch, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation
9:30 - 9:45 am Dairy Distillery
Nicolas Gutierrez Riera, Sustainability Manager, MMPA
9:45 - 10:00 am MSU Dairy Farm
Joe Domecq, Michigan State University Dairy Farm
10:00 - 10:15 am Break
10:15 - 11:00 am Fluid Milk Sensory Experience
Amanda Moore, QCS Purchasing Cooperative
11:00 - 11:30 am What to Expect if you Get Pulled Over
Geared toward truck drivers/farm vehicles
MC Sgt. Andrew Sciba, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Michigan State Police
11:30 - 12:45 pm Banquet Luncheon & Awards
Steve Lehman, Michigan Milk Producers Association
12:45 - 1:15 pm Local Processer Highlight
C. F Burger Creamery
1:15 - 1:45 pm Local Producer Highlight
Carla Wardin, Evergreen Dairy
1:45 - 2:15 pm Biosecurity Practices
Paola Bacigalupo Sanguesa and Michael Metzger, Michigan State University Extension
2:15 - 2:30 pm Break
2:30 - 3:15 pm Antibiotic Prevention Panel
Moderated by Tajalli Hodge, MDARD; Brad Crandall, Crandall Dairy Farms LLC
3:15 - 3:45 pm Dairy Program and DORIS Update
TBD
3:45 - 4:00 pm Raffle & Adjourn
Pat Mitchell, Ecolab
