Dairy Discovery Workshop

Held at Morrison Hall, Cornell University on March 26-27, 2010, the annual Dairy Discovery program provides New York youth with fun, hands-on science-oriented learning experiences on dairy production and management topics which feature the unique facilities, industry professionals, and staff of Cornell University. More information is available online.

When/Where: Dairy Discovery is a hands-on workshop held annually at Cornell in late March. It is a statewide program for youth ages 15-19 years old. Each year the youth will spend the 1½ days (Friday afternoon until Saturday late afternoon) here on campus learning about dairy careers and rotating through a series of hands-on stations which focus on a specific aspect of the dairy field each year. The focusing for the Dairy Discovery workshops changes each year but includes the following areas: Dairy Herd Health and Management, Calf and Heifer Production Management, Quality Milk and Milk Production, Whole Farm Management Planning, and Maximizing the Feed Management Program.

Who: Due to the hands on approach of the sessions, participation is limited to the first 60 individuals to enroll by deadline. Youth who are 15-19 years of age as of January 1, of the current year and have an interest in dairy cattle and production management are eligible and strongly encouraged to attend (with their parents or chaperones).

Why: Participants will get to meet Cornell faculty and students, learn about different aspects of dairy production management and dairy industry related careers. They will also be able to interact and exchange information with professional producers, industry experts, and more! Hands-on workshops are planned for each focus area.

How: Please contact your county 4-H office for details and registration. Registration is handled through county 4-H offices. The cost of $45 per person is billed directly to Cornell county accounts to cover basic handout, materials, dinner and activities on Friday evening, and lunch on Saturday. Lodging is NOT included for this program but a group of hotel rooms are blocked prior to this event each year and detailed information for making lodging accommodations is sent to county 4-H offices. 4-H project members and FFA youth with a dairy interest or desire to learn about dairy are strongly encouraged to attend (with their parents or chaperones).

What: Workshop presenters and topics are selected by a planning committee that looks at trends and current issues. Youth input on topics is also solicited through statewide advisory committees and educator feedback.