SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A four-state conference for dairy producers on “Going Green in a Black and White World” is planned for Jan. 29 at the Best Western Ramkota Inn and Conference Center in Sioux Falls.

The conference is a joint effort of the University Extension programs in Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska and Minnesota and the Southwest Minnesota Dairy Profit Group. Local and national dairy industry sponsors also are participating.

The theme for the Interstate 29 2009 Dairy Conference is “Understanding Sustainability and the Opportunities for Our Dairy Farms and Industry.” Featured speakers will include Charlie Arnot of the Center for Food Integrity; Rick Naczi of the American Dairy Association; Donna Moenning of the Midwest Dairy Association; Alvaro Garcia of South Dakota State University Extension; and Jim Salfer and Jim Paulson of University of Minnesota Extenison. A panel discussion also will be presented by dairy farmers Jason Brockshus of Ocheyedan, Iowa, and Dennis Haubenschild of Princeton, Minn., and Dennis Johnson of the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center at Morris.

Topics on the program include building sustainable systems; ethics, science and economics; creating value and profitability; and social issues.

The program is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the conference center at 3200 W. Maple Street in Sioux Falls. A registration fee of $20 includes conference materials and lunch. Preregistration by Jan. 22 is encouraged.

A registration brochure and additional information are available online at http://dairysci.sdstate.edu/ or from Chris Mondak, Iowa State University Extension (712) 737-4230, cmondak@iastate.edu, or Alvaro Garcia, South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service, (605) 688-5488, alvaro.garcia@sdstate.edu. Registrations also are being accepted by mail by Valerie Dension, SDSU Dairy Science Box 2104, Dairy Microbiology Building Room 109, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007.

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