Empowering Tomorrow's Dairy Leaders: Mainland Young Milk Producers

1. Becoming a Young Farm Leader February 18, 2016 By: Jonathan Van Keulen Past-President, Mainland Young Milk Producers

2. A Bit about me • Grew up on a dairy farm in South Surrey • Graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness in 2009 from Dordt College • Farm with my dad and my two brothers • We have also have 15 employees to help with the day-to-day operations • Became involved with the Mainland Young Milk Producers (MYMP) 7 years ago • Currently serving as the past-president

3. Overview • History of MYMP • MYMP Events • Getting Started: Challenges • Becoming Involved: Successes

4. History of MYMP • MYMP held its first meeting in March, 2007 • The MMPA Board noticed a lack of younger dairy producers at their meetings • They wanted to build capacity within the youth of the dairy sector & train new leaders • This would hopefully avoid Board transitional problems in the future • They wanted to build & promote a healthy, young and vibrant industry • MMPA provided a start-up base operating fund

5. MYMP Membership • Organization of young dairy producers • Members are dairy producers and employees in the dairy industry • Aged 20-35 • Membership is free • MYMP has a core following of 200 young producers • Average turnout of 60 to 75 per event • Larger events draw up to 160 attendees

6. Mission & Goal • Mission: Develop, connect and empower young dairy farmers • Vision: Be the model organization for other young dairy farm associations

7. MYMP Directors Jason Prinse – President Andrew Vink – Vice-President Brittney Schurmann - Secretary Lorene Barnum - Treasurer Carla Soutar Ryan Thibaudier Nick Janssens Jared DeJong Jonathon Van Keulen, Past President

8. MYMP • Through various events, MYMP is working to: • Build the future leaders for the dairy sector • Educate young milk producers to become good decision makers for their industry • Foster of a closer dairy farm community by involving spouses and families

9. MYMP Events • MYMP plans 5-7 events per year: • Spring AGM • Spring / Summer educational event • Fall educational event • Harvest Party in October • Winter Gala in early December • Events range from seminars & workshops to tour days to social events

10. MYMP Events • Examples of other past events: • Cow Scoring & Social • Calf Dehorning & Social • Evening with the BC Milk Marketing Board • Young Farmers talk Banking

11. Getting Started: Challenges • Selling tickets for events & collecting the money for tickets sold • Getting a commitment on numbers for food and caterers at events • This is a larger challenge when you’re starting • You don’t know how many tickets to expect to sell • Lack of resources • Money to run events • Staff to help plan and organize events • Teaming up with a parent organization was a key to our success

12. Teaming up with a parent organization • MYMP is a subsidiary group of the Mainland Milk Producers’ Association (MMPA) • Operates under the direct authority of MMPA • MMPA represents about 350 milk producers in the lower mainland area of metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley • The Fraser Valley accounts for almost 70% of the milk produced in BC • MMPA fully supports the goal of the MYMP and includes MYMP in events such as Ag Day in Victoria

13. Teaming up with a parent organization • Benefits: • $15,000 per year to MYMP to help fund programs and events. This is more than matched by sponsorship from dairy allied trade • Sponsorship of one MYMP Director to attend the Dairy Farmers of Canada Annual Policy Conference every year • Staff support for organizational details

14. Becoming involved: Successes • Former members of MYMP are now actively involved serving on dairy producer boards as well as various producer committees of the following boards: • Mainland Milk Producers’ Association • BC Dairy Association • BC Milk Marketing Board • Direct industry involvement on these committees is not the only measure of success • Personal successes are also achieved

15. Becoming involved: Successes • Direct industry involvement on committees is not the only measure of success • Personal successes are also achieved: • Involvement is educational • It’s good for you and good for your operation • Involvement gives you a better understanding of government policies • Gives you greater opportunity to influence government policies that could affect your farm • Involvement is social • Helps build friendships and networks in the dairy industry

16. Becoming involved: Successes • It helps you stay current on industry issues and trends • This helps you react as a business leader & improve your operation • It’s professional • It’s social • It’s healthy • It connects you with your local government • It gives you several opportunities • Including potential trade missions overseas

17. A success story • Mainland Young Milk Producers is a good success story • But a lot of things have worked in our favour • The Fraser Valley is a small area that is still highly concentrated with dairy farms • Many members can get to meetings within an hour • There are a lot of young people in the dairy industry in the Fraser Valley • Keep in mind that there are different challenges in different areas • Every group will face challenges & every solution will be slightly different

18. Becoming involved • It’s: • Good for you • Good for your farm • Good for your industry

19. MYMP Members having fun!

20. Questions