Industry Meetings & Events

While the global dairy industry is meeting in Madison, the city is proud to host the National 4-H Dairy Conference in conjunction with World Dairy Expo.

Expo attendees can also benefit from a variety of special industry hosted seminars and meetings. Most of these events are free with Expo admission and offer an opportunity to meet and talk with fellow producers from down the road or around the globe.

For additional information about these events, please contact the hosting company. To locate these meeting spaces, download the WDE Mobile Event App.

The 2024 industry meetings and events are below! 

Career Connections
Hosted by: World Dairy Expo & National Dairy Shrine
Monday, September 30 in Atrium, Exhibition Hall

Looking for something new professionally or struggling with where to begin? Career Connections is your tool to connect with job and internship opportunities in the dairy industry! Through Careers Connections, high school and college students as well as young dairy professionals will connect with World Dairy Expo's commercial exhibitors, sponsors, Dairy Cattle Show exhibitors.

Registration information coming soon.

National Dairy Shrine Reception and Awards Banquet
Hosted by: National Dairy Shrine
Monday, September 30 in Mendota 1-4, Exhibition Hall from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The annual awards banquet highlights the past, present and future of the dairy world. Students receive numerous scholarships, current dairy leaders are honored for their success and prominent dairy leaders are honored for their lifetime of work by their election into the National Dairy Hall of Fame. 

*Ticket Required. Order tickets here.

Local Farm Tours
Hosted by: Global Dairy Outreach and Global Cow
Tuesday, October 1 & Wednesday, October 2 from 12:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

During the afternoons of October 1 and 2, inbound buyers at World Dairy Expo can register to attend farm tours and visit with farm owners and managers providing details about their operations.

“The tours showcase Wisconsin farms with great management,” notes Karen Nielsen of Global Dairy Outreach, who has been organizing farm tours during World Dairy Expo since 1996. “We balance a smaller dairy with a larger dairy, so visitors can get a feel for varying types of operations.” This year’s tours include 250-cow to 3,000-cow dairies; various styles of parlors including robotic, rotary and herringbone; farms with agricultural tourism operations; on-farm processing; on-farm sales and more.

Tours depart at 12:30 p.m. from the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall. Participants return to the grounds by 6 p.m. Space is limited.

For more details, please contact Karen Nielsen, Global Dairy Outreach LLC at  karen@globaldairyoutreach.com | (608) 512-5040 or Jill Stahl Tyler, Global Cow at info@globalcow.com | (802) 254-2879.

Managing Udder Issues with OZOLEA-MAST in Lactation and for Drying Off: Field Data from a US Dairy System
Presenters: Bradley Heins, Ph.D., Professor, University of Minnesota & Elisa Tavilli, Communication Specialist, OZOLEA
Hosted by: OZOLEA Rete Agricola
Wednesday, October 2 in Monona & Wingra Rooms, Exhibition Hall from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Since 2022, Professor Bradley J. Heins (University of Minnesota), Extension Specialist in dairy management, has been trialing OZOLEAMAST in the Uni dairy herd in Morris (MN). This non-withhold animal device for intra-mammary use has proved to be effective for lowering high SCC in chronical cows, and for allowing steady SCC levels in the first months after calving when used at dry-off. OZOLEA will introduce the product, and then will give the floor to Professor Heins, presenting results of his independent research on the product, with new insights on the most recent work at dry-off. 

Exporters Workshop
Hosted by: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)
Thursday, October 3 in Mendota 4, Exhibition Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Exporters, breeders, veterinarians, and freight providers are invited to an Exporters Workshop at World Dairy Expo. Covering the global dairy outlook, export protocols, certification, financing, and order fulfillment, this event will feature experts from University of Wisconsin-Madison, USDA-APHIS, Export-Import Bank, and Livestock Exporters Association of the USA (LEA).

This event is free, but registration is required. Visit https://forms.office.com/g/ws9nZdCJTW to register. 

International Producer Symposium
Presenters: Paul Fricke, Ph.D., Professor & Extension Specialist - Dairy Cattle Reproduction, UW-Madison & Pam Ruegg, Ph.D., Dairy Science Emeritus Professor - Physiology & Management, UW-Madison
Hosted by: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)
Thursday, October 3 in Mendota 4, Exhibition Hall from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The International Producer Symposium will provide information on dairy business profitability for global dairy producers. 

Dr. Fricke will present “Building a Foundational Repro Program.” The session is focused on reproductive efficiency of dairy cattle, applying knowledge gained through scientific research, developing practical management strategies, and assessing new reproductive technologies. 

Dr. Ruegg’s specialty is mastitis and milk quality, specifically bridging the gap between research and practical applications on dairy farms. Her session, “Gaining a Competitive Edge in Milk Quality,” will share expertise gained from travel to dairy farms around the world. 

The event is free with World Dairy Expo admission, but seating is limited. Visit https://forms.office.com/g/YyYTQXY4BP to register.

University of Wisconsin-River Falls Alumni Reception
Hosted by: University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Thursday, October 3 in Waubesa, Exhibition Hall from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

A reception for UWRF alumni to reconnect with one another and the UWRF College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. The Dean of the College will be present along with several faculty members. Refreshments will be provided.