Value-added dairy is a big-time commitment
As markets and the dairy industry as a whole continues to change, many dairy producers have investigated value-added processing as an opportunity for their operations. During the May 19
Hoard’s Dairyman DairyLivestream, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mark Stephenson shared three discussion points he recommends deliberating early in the investigation period for those considering going the value-added route.
Stephenson’s first question to anyone that approaches him about adding a value-added business is simple. Why?
“If someone just tells me that they’re having a hard time making ends meet milking cows and are looking to capture some of those upstream profits, I tend to think that’s not a very good reason,” he explained. “You need to be successful at milking cows first, and then give me a better reason for doing something else.