The year of communication Just like dairy farmers and dairy retailers, dairy product processors have been forced to learn a lot over the past 13 months as they attempt to balance supply and demand. Maybe the biggest lesson has been the need for more regular contact with the entirety of the supply chain. “This has been the year of talking. This was the year of communicating,” said John Umhoefer on the April 21 Hoard’s Dairyman DairyLivestream. Umhoefer, executive director of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, said his members have reported stronger relationships with their distributors than ever before. Coordinating products coming in and going out on sometimes tight schedules created more transparency on both sides of the chain.