56th Annual Dairy Practices Council Conference

Join Us at the 56th Annual Dairy Practices Council Conference!

scroll through this page for a conference summary

Click the "REGISTER NOW" button above !

The place where dairy industry, academic, and regulatory professionals gather together to collaborate on dairy food safety best practices and expand their network of dairy industry expertise through participation in technical education sessions, task force working sessions, vendor visits, conference educational workshops, and conference tour offerings.

 2025 Pre-Conference Workshops - Tuesday Nov. 4th

Electronic / Paperless Data Recording

Afternoon Half Day

• This workshop will explore the “what, why, and how” of electronic / paperless data recording.  Regulatory requirements will be discussed by FDA and State Regulatory personnel. We will hear real life experiences from The Pennsylvania State University - Department of Food Science where systems have been  implemented.  Vendors (Anderson-Negele, Piper Systems, Endress+Hauser) will provide an equipment overview and are invited to have a vendor table at the conference for deeper discussions.

Preventive Maintenance Best Practices for Pumps, Valves, Gaskets, and Heat Exchangers - Presented by Nelson Jameson

Morning FUNDAMENTALS              Afternoon ADVANCED        

• The Dairy Practices Council is pleased to partner once again with Nelson Jameson to present this popular workshop
  • Morning Session - Fundamentals - This educational session will introduce you to the different types of valves, pumps, and heat exchangers. We will break down the components of each piece of equipment, discussing their functions and roles within a dairy production system. 
  • Afternoon Session – Advanced* - This specialized session will focus on preventive maintenance strategies tailored to valves, pumps, and heat exchangers. Learn to identify and troubleshoot common issues that can disrupt production, and gain hands-on experience in disassembling and maintaining each type of equipment. 
    • *Intended for those who have attended the introductory half day session offered in the morning or at past DPC Conferences

Wednesday Morning Pre-Conference Educational Tour to

  tour will depart at 8:30 am 

"the mystic cheese company is dedicated to the science and art of milk metamorphosis"

 Transportation, cheese tasting, and box lunch included in your ticket.

Official opening of the conference is at 1:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 5th

at the Hilton - Mystic, in Mystic, Connecticut

Please see the posted agenda (click on tab at top of page) for more details!

We will be welcomed to Connecticut by

Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt

On Wednesday & Thursday afternoons DPC Task Forces will meet and attendees will discuss industry needs, write/review existing Guidelines and decide what additional Guidelines would be most useful.  

Be sure to identify your Task Force(s) of interest when you register. 

To learn about the 6 task forces and what they do -  Click Here

Wednesday evening from 5:30-7:30 p.m. a Networking Reception with Cash Bar will be held where participants can visit with our vendor sponsors and each other to catch up on new technologies, product offerings and changes in the industry.

Thursday Nov. 6th will kick-off with our keynote speaker - Michele Payn CSP, who connects the people and science of food and farming as principal of Cause Matters Corp.  Join us for this interactive presentation as Michele connects farms and food, brains and behavior, with a focus on the challenges facing the dairy industry,

During lunch on Thursday, the Annual Business Meeting will be held where we will celebrate the accomplishments of 2025, share the vision for 2026, and honor our volunteers through the Eugene T. Wolff Award, Guideline Author Acknowledgments and Honorary Lifetime Membership Inductees. 

Join us Thursday night at Mystic Aquarium for "A Night With the Sharks"

- a social event with cash bar and light snacks.

55th Annual Conference Highlights from 2024 - Madison WI

    Left - Alice in Dairyland - Halei Heinzel & Secretary of Agriculture - Randy Romanski   

Right - DPC President - Keith Hay & Vice President - Wendy Landry 

2024 DPC Executive Board

Presentation of Honorary Life Membership to Dan McFarland (received by John Tyson) and Presentation of Eugene T. Wolff Service Award to Mary Wilcox (received by Rebecca Piston)

For additional information regarding conference program, events, registrations, membership or sponsorship opportunities, please contact our office at evp@dairypc.org.