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Peer groups offer a new way of neighboring It was the meeting after the meeting that started it all. Chris Mondak, Iowa State University Extension dairy field specialist in Northwest Iowa, attended a local Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) meeting in spring 2002 and noticed that a group of farmers lingered afterward to exchange production tips. But the discussion went beyond just technical detail — they shared personal stories and life experiences in a neighborly sort of way. Curious, Mondak asked how frequently the group met. The answer, only once a year at the DHIA banquet, sparked an idea: create farm family peer groups for dairy farmers. With about 10 women from Osceola and O’Brien counties, the first dairy farmer peer group met in June 2002. Now, seven dairy peer groups come together in five counties, involving men and women in the dairy industry. When a peer group forms, the members must determine what type of structure works best. Some meet bi-monthly. Others meet seasonally, during the winter months. They all schedule their meetings around a mealtime. “During lunch or dinner, participants catch up with each other and do most of their informal sharing. They ask each other questions about production practices, employee benefits, computer software and family happenings,” Mondak said. In addition to the informal sharing and support, there often is a program. ISU Extension acts as a coordinator in this effort and frequently provides content. Groups invite speakers to talk about communication skills, computerized dairy herd records, production techniques, public relations and family relationships. “I find it interesting to visit with others who have similar interests. If you have questions, you can bring them to the meeting and find out how these other farmers do things,” said Terry Van Maanen, owner of the Winding Meadow Dairy near Rock Valley. “I had been thinking I was paying a high amount for my breeding fees. After talking with other producers, I found out that was true. By learning what others were spending, I cut my bull expenses and still feel like I have a quality herd,” he said. “The peer groups enable producers to take up important topics, talk about them in small group settings and then work at how to implement the knowledge gained,” Mondak said. Sue Vander Veen, a dairy farmer from Osceola County, echoed the sentiment. “This information is important for us to know. It’s also good for Extension because Chris can hear the needs of dairy producers. “It is as important as the support system you get within a family, church or school,” Vander Veen said. “The size of our herd is not important. We have members with 75 cows and those with 650 cows. What matters is that we all have a common background. We understand each other’s lifestyle. We all understand the need to be home at milking time. Then there’s putting up hay, chopping silage, and calving season. We all have the same things going on in our lives. We’ve become very close.” |
The Extension Connection is a quarterly publication of Iowa State University Extension. Laura Sternweis, editor, lsternwe@iastate.edu Nondiscrimination statement and information disclosures Last update: July 2004
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