Target Profit Teams

A target team offers new approach complementing the existing Dairy Profit Team program to help producers solve a specific operational bottleneck or develop a specific new initiative. The Target Profit Team should not be in existence for more than eight months and must have a clear goal in mind to accomplish when it is established. Target Profit Teams should meet at least twice during the duration of their existence.

Annual Funding Levels:
-- Up to $1,000 for new teams to use from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2010.
-- $750 for existing teams established prior to Dec. 1, 2009.

The funding can be used to cover the cost of paid team members as well as discovery-related costs associated with the team's work. All expenses must be submitted to the Center for Dairy Excellence within 60 days of incurring the expense for reimbursement. Meeting notes and other requested reports should also be provided on a timely basis.

For an application, click here.

The Program:

• New Target Profit Teams are eligible to receive up to $1,000 in funding from Jan. 1 - Dec. 1, 2010. Funding for target profit teams in existence prior to Dec. 1, 2009, are eligible to receive $1,000.
• The Center and the Penn State Dairy Alliance, an initiative of Penn State Cooperative Extension, provide a “start- up” training workshop for new teams and assign a support person to each team to provide resources and share successful ideas from other teams. Click here for dates and times of upcoming team training sessions.
• Once accepted into the program, the producer must choose team members, which should be consultants or advisors who have expertise in the operational bottleneck area or in the strategic development planned for the farm.
• The producer can also enlist the service of a Practical Dairy Advisors (PDA), who is an experienced producer hired by the Center to serve as an advisor for a dairy farm involved in the profit team or target team programs.
• The Profitability Assessment Dairy Tool (PA Dairy Tool) developed by Penn State Dairy Extension is available to help the team drill down to specific bottlenecks in the operation.
  Please note: To use the PA Dairy Tool, farms must have detailed financial data available for input into the tool. The spreadsheet they must use to collect data, along with instructions on how to complete the spreadsheet, are available online at http://www.das.psu.edu/das/dairy/patool.
• The profit team should meet regularly to do evaluations of the farm operation, focusing on the bottleneck or initiative of the target team. A minimum of two meetings during the year is required. Target areas of improvement are identified, and goals are set for each area. Action plans are prepared.
• Activities and results must be monitored and reported to the Center for Dairy Excellence as requested. And additional plans/strategies are developed as the Team meets routinely. Next highest priority items are incorporated into the plan/activities as time and manpower allow. 
• Teams are encouraged to utilize the Center for Dairy Excellence's risk management services and should plan to have Alan Zepp, risk management specialist for the Center, attend at least one of their 2010 profit team meetings to explain available risk management resources.

For more information, contact Program Manager Heidi Zimmerman at 717-346-0849 or hzimmerman@centerfordairyexcellence.org.