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2026 LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM October 18–21, 2026 Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center Kissimmee, FL

FROM OUR SPONSORS

TABLE OF CONTENTS About the YC Program 2–3 Schedule of Events

4–7

Hotel Map 8–9 Speaker Information 10–11 Meet the 2026 YC Advisory Council

12–13

About the YC Advisory Council 14 Upcoming Events in 2027

Notes 16–17

About the YC Program For more than 70 years, the National Young Cooperators (YC) Program has worked to strengthen the next generation of cooperative leaders. Through in-person training, education and networking opportunities, the program equips young dairy farmers with the knowledge, skills, and connections they need to lead within their cooperatives, their communities and the broader dairy industry, while building more profitable and resilient farm businesses. The National YC Program is managed by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and funded by its members, with support from stakeholders including Farm Credit, Ever.Ag, Monument Advocacy and fairlife.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Sunday, October 18

7:00 – 8:00 AM

9:40 – 10:15 AM

Registration

Guess Who: Florida Edition

ORANGE BLOSSOM FOYER

ORANGE BLOSSOM BALLROOM

8:00 – 9:00 AM Breakfast EMERALD BAY PLAZA

9:00 – 9:10 AM Welcome ORANGE BLOSSOM BALLROOM ERIN AND KALEB RODGERS, TWIN KNOBS DAIRY (DAIRY FARMERS OF AMERICA)

9:10 – 9:40 AM Dairy in the Sunshine State ORANGE BLOSSOM BALLROOM JACOB LARSON, LARSON DAIRY INC. (SOUTHEAST MILK INC.) In this opening session, Jacob Larson, a dairy farmer from south-central Florida, will trace the history and development of dairy across the state. He’ll share his perspective on the unique challenges of farming in the Southeast and the opportunities that come with producing, processing and marketing milk in the nation’s third most populous state.

FACILITATED BY TONY RICE, NMPF Start the event with an icebreaker inspired by our Central Florida setting. Attendees will hear a series of clues and guess whether each one describes a real “Florida man,” a Disney character or a Harry Potter character. This interactive session will also give participants a chance to move around and meet one another.

10:15 – 10:45 AM Future Ready: Balancing Growth and Member Returns ORANGE BLOSSOM BALLROOM RICHARD FAGERLIN, PIONEER UTILITY RESOURCES Being future-ready means preparing co-ops not just for today’s challenges, but for what’s next. This session will tackle some of the hard questions facing dairy co-op leaders, including how to weigh investments in the co-op against near-term returns to members, co-op loyalty, and how board members can define and measure success for co-op management. The session opens with a keynote, followed by group discussion and will close with a panel of co-op executives and farmer leaders sharing how they navigate these tensions in their own organizations, and how they’re positioning their co-ops for the future.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Sunday, October 18 (cont’d)

Family Room Available for attendees and their families throughout the YC Leadership & Development Program and Joint Annual Meeting in Emerald 6

10:45 – 11:15 AM Break ORANGE BLOSSOM BALLROOM

11:15 – 12:00 PM Future Ready: Balancing Growth and Member, Cont’d ORANGE BLOSSOM BALLROOM

12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch

6:00 – 8:00 PM Reception and Dinner MANGROVE LAWN (WEATHER BACKUP: CASTILLO FORT)

EMERALD BAY PLAZA

SPONSORED BY FARM CREDIT

HEATHER WEEKS, FARM CREDIT EAST In this session, we’ll dig into the common mistakes and roadblocks that keep families from getting started with succession planning and share practical ways to move forward. Attendees will learn how to initiate succession conversations, techniques for navigating difficult discussions with respect and clarity, and strategies for bridging the gap between generations who may see the farm’s future differently.

1:00 – 3:00 PM NMPF Delegates Meeting SUWANNEE 1–4

6:00 – 7:30 PM Welcome Reception MANGROVE LAWN

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Tuesday, October 20 8:00 – 9:45 AM

General Session

Wednesday, October 21 8:00 – 9:30 AM

COASTAL BALLROOM

9:45 – 10:30 AM

Dairy Break

COASTAL BALLROOM

9:30 – 10:30 AM

EXHIBIT HALL D

10:30 – 11:45 AM

Breakout Sessions LAFAYETTE 1–2, LAFAYETTE 3–4, OR DESOTO 2–5

12:00 – 1:30 PM

General Session Dairy Break EXHIBIT HALL D

10:30 – 11:45 AM

General Session COASTAL BALLROOM

Awards Lunch COASTAL BALLROOM

1:45 – 3:00 PM

Breakout Sessions LAFAYETTE 1–2, LAFAYETTE 3–4, OR DESOTO 2–5

3:00 – 3:45 PM

Dairy Break EXHIBIT HALL D

3:45 – 5:45 PM

General Session COASTAL BALLROOM

6:00 – 7:30 PM

Cheese Reception EXHIBIT HALL D

Our Sponsors

HOTEL MAP

Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center 6000 W Osceola Parkway Kissimmee, FL 34747

HOTEL MAP

Convention Center Floor Plan

SPEAKER INFORMATION Erica Barnes Fields

SERME Associate Center Director, University of Arkansas System Cooperative Extension Service Erica is Associate Center Director at the Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center, where she has served since 2017. A financial social worker with more than 14 years of experience in Extension education and outreach, she leads trainings and initiatives focused on recognizing and responding to financial stress in agriculture. Erica integrates agricultural risk-management education with practical, research-based coping tools, helping ag communities manage stress, recognize warning signs, and connect with trusted resources.

Joe Diglio

President and CEO, Michigan Milk Producers Association Joe has served as president and CEO of Michigan Milk Producers Association since 2014, leading the member-owned cooperative that serves approximately 1,000 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin. Over his more than 32 years with MMPA, he has held a range of leadership roles. Under Joe’s guidance, MMPA has expanded its footprint to meet strategic business goals. Joe serves on NMPF’s Board of Directors, as well as the boards of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, U.S. Dairy Export Council and International Dairy Foods Association.

Frank Doll

Owner, Doll’s Dairy Farm Frank Doll is a third-generation dairy farmer from Bond County, Illinois, where he milks about 180 Holsteins and grows corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa on 800 acres. His grandfather and namesake started the farm in the late 1930s, and his father, Homer, built it into a dairy before handing much of the operation to Frank, who has expanded it further. Frank serves as President of the Prairie Farms Board of Directors and has led the St. Louis Dairy Council board, bringing dairy into local classrooms through programs like Adopt-a-Calf.

Richard Fagerlin

COO, Peak Advisory Group and SVP, Pioneer Utility Resources Richard has spent more than 25 years working throughout the cooperative community, partnering with boards, CEOs and leadership teams to strengthen governance and help cooperatives thrive. He leads Peak Advisory Group, now part of Pioneer Utility Resources, and hosts the Build Better Boards podcast. He is also the author of Trustology: The Art and Science of Leading High-Trust Teams and a recognized Top 100 Thought Leader in Trust. Richard’s approach is grounded in a simple belief: great governance is about understanding your role, focusing on what matters most and asking the right questions.

SPEAKER INFORMATION

Jacob Larson

Owner, Larson Dairy Inc. Jacob is a third-generation dairy farmer in Okeechobee, FL, where he co-owns Larson Dairy Inc. with his father, Woody, and brother, Travis. The family’s two dairies milk 5,000 cows and are dedicated to producing high-quality fluid milk for Floridians. Jacob serves as president of both Southeast Milk Inc., a cooperative marketing milk throughout the Southeast, and United Dairy Farmers of Florida, and he sits on his county Farm Bureau board. He and his wife, Danielle, have also diversified into a cow-calf operation, row crops and a purebred Brahman herd.

Davis Peeler

Owner, Milky Way Farms Davis is a fourth-generation dairyman at Milky Way Farm, his family’s Jersey operation in Starr, South Carolina. After attending Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, he made the decision to return home and now works side-by-side with his father, L.D. Peeler, Jr., helping manage the farm’s 120 registered Jersey cows. Davis grew up on the farm doing daily chores and showing award-winning cattle throughout the Southeast, and today he’s raising the fifth generation there alongside his own two children.

John Seymour

Owner, Seymour Dairy Inc. John is a fifth-generation dairy farmer from Cloverdale, Oregon. He holds a Master’s degree in Animal Science from Oregon State University, with a focus on Dairy Science, Crop Science and Ag Business Management, and studied at Lincoln University in New Zealand during his college tenure. Before returning to the family farm in 2014, John spent a year with Northwest Farm Credit as a Credit Officer and Relationship Manager. He now farms alongside his parents, Rob and Amy, who have run their Cloverdale operation for 42 years using a seasonal, pasture-based system built on New Zealand genetics. John serves as Chairman of the Oregon Beef Council and was elected to the Tillamook County Creamery Association’s Board of Directors in 2021.

Heather Weeks

Business Consultant, Farm Credit East Heather is a Certified Financial Planner® and business consultant who helps farm families grow their businesses and realize their dreams. Since joining Farm Credit in 2016, she has worked with a wide range of farm businesses in lending and financial planning, with a focus on dairy benchmarking and farm transitions. Before Farm Credit, Heather taught farm business management for Penn State Extension. Her background also includes international development: she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador and taught financial literacy through the USAID Farmer-toFarmer program. Heather holds a B.S. in Dairy Science and an M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Virginia Tech.

MEET THE 2026 YC ADVISORY COUNCIL Kaleb and Erin Rogers (Chairpersons) Twin Knobs Dairy (Vanzant, MO) – Dairy Farmers of America

Kaleb and Erin milk about 200 cows on a pasture-based operation across 1,400 acres in Missouri’s Ozarks, where they also raise beef cattle and sheep. They also serve on the DFA Young Cooperators steering committee and the Missouri Dairy board, and enjoy church and family. Marika Cowan Galvin (Vice Chairperson)

Greengold Dairy (Nehalem, OR) – Tillamook County Creamery Association

Marika and her family milk 600 registered Jerseys with seasonal grazing at GreenGold Dairy in Nehalem, Oregon, where she also chairs the TCCA Young Cooperators and enjoys showing her Jerseys, gardening, foraging, and fiber arts. Dale and Lynnae Dick Dick Haven Farm (McBain, MI) – Michigan Milk Producers Association

Dale and Lynnae milk 300 Holsteins and Jerseys with seven Lely robots on 1,200 acres at Dick Family Farm in Michigan, where they also lead farm tours, volunteer with 4-H and youth dairy judging, and enjoy gardening, hunting and time outdoors with their kids. Ashley and Seery Donnan Donnan Farms (York, NY) – Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc.

Ashley and Seery are part of the seventh generation at Donnan Farms in York, New York, a family dairy founded in 1817 that milks more than 3,000 cows on 3,500 acres, where Seery oversees herd management and milk quality and Ashley manages the milking parlor, calf program and milk quality.

MEET THE 2026 YC ADVISORY COUNCIL

Kristin and Thomas Duden

Brickton Genetics LLC (Princeton, MN) – First District Association

Kristin and Thomas milk 30 registered Jerseys on their fourth-generation, 300-acre grazing dairy near Princeton, Minnesota, which doubles as a community farm for local FFA and 4-H youth. They also serve as chairs of the First District Association’s YC board. Bryan and Tabitha Matthews Matthews Farms (Rocky Mount, VA) – Dairy Farmers of America

Bryan and Tabitha milk 200 Holsteins and Brown Swiss in Franklin County, Virginia, where Bryan serves as herdsman and Tabitha manages scheduling. Bryan sits on the DFA YC steering committee and several state and local dairy, Farm Bureau and community boards. Brian McGarry - Agri-Mark McGarry Dairy, LLC (Enosburg Falls, VT) – Agri-Mark, Inc.

Brian is a second-generation dairy farmer in northern Vermont who returned home after Virginia Tech to farm with his parents, milking about 140 cows on 220 acres. He serves on Agri-Mark’s Sustainable Farms Committee and the Vermont Dairy Promotion Council. Alonzo and Megan Shoaf Siddens Dairy Farm (Mason, IL) – Prairie Farms

Alonzo and Megan milk about 150 Holsteins and Jerseys in partnership with Megan’s parents near Altamont, Illinois, where they raise their own youngstock, dairy-beef calves and nearly all their feed on 900 acres. They serve on the local school board and Effingham County Ag in the Classroom board. Ruurd Veldhuis Veldhuis Dairies (Grandview, WA) – Northwest Dairy Association

Ruurd Veldhuis is a third-generation dairyman who coowns his family’s farm with his parents and two siblings, managing 20,000 cows and 2,000 acres across six dairies near Grandview, Washington. 13

ABOUT THE YC ADVISORY COUNCIL

What is the role of the YC Advisory Council?

What is required of a YC Advisory Council member?

The YC Advisory Council helps guide the National YC Program toward its stated mission by providing key information and making recommendations on topics of interest to YCs. The Advisory Council is responsible for providing topic and speaker recommendations for the Leadership and Development Program, Dairy Policy and Legislative Forum and World Dairy Expo.

YC Advisory Council members are nominated by their cooperative to serve a one-year term. The 2026 YC Advisory Council term will begin in January and end in October 2026. Expectations for YC Advisory Council members include: +P articipation at two 90-minute

virtual planning meetings

+A ttendance at two or more

in-person events

What are the eligibility requirements to serve as a YC Advisory Council member?

+P articipation in at least three

Each NMPF member cooperative is eligible to have at least one seat on NMPF’s YC Advisory Council. To be eligible for participation, the Advisory Council member must meet the following criteria:

+W riting thank-you notes to

+N omination by NMPF member

cooperative;

+E mployment on and/or ownership of

a dairy farm that is a member of one of NMPF’s member cooperatives; and

+ Approval from member cooperative.

of the National YC Program’s quarterly webinars

program sponsors

Members of the advisory council also elect a chairperson and vice chairperson to lead the group. The chairperson will represent the National YC Program at events and meetings throughout the year, and report program updates to the NMPF Board of Directors. The vice chairperson is invited to attend NMPF Board of Directors dinners alongside the chairperson and will fill in as needed for the chairperson at meetings and events.

CONTACT YOUR CO-OP’S YC COORDINATOR TO LEARN MORE!

See you next year! YC Dairy Policy and Legislative Forum June 7–9, 2027 Washington, D.C. YCs at World Dairy Expo September 30, 2027 Madison, WI YC Leadership and Development Program October 17–20, 2027 National Harbor, MD

Notes

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NATIONAL MILK PRODUCERS FEDERATION 2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 600 Arlington, VA 22201 703.243.6111 | info@nmpf.org | nmpf.org