Recap: 2025 ODPA Annual Meeting

More than 130 dairy farmers and industry representatives attended the 2025 Ohio Dairy Producers Association annual meeting on February 11 in Wooster. 

ODPA continues to be a strong voice for Ohio’s dairy farmers with the Ohio Governor, state agencies, the Ohio General Assembly and the United States Congress. CEO Scott Higgins highlighted last year's advocacy efforts and shared the organization’s Ohio Dairy Industry Strategic Plan that is working to shape a prosperous future for dairy. The plan focuses on three important growth areas for Ohio: expanding existing dairy product processing and manufacturing capabilities, recruiting new dairy companies, and supporting dairy farm expansion. Attendees watched the video below encouraging companies to consider Ohio, which was created by JobsOhio and features ODPA, Kroger, and MVP Dairy. 

Leaders in the dairy industry addressed the current state of the industry and the evolving needs of Ohio’s dairy farms.

Featured presentations included:

• OSU Dairy Science Department and progress updates on the Waterman - Multispecies Animal Learning Center

• Ohio Dairy Research Fund Update including student research poster presentations

• Federal Order 33 Market Administrator Report

• State of the Industry with key insights and recommendations to address evolving future trends - click here to watch the presentation

• Ohio Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health

Keynote speaker Gregg Doud, President and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation, discussed the new Trump administration, the importance of proactively engaging with key federal staff and elected leadership in this political climate, and highlighted the opportunities (domestically and internationally) that the dairy industry must pursue for success. 

Lunch was provided for attendees thanks to ODPA’s sponsors. 

Click here to see a photo gallery from the event or scroll through the pictures below.