Women’s experience within the dairy industry is very unique. To bring together women of all backgrounds in dairy, the Dairy Girl Network was created. The organization connects women to develop personally as well as professionally to continue moving dairy forward.
The organization is celebrating it’s 10 year anniversary. Amanda Borkowski is the partnership lead with Dairy Girl Network and reflects on what has happened in just 10 years since they first met at World Dairy Expo. “What was supposed to be maybe a dinner of ten to fifteen people really grew to fifty plus,” Borkowski said. “Since then we’ve been growing the organization.”
Dairy Girl Network is a membership organization that is now over three thousand women strong. Membership is free and members come from across U.S. and even the world. Membership is split evenly between dairy producers and dairy industry professionals.
Those fifty percent of dairy producers in the organization have between them a million cows. “There’s nine million dairy cows in the whole U.S. so to be a large fraction of that and represent the women who milk those cows and run those farms is really really cool,” Borkowski shares.
The organization seeks to provide both in-person and virtual opportunities for women to connect. “A really big part of our mission is reaching women where they are,” said Borkowski. Dairy Girl Network has a vibrant online community where members can chat about various topics or participate in virtual webinars.
In person networking events usually occur at larger dairy conferences and meetings where many members will already plan on being. Every two years, Dairy Girl Network hosts a national conference. They will celebrate their tenth anniversary in Kansas City in November of 2024.
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