The year 2024 marked a new chapter in the fruitful collaboration with Michigan State University (East Lansing, USA), opening new opportunities for development for the group of companies — Advisory Center of AMP, Global Agro Finance, and Center of Veterinary Servise. The American partners have become not only a powerful resource for gaining new knowledge but also a strong pillar of support during the war in Ukraine.
In the spring of this year, representatives of Advisory Center of AMP reached out to Phil Durst, field-based Educator with Michigan State University Extension with more than 30 years of experience working with farmers, and Barry Bradford, a Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University, with a proposal for systematic collaboration. This included conducting educational webinars for the experts of the group of companies.
They eagerly agreed, demonstrating readiness for action and initiative in jointly selecting priority topics for the webinar series. These topics included: the cost/benefit analysis of feed additives, Q fever management, dairy farm economics, attaining high milk production and dairy farm construction.
The Zoom platform was selected as the communication tool. To ensure the understanding of the details each meeting was accompanied by simultaneous interpretation . As a result, the meetings typically lasted about 2.5 hours.
The first training webinar took place in the spring, focusing on feed additives, dairy farm economics, and analysis. The speakers were Phil Durst and Barry Bradford. Considering their long-standing relationship - until 2014, and collaboration with APM, the online meeting began with memories of their participation in one of the International Dairy Congresses, as well as organizing several other educational webinars for APM enterprises and experts. For us, this was a valuable moment for building long-term partnership relationships.
Moreover, to ensure the effectiveness of the training webinars, experts who specialize in specific topics were invited to some of meetings. For instance, Dr. Georg Eller, a German veterinary doctor, was involved in the webinar on milk fever, which is currently not present in US cattle herds.
Valeriy Lototsky, Director of the Advisory Center of AMP and Head of Center of Veterinary Servise, after attending the lectures, expressed his gratitude and admiration for the foreign colleagues. He also noted that Ukrainian experts would be eager to apply the newly gained knowledge on Ukrainian farms, contributing to the development of the industry and agriculture in Ukraine as a whole.
It is important to emphasize that American partners have repeatedly expressed their support for the Ukrainian people, who continue to defend their country under the threat of missile strikes and the danger of mined fields.
An article titled “MSU Extension helps Ukrainian dairy producers” was published on the official website of Michigan State University. It states: “Durst and Bradford are honored to share their experience with Ukrainian experts and farmers in the dairy industry, as well as strengthen Michigan State University’s ties with this country.”
The group of companies Advisory Center of AMP, Global Agro Finance, and Center of Veterinary Servise expresses its gratitude to Michigan State University for the longstanding collaboration and unwavering support. In the context of the war, this support is extremely significant. Thank you for not leaving us alone with the challenges that we face and for the opportunities that help us grow and develop despite everything.
Dear Phil Durst and Barry Bradford, we address you with words of gratitude and admiration. Your work and dedication deserve the highest recognition and profound respect. Your achievements in cattle breeding serve as a vivid example to follow and inspire further growth!
The trust and value of meetings with these experts are rooted in their significant accomplishments in the dairy industry.
Phil Durst is a field-based Educator with Michigan State University Extension with more than 30 years of experience working with farmers. He works statewide focusing on dairy and beef cattle health and production. He is involved in projects to improve prevention of Bovine Leukemia Virus, Bovine Tuberculosis and mastitis and to examine antibiotic use on farms. He also works to with farmers help them grow as employers, leading their employees to better performance. He has spoken widely on agricultural topics including in Israel, China, Ukraine and Armenia. In 2022-2023, Durst served as President of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, a professional improvement association with more than 3200 members nationwide.
Bradford completed his BS at Iowa State University and a PhD in animal nutrition at Michigan State University. He served on the faculty at Kansas State University from 2006 to 2019, and in 2020 he returned to Michigan State as the Clint Meadows Chair in Dairy Management. Bradford’s research focuses on dairy cattle nutrition and metabolism as well as dairy management. He also routinely works with dairy producers to find solutions to dairy management challenges in support of improved economic, environmental, and social sustainability for the industry.