I often travel to conferences alone. It can be nerve-wracking going into a room full of people who already seem to know each other. I typically look for someone else who appears to be alone – this strategy has pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me meet people I probably wouldn’t have interacted with otherwise.
I think Annika from ALDI had the same strategy when she happened to sit at our table at the Animal Ag Alliance’s Stakeholder’s Summit in May. She is on ALDI’s International Sustainability Team and was living in Chicago for six months as part of her role and attended the conference in her first few weeks of living in the United States.
We were thrilled that Annika joined our table. She not only represented a trending grocery store brand but also brought valuable international insights to the conversation. We were excited to engage with this popular brand and gain consumer perceptions and end-chain perspectives from our new connection.
We exchanged business cards and connected on LinkedIn as you do when you meet someone new at a conference. We took this connection to the next level and invited ALDI’s sustainability team to visit some Wisconsin dairy farms.
A few months later, the ALDI sustainability team took us up on our invitation. Wisconsin Farm Bureau had an opportunity to host the team for two dairy farm visits in southern Wisconsin.
Our first stop of the day was Morton Dairy Farm in Evansville. Justin and Amanda Morton milk 120 cows with two robots. We discussed how the family uses the data collected from the robots to make informed decisions about each individual cow. We saw family farming on display with Justin and Amanda’s three young kids playing in the feed alley.
We took a break for lunch where we continued to discuss sustainability in agriculture. Several Wisconsin Farm Bureau members and board directors attended the tours and were able to share their own perspectives from their farms.
Next, we visited Larson Acres in Evansville. Larson Acres is a sixth-generation dairy farm milking 2,500 cows. The group got to experience all aspects of a large, progressive dairy farm. We saw how Larson Acres prioritizes animal welfare through every stage of an animal’s life.
After the tour, we spent some time discussing key takeaways. One attendee noted that she did not know what to expect visiting the large dairy farm, but her perspective changed when they got to see how everything worked. She noted that animal care was clearly a priority at both locations and was impressed by the commitment at both operations.
“It was a great experience, and we truly appreciate the dedication of the farmers in showcasing best practices in dairy farming,” shared an ALDI representative. “We learned a lot about the dairy farm operations in general and how the two different farms were managing daily tasks.”
We engaged partners at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Beef Council for this tour opportunity. These partners added even more value to the experience with their perspectives from their industries.
The tour was a smashing success. It was a valuable learning opportunity for ALDI’s team and the farmers alike.
One member of the ALDI team shared their key takeaway from the tour: “It is always a good reminder to talk to farmers about their challenges, especially when it comes to financing and adapting ‘more sustainable’ practices.”
Overall, the experience strengthened the popular grocery chain’s commitment to supporting and collaborating with farmers to find solutions that work for the entire supply chain. We look forward to more opportunities to engage with the ALDI team in the future.
Next time you travel to a conference by yourself, I encourage you to look for the person who also appears to be traveling alone. Sit at the table with them and make a new connection; you never know what opportunities lie ahead!
Rachel LaCount is WFBF’s Director of Sustainability Communications and Partnerships. In this role, she oversees the organization’s sustainability communication efforts.
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