The 2010 Annual Conference of The American Dairy Products Institute and The American Butter Institute is just six weeks away and registrations are being received at a brisk rate. Record attendance is projected for this year’s conference which will be held in Chicago, Illinois from April 25–27, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

As described in greater detail below, the 2010 Conference will feature two full days of outstanding speakers and informative programs on current industry topics. There will also be abundant opportunities to network with over 750 senior level executives from manufacturers, marketers, suppliers, distributors and brokers of manufactured dairy products. Other registered attendees will include industry analysts, journalists, key government officials and trade exhibitors.

Information about the 2010 Conference is available at the official conference website, www.adpi.org, which includes online registration and exhibitor registration forms. Additional details may also be obtained by contacting the American Dairy Products Institute at 630-530-8700 or by email at info@adpi.org. The current Agenda of the 2010 ADPI / ABI Conference is available on ADPI’s website.

The first full day of the program, Monday, April 26th, will kick off with a panel of leading industry economists discussing the Dairy Market Outlook for 2010 as the industry gradually recovers from one of the most difficult periods in recent times. Topics to be covered include raw milk production forecasts, feed costs, dairy commodity price trends, projected U.S. export levels and global market developments. The distinguished panel will be moderated by Mary Ledman of Keough Ledman & Associates and will feature a cross-section of industry expertise including senior economists from Kraft Foods, Fonterra, Rabobank and Blimling Associates.

ADPI will then welcome keynote speaker, Ed Wallace, founder of the Relational Capital Group and author of the recently published book, Business Relationships Built to Last. The importance of business relationships is widely acknowledged, but few companies or managers systematically focus on how successful professional relationships are established and cultivated.

Mr. Wallace will share his proven program for building long-term business and personal relationships, drawing upon real-life stories, insights and examples from a successful career as the top sales producer and VP of Business Development for a firm that grew revenue from $1 million to over $120 million. Ed Wallace will explain his five tangible steps for transforming ordinary business contacts into high performing relationships based on integrity, establishing common ground and understanding a client’s goals, passions and struggles.

At Monday’s Recognition Luncheon, the winners of ADPI’s Award of Merit and the Jim Page Memorial Scholarship will be announced. In his presentation, “Food Economics and Consumer Choice: Technology’s Role in the 21st Century,” luncheon speaker Brian Rittgers, Director, Dairy Business Unit, Elanco Animal Health, will explore how agri-business can respond to future worldwide food demand which is expected to double by the year 2050.

Various ADPI Committees will meet on Monday afternoon, while ABI presents the butter industry session entitled “Servicing the Market for Butterfat,” to be moderated by Tom Suber, President of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. A late afternoon social hour will be held in the Exhibit Hall, followed by the Industry Reception in the evening.

Tuesday morning, April 26th, begins with the Dairy Marketing Breakfast featuring Lisa Bradner, VP and Principal Analyst, Forrester Research, who will discuss the transformative effect of social media (i.e., Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linked-In, blogs and podcasts, also known as the “Web 2.0”) on brand position, corporate image and business marketing strategies. Donna Berry, President, Dairy & Food Communications, Inc. and an editor of Dairy Foods magazine will also review recent launches of innovative new dairy products.

Tuesday’s general session begins with an address by Harish Damodaran, an agri-business journalist for the Hindu Business Line and an expert observer of India's dairy industry. Mr. Damodaran will share his research and insights into India's dairy industry, the largest milk producer in the world, where domestic supply trends may soon encounter challenges in meeting the steadily growing demand for dairy products.

James Monahan, USDA’s Deputy Administrator for Commodity Operations, is scheduled to follow with an update on the handling and disposition of surplus dairy commodity products by the CCC. Other topics slated for Tuesday morning include a report on recent regulatory and legislative developments in Washington, D.C. and a discussion of international trends in whey and dairy ingredients.

Following Tuesday’s Industry Luncheon, the initial plans for the 2011 International Whey Conference will be previewed. The ADPI / ABI 2010 Conference will conclude in the evening with the Customer Appreciation Reception, a well-attended event where award winning cheeses will be served.

Various social activities will also be held during the course of the 2010 Annual Conference including a golf outing at Ruffled Feathers in Lemont, IL on Sunday, April 25th and a spouse/guest tour of Chicago’s famed Merchandise Mart and a gourmet cooking class at The Chopping Block, one of the city’s most experiential and creative private venues.