Opinions and Philosophiesof a Self Made Dairyman

Pete Gelber Barrington Dairies

Montezuma, Georgia

Agenda

Life History, influences Buying Bankrupt

Dairies Economic and life

philosophies Opinions on labor Visions for the Future

A Different Childhood

GRAFFITI & AEROSOL ART GALLERY NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY ART Dose_Subway_Art.mht

A Positive Experience

• Great parents • Catholic School Education• Fear of drugs• Hustle and getting with the beat• A chance to be mischievous • Comfortable with all races of people• Dealing with intimidation

Bronx Decision Making

Messages from Mom and Pop

•Don’t argue with a crazy person or a drunk

•Life wasn’t meant to be fair

•It’s a sin to be grouchy

•When judging people look through their mother’s eyes

•Life should be a celebration

How I learned to Milk a Cow From the New York Subway

•My first dairy experience age 10

•Degree from Cornell University 1982

•Built a small herd of cows in NY

•1990 Began working up the ladder at Alliance Dairies in Florida

•Promoted one disaster at a time to Dairy Manager

•1997 issued phantom stock in new purchased bankrupt dairy

•2007 General Manager and 10% partner in GA dairies

•2013 Owner of Barrington Dairies but rents land from partners

A 25 Year Friendship

Evolving Relationship• Boss, mentor• Shared core values and

business principles• Best Friends• Potential to Proven • Ask permission to beg

forgiveness• Send the Profit and Loss

Why Was I Invited to Queretaro?

• Started with a dream• Owner of a 9,000 cow dairy• Perceived strengths

1. Vision and Culture Changer2. Economic Decision making3. Enthusiastic Motivator of Labor4. Fun and not very serious

Buying a Distressed Company

Look Before Leaping

• Insurmountable problems

• Environmental hazards,• Land ,FacilityLimitation

s• Feed availability• Economic advantage• Priced fairly• Does it cash flow?

Why Montezuma?

Barrington History

• Irish Investors @1986• National Attention• 1990 financial problems• Southern Plantations• Progressive Dairies• New Milk Inc.

• 1997purchased first smaller dairy

• Great initial success through 2001

• 2002 Purchased other unit (Barrington)

• 2002-2006 struggles • Move to GA or sell out• 2007 –present high

profits

Common Flaws on Failing Dairies

Problem• Reproduction• Lameness• Leftover feed• Silo management• Dry cow nutrition• Dead calves• Crop quality and yield• No maintenance program• Cow comfort• EPA issues

Economic Ramification• Feed costs, production• High cull rate• Heifer growers, high costs• Poor crops/ high feed cost• EPA fines and sanctions• Lots of cap ex

Turning a dairy into a winner

No one plans to fail

• Infusion of energy and enthusiasm• Set the vision• Change the culture• Correct cash flow• Set priorities• Field a team• Stick up for what is right• Rome was not built in a day

Where to Start?