Phil Durst, Sr. Extension dairy educator from Michigan (USA), a participant of the 7-th Ukrainian Dairy Congress

What are the values that describe your business? Does “integrity” come quickly to mind? It’s on my mind and I’d like to share some thoughts with you about it. Webster’s Dictionary lists several similar meanings among which are “firm adherence to a code of moral values; incorruptibility; the quality or state of being complete or undivided” and lists honesty as the synonym. In short, integrity means that there is no difference between what you say and what you do — with no intention of deception.

While in Kiev, Ukraine recently on a trip to speak at the VII Ukrainian Dairy

Congress for Michigan State University Extension, I was reminded of the absolute

importance of integrity. Several times, in private conversation or in speaker’s

presentations, I was made aware of the fact that not all Ukrainian agricultural

statistics could be believed because officials often reported what would make things

(or themselves) look good, rather than the truth.

Read more in the magazine “Milk and Farm” № 2 (21), April, 2014