Human connection is a powerful tool. It requires vulnerability, which is incredibly hard to do, especially with people you don’t know. Vulnerability though, begets respect and trust, which are truly the foundation to build relationships on. Once those are established, useful data and facts are just the icing on the cake.
Read MoreThere’s nothing wrong with tradition, and often there are good reasons for why things have been established in a certain way. I also think that looking at issues from different angles and perspectives can help free us from old constraints, and move stagnated conversations forward.
Read MoreHave you ever really wanted something in life - that dream job, starting your own business, taking up a new hobby completely outside your “normal” realm - and never quite stretched far enough?
Read MoreFor the dairy industry as a whole, I believe it is distasteful to bash the other side and pitch organic dairymen vs. conventional. We are all one industry and have different methods for how we manage our dairies.
Read Moreeople are turning to any solution that sounds reasonable, desperate to retain their way of life, but I implore you to dig deeper than what the press releases promise.
Read MoreDon’t give away your vote just because someone looks good in their brand new Wranglers and promises to remember you and your family when it’s down to crunch time on the next farm bill or trade talks. They won’t, unless you make them.
Read MoreThank a Farmer became less of a promotional slogan, and more of a demand.
Read MoreWe all saw it. That Super Bowl commercial for some company we’d never even heard of, using “chunky milk” to get its point across.
Read MoreBig doesn’t equal bad. Consider my parents. Two people who knew that the dairy industry, like every other industry out there, is changing with the times, and if you want to still be a dairyman, continue your family legacy, or whatever it is you’re striving for, you must change too. It’s not necessarily expansion to the degree that we did. It’s diversifying.
Read MoreAll I want is for this industry I love to thrive. For the people to enjoy being around one another, to learn from one another's successes, and share the hard times to make the burden a bit less. You don't know me. I wish I could get to know you, because I bet if you gave me that chance, you'd find that we have a lot more in common than you think.
Read MoreOf all the relationships we agriculturists have, the absolute most important one we have is the one we share with the people who buy what we grow.
Read MoreLord, I know this is a lot to ask. But I also know that You are greater than all of this. Please God, please please please. Return kindness and civility to our industry, because that is the first step to our survival. Amen.
Read MoreDannon helped make my family’s generational business more sustainable and profitable for my family now, and hopefully, for the next generation.
Read MoreWe are often divided by our differences in this industry that we love, but days like today remind me that what we have in common...
Read MoreWe can't ignore the way our consumers make their decisions if we want them to buy what we grow.
Read MoreWe’re playing a long game, and the issues we face will continue to arise, albeit in different forms. We cannot be content to sit back and let others dictate how our products will be marketed in the future. Recognize our second chance, and be courageous enough to use it well.
Read MoreAgriculture has made leaps and bounds in sustainability over the last century, and will continue to do so as long as our consumers understand why we use those tools.
Read MoreThe kicker here is that the technological advances agriculture has made to increase efficiencies and gains and reduce our environmental impact are completely ignored by you and your ilk.
Read MoreYes, these cows are our livelihood. If not taken care of properly, my family’s business will suffer. But for us, and for many of our agricultural friends, we care for animals because we love them. It’s our lifestyle. From our first steps in the barn, we’ve known. Animal husbandry is in our blood. We want to ensure that the animals in our care have the best, because in turn these animals take care of our customers…you.
Read MoreWith my grandfather’s passing, the buck has truly been passed to the next generation. I intend to honor his memory by following his example of hard work, integrity, and the pursuit of better in all aspects of life, but most especially in the industry he and I both fiercely love.
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