In today’s unpredictable agricultural landscape, marked by fluctuating milk prices and climate challenges, farmers are tasked with staying profitable amid uncertainty. Jason Sheehan, a fourth-generation dairy producer from Eastern Washington, shares his strategies and philosophies that have helped his family farm endure and thrive despite the odds.
Adapting Through Vertical Integration
Sheehan employs a strategy of vertical integration on his farm, which involves growing their own forages.
“That was my initial thought is that you need to grow all your forages to feed your cows and grow them the way you want to and really just to have a place for all your manure,” he says.
This strategy has proven advantageous, allowing for a balanced approach during challenging economic times. However, Sheehan acknowledges the unique difficulties of the current year, noting low feed prices and low milk prices as a double hit to their operations.
Facing Industrywide Challenges
A notable challenge facing Sheehan and other Darigold producers is a significant deduction to offset the construction of a new processing plant and operating losses. A letter mailed to the Northwest processor patrons in April shared that they will pay farmers $4 less per hundredweight. The announcement noted the reduction was guaranteed through June and expected to last through the end of the year.
Despite milking 3,000 cows and farming an equal number of acres, Sheehan notes even their additional crops, such as wine grapes and cherries, add little profitability.
“It is kind of a tough one this year, because when you do that, you think that when farming is good, then dairy might be bad and vice versa. Well, this year we’ve got low feed prices and low milk prices, at least for us out here. So that makes it a little bit more interesting to make this all work. We’re basically losing money farming and losing money dairying, and so it’s a double hit,” Sheehan says.
Innovative Approaches to Herd Management
In addressing financial uncertainties, Sheehan took a contrarian approach by expanding his dairy replacement heifer herd even when other dairy producers were scaling back and leaning harder toward beef-on-dairy. His decision enabled flexibility and insurance against unforeseen events that might affect herd productivity.
“I’ve learned when you’re short on [dairy] heifers, and you can’t produce enough from your own with sexed semen, it limits what you can do in your milk cow herd,” Sheehan explains.
By maintaining a robust dairy heifer inventory, Sheehan ensures a buffer that can accommodate unexpected challenges.
“When everybody said that dairy heifers are too expensive to raise and you should limit your heifers, I would go grow more heifers,” he says. “I just felt that we need to have extra heifers, so if we expanded some, we would be able to do so. We sold down the herd size a little bit, but we’ve got probably 150% of the heifers we need.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Beyond navigating day-to-day operational challenges, Sheehan finds motivation in seeing his children become interested in the family farm. His pride in the future generation is evident as he shares stories of his children’s growing involvement and achievements in agriculture-related activities.
“This is what it’s all about,” Sheehan reflects, appreciating his children’s curiosity and passion for farming. From a college sophomore expressing a newfound desire to farm, to a high school senior actively engaged in FFA activities, to a 16-year-old son who knew ever since he could walk that he wanted to farm, to a 12-year-old daughter joining her father at 5:30 a.m. to do feed checks at the farm, Sheehan’s family is deeply connected to their agricultural roots.
“I love what I do every day, not all of it, but most of it. And just seeing the kids interested in doing it too, that’s what it’s all about,” he says. “So somehow, someway, our parents and grandparents and ancestors figured out how to get through the tough times, and we got to adapt and figure out how to get through the tough times, too.”
As Sheehan continues to adapt his strategies amid agricultural challenges, his inspiring blend of traditional wisdom and innovative thinking offers a road map for resilience to farmers everywhere. Moreover, his commitment to family and the future of farming marks a hopeful chapter for the enduring legacy of agriculture.
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