With a drive to do better, James Weber returned home to his family’s vacant farm in Michigan and began milking 130 registered Jersey cows after graduating from Cal Poly in 2014. With a keen focus on sustainability and a dialed-in strategic plan, the young dairy farmer has been able to thrive in an industry that is anything but easy.
Before starting the farm, an internship sent Weber west and he stayed there for a few years while working on several dairy farms in the Golden State, including Tollcrest Farms in Wheatland and Desnayer dairy in Lodi. Later, Weber graduated from Cal Poly with a bachelor’s degree in dairy science. Knowing two things, Weber wanted to be part of the dairy industry and wanted to return east to Michigan. His home state ranks sixth in milk production, giving him a plethora of opportunities to work. But that wouldn’t quite do, as Weber didn’t want to work on a dairy farm, he wanted to own one.
“When I get something in my mind that I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it,” he says.
His father, Duane, a third-generation dairy farmer sold his small herd of Holsteins in 2011. Just a few years later, inspired and driven, Weber returned to Michigan and built a double-10 parallel parlor on the very same pasture that his father’s herd of Holsteins once stood. He topped the parlor’s roof with 200-kilowatt solar panels, used to offset around half of his dairy’s energy costs.
Not too far away, a hoop barn to house 130 Jerseys was added. Weber began shipping 130,000 gallons of milk a month to Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA).
Weber knows to have staying power in the industry, he must keep a close eye on all his investments, including energy costs. In 2019 he added a variable speed pump and vacuum controlled pump to the milking barn to reduce energy consumption. He also built his barn using 100% LED lighting and installing thermostats on fans – ensuring they were only running when needed.
Weber began utilizing cover crops and in 2020 participated in his co-ops cover crop project. “We’re looking more now into the species we put on that land so we can look at different mixes that will help scavenge and hold nutrients available for the next crop,” he says.
The farm also has a comprehensive nutrient management plan and conducts soil testing frequently to ensure they are making the best use of nutrients to maintain soil health.
Weber’s involvement with MMPA led him to the national Young Cooperator program with National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), where he was elected chairperson in 2019. “Being involved with the YC’s has allowed greater exposure for my farm both within my co-op and on the national stage,” he adds.
One industry challenge that excites Weber is the dairy industry’s aggressive climate goals. “We have the unique ability to upcycle nutrients like only animal agriculture can while reducing hunger and food insecurity,” he says.
Starting a dairy in 2015, when milk prices plummeted from the highs of 2014 was a challenge, but Weber said it made his farm better.
“The stories I can now tell of different ideas and things we did to save a few dollars are laughable,” he shares. “From pulling around a sled, scooping up manure by hand to save on sawdust bedding, to making our own homemade calcium supplements because I couldn’t afford manufactured products. It was a challenging time where I didn’t have money to pay myself a salary or have a cushion of cash for an unknown expense. The only reason we made it was because of hard work and sacrifice.”
Back in Frankenmuth, Weber continues to focus on doing the best he can with what he has for his dairy. Understanding that longevity isn’t guaranteed and to continue in this tough dairy climate, Weber believes he must be forward thinking and continue to make financially viable decisions. While he has not grown resilient to low milk prices and higher input costs, Weber believes his success traces back to the early years and the foundation that was built then. “It now requires diligence to remain firm to the principles that we rested on in our early years to have continued success in the future,” he shares.
