Farmer Resilience
While Lindsey Worden has remained with one employer since college, her passion for dairy could “easily fill a barn.” She illustrates that with a readiness to embrace change and seize opportunities, tremendous achievements are attainable. Her leadership at the Holstein Association is paving the way for innovations benefiting producers and the industry for years to come.
2025 winter brought forth unprecedented obstacles with massive accumulations of wet, dense snow to UpState New York. This was too much for Insight Dairy, as on February 16, one of their freestall barns collapsed from the weight of this winter’s precipitation.
Community connection is at the heart of this family dairy.
Green and Gold is a story of hope and commitment
Get to Know the Face Behind ‘'Married and Farming’
2025 IDFA Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year award winner bridges tradition and innovation.
Brian Forrest of Maple Ridge Dairy near Stratford, Wisconsin, embodies a spirit of selflessness and resilience, as he has been an organ donor, not just once, but twice.
The holiday season is often portrayed as a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. For many, however, it is also a period marked by increased stress and mental health challenges. The reality is that the rites and rituals of the season sometimes come with pressures that can be difficult to manage.
In an age where the dairy industry faces constant challenges, some voices rise above the rest to advocate for its goodness and vitality. Nate Chittenden is one such voice. As a third-generation dairy farmer, Chittenden recently shared his insights and experiences, unveiling the often-hidden struggles of dairy farming.
As the holidays approach and we gather around the table for a family meal, try not to use the opportunity to gather as time for a business meeting. It’s very important to create separation between family and business.
Fifteen years into growing a farm and a family together, everything changed for Ron and Sherri Prins and their four young kids. A diagnosis made the couple lean on their faith and on one another more than ever before.
God bless grain cart drivers. They are great mind readers, understanding all those hand signals that are hard to interpret and hard to see, and the person who generally takes all the blame.
In celebration of National Ag Day and National Ag Week, the 2023 Feeding the Economy report shows just how vital the industry is to U.S. families, communities and the world.
Ensuring that farms are passed down to future generations requires diligent planning and, often, tough conversations with family members.
Finding a healthy work-life balance seems to be something we all strive for, but few of us ever really achieve. This balance is particularly elusive for those who are self-employed, and it’s even more challenging for those who farm for a living.
As parents we get these glittering moments of watching our children grow and become independent. While it’s all that we hoped they would become, it still is bittersweet.
As wildfires sweep across Oregon, the toll on the land and its people are becoming increasingly evident. The Chamberlain family, who own and operate Dairylain Farms in Vale, Ore., are among those affected.
Norma “Duffy” Lyon was more than okay with being known as the “The Butter Cow Lady.” Afterall, for nearly a half century, Lyon sculpted the butter cow and other creations at the Iowa State Fair.
Today the formula pf passing on the farm requires robust conversation and strategic planning to financially integrate another family member into the business.
Let’s continue to applaud all the kids who participate in 4-H and FFA and exhibit at the county fair. The lessons they learn are difficult to duplicate anywhere else and the memories will be cherished for a lifetime.
Two young dairy producers from opposite corners of the U.S. share what excites them the most about the future of the industry, what keeps them up at night and what tools and technologies they are leaning into to help propel their dairy operations forward.
Tough times lead to tough conversations. The question isn’t how do you plan to milk cows a year from now, but more likely how do you plan to milk cows decades from now?
Farmers cannot escape challenges, but they certainly can overcome adversity.
Stephanie Nash is loud and boisterous…or as she likes to call it, very passionate about the dairy industry, as she enjoys servings as a front-line advocator to connect with consumers about where their food comes from.
Thirty years ago, I received my high school diploma. As my daughter, Cassie, recently walked across the stage to receive her high school diploma over the weekend, I thought about the advice I had to offer her.
Our herdsman, Julio’s attention to detail and good eye for cattle allows us to put attention into strategically planning the several expansion projects that we’ve taken on over the last 18 years.
Hesston Geddes admits the opportunity to live and work in Hawaii’s lush tropical backdrop enticed him to travel to Waipahu, to take on the manager role at Cloverleaf Dairy, the last commercial dairy in Hawaii.
In the spirit of Mother’s Day, I joined Peggy Coffeen, the host of the UpLevel Dairy Podcast for a conversation that serves as a heartfelt tribute to the unsung heroes of the agriculture world—dairy farm moms.