Latest News From Young Farmers

Travel to the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, and you’ll meet Hayley and Stephanie Painter who not only made the Forbes 30 under 30 list, but have also created one of the fastest growing yogurt company in the U.S.

Farm kids have learned to quickly survey what needs to be done and take the lead to get it done. No questions asked. This is one reason farm kids stand out. They have learned to get tough during tough times.

NBA superstars Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith learned how to hand milk a cow on live television thanks to a Madison, Georgia dairy farm, Big Sandy Creek Farm.

An ‘ah-ha’ moment when young leaders realize the power within themselves to advocate for the dairy industry often unfolds at the Holstein Foundation’s Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI). This year was no exception.

Success is often shaped by values, found through hardships and the stimulus for momentum. If we learn anything from our 2023 Milk Business Award winners, it’s there is no cookie-cutter formula to achieve success.

I encourage you to look at the star players on teams, and when you get to know more about them, more times than not, you’ll learn they learned all they needed to excel in sports from growing up on a farm.  

In just a decade on the farm, Virginia dairy farmer Ben Smith's journey has been one of dedication and innovation, which is what makes him the 2023 Milk Business Young Producer Award winner.

What about the moments in between the times the sun rises and sets? The moments that aren’t as bright and certainly are not Instagram-worthy, but they do help shape our children for their future.

Three National Young Cooperators share about their journey with training and leadership development that has helped propel them forward.

I often think farmers talk so much about being advocates that we sometimes we forget to ask if our children would like to be advocates for an industry that has helped raise them and one that they have grown to love, too.

This past January, Val Lavigne became one of Dairy Management Inc.'s (DMI) newest board members. Leading up to this point, Lavigne has always been intrigued with checkoff and involved in her local efforts. 

Matt Budine has found better solutions and motivated positive changes to young dairy professionals that have gone through the Dairy Challenge, and more than 1.1 million cows touched by Progressive Dairy Solutions.

Sometimes the biggest inspiration comes in the smallest packages. This certainly holds true for Brynn Grewe. The pint-size dairy farm girl serves as a true inspiration, as she embodies strength, grit and perseverance.

The first MILK Business Conference award winners have been announced and will be recognized at the 2023 MILK Business Conference set for Nov. 28-30, at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

Sometimes life doesn't go the way it was planned. Most farmers understand this all too well. But sometimes life’s curveballs provide opportunities to grow and learn. This holds true for the Dinderman family of Illinois.

Think of your own success story, even if your path wasn’t straightforward. The industry is great because of all our great leaders who have continued to push hard, driving their businesses forward.

Travel to Carpenter, Wy., and you’ll see two-thirds of the state’s 9,000 dairy cows, who are milked at Burnett Dairy. You’ll also get to see an upcoming second-generation dairy farmer, Reese Burnett.

Time is such a thief of joy, especially when it comes to raising kids. One day, you bring them home from the hospital with all the hopes in the world and then next you realize they become all that you have imagined.

Just in time for school to start, in the midst of the Illinois State Fair, students across the state will no longer be penalized for participating in a 4-H or FFA event.

When it comes to sustainability, longevity is certainly part of the equation at Redhead Creamery. This farm proves is investing on both sides of their businesses to drive their dairy forward.

Childcare presents a unique challenge for producers looking to balance farm and family. Is there a way to allow children to free-range without compromising safety, mental health and productivity?

As Mary Pat Sass’ social media shows glimpses of life from the seat of the tractor, it’s not the view she envisioned for her life even a decade ago. But through humor and candor, she's now an inspiration to others.

A 60 second program has become a crowd favorite and for the youth who were brave enough to stand up in front of the room to share their message, it was a launching pad for future success. 

Recently, Ashley Hagenow traded in her rubber boots for heels as she was selected to serve as the 76th Alice in Dairyland. She will promote Wisconsin agriculture across the Badger State throughout the next year.

Two things have had a huge impact on Jeff Corle’s life—music and dairy cows. After high school, Corle headed south to Nashville, to pursue his dream of working in the music industry.

With a slogan of "raised, not sourced," Tim Haer had a wild idea to differentiate their business: create a vending machine to sell meat produced on their family's farm, an idea he says that's been wildly successful.

Half of success is showing up certainly holds true for labor-dependent farms. Although Brett Barlass, dairy manager of Yosemite Jerseys in Calif., shares he went nine years without a no-call or a no-show employee. 

While there is uncertainty ahead, there are also big opportunities for the younger generation. Dive deep into what colleges and universities offer to help you navigate your future career.

Learn to connect with others who are in the dairy industry—even if they milk cows in a different part of the country or their herd size differs from yours. If children can spark up a conversation, so can us adults.

The Institute for the Future predicts that nearly 85% of the jobs that today’s students will do in 2030 don’t exist yet, underscores how big of a task it is for colleges to prepare students for a changing future.

For the first time ever, Farm Journal is offering Milk Business Awards to identify and honor dairy producers in three different categories: technology, young producers and employee excellence.

When the going seems tough, don’t give up. Be brave, even when milk prices drop, feed prices rise and the next chapter of your farm seems like an uphill battle. Remember, the younger generation is watching.

FFA is a nearly limitless opportunity for young people to figure out who they are and what they want to do in life. Here are 10 lessons Farm Journal employees learned through FFA that they use every day. 

A regular on The Weather Channel, dairy farmer, Tara Vander Dussen joined live from her eastern New Mexico dairy to talk about the dairy industry’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. 

New England dairy farmer, Melissa Griffin shares a love for music and cows and says that working together in an orchestra is similar to working together as a family unit on a family farm.

The California Milk Advisory Board announced the return of its student internship program where young agriculture ambassadors. California dairy producer, Tony Lopes highly encourages others to sign up.

A high school dance proposal used to simply consist of asking your date to the dance, but now there is a lot of hype about when and how you ask. Recently my daughter's proposal included a trip to the cow barn.

From labor to rising feed costs, to regulations —the challenges that face dairy farmers are far from small. Three young dairy producers shared their takes on challenges and opportunities that they are presented with.

Called the ‘participation trophy’ group, often the younger generation gets a bad rap. However, younger generations have a lot to offer in terms of technology, fresh perspectives and innovative ideas.

Dairy farming is nonstop, and sometimes so is the stress. Sam and Brittany Olson have been open with their own mental health struggles and believe that their own experience serves as someone else’s survival guide.

Pennsylvania teenager Reese Burdette continues her medical recovery from a 2014 housefire and returns to the showring at a Harrisburg dairy competition.

Tyler and Amanda Radke have three goals on the farm: provide peace with a place to heal, experience a family full of love and introduce them to a household strong in faith; a recipe that’s filled with grit and grace.

The NY Farm Girls have become a social media sensation. With nearly 645,000 followers on TikTok, the three sisters share the truth about dairy farming, even when faced with negativity that can sprout on social media.