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Carlson Dairy LLP
Pennock, MN
Excellence in animal care is built on continuous improvement. Some days, that can feel like a marathon with no end in sight.
But Carlson Dairy of Pennock, MN, is dedicated to the journey. Perhaps because they’ve seen it pay off in a more prosperous operation that can be handed to the next generation. And maybe because, with the help of family, farm workers and neighbors, success isn’t so much a marathon as it is a relay.
“Certainly, we have a long way to go,” said Kindra Carlson. “There are so many things that we’re trying to keep pushing ourselves to do better.”
Carlson Dairy LLP is owned and operated by Curtney, Chad and Carl Carlson, member-owners of First District Association. The dairy was recently awarded the 2024 FARM Excellence Award for Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship, honoring the farm’s commitment to continuous improvement in animal welfare and judicious use of antibiotics. When it comes to cow care, Kindra Carlson said each cow is looked at as an individual and treated almost like a member of the Carlson family.
“We do work hard to treat cows individually and I think that comes with a hands-on approach,” she said. “We’re able to recognize and treat a cow however they need to be, whether they’re healthy from a breeding and reproductive standpoint, veterinary care standpoint, or if there are issues with illness those cows can get picked out of the herd pretty quickly and taken care of as needed.”
Kindra credits much of this to the dedication each Carlson has. “My husband, my brother-in-law and father-in-law are on the farm every day working alongside our employee base.”
Carlson Dairy uses FARM Program resources to help educate employees on best practices. “We really try to work with our employees and utilize the resources around us,” Kindra said. “I think that is a really important part of our farm and hopefully we’ve instilled it into our kids, to find the best people around you and bring them into your operation.”
The Carlsons equip their workforce with as many resources as possible, encouraging employees to explore the ‘why’ behind dairy, Kindra said. The farm ensures all employees have annually signed Cow Care Agreements and have signed training logs during the onboarding process for new employees. Posters for correct handling of calves, non-ambulatory cows and transporting animals can be found throughout the farm, in both English and Spanish.
Brothers Chad and Carl Carlson do their best to seek out resources for their predominantly Spanish-speaking workforce. “It’s certainly helpful that we’re able to access bilingual trainers through vendors that we work with and that are also willing to come in and spend a day and help train,” said Kindra. “Helping them to learn the why behind what we’re doing, I think, is a big thing.”
Kindra also credits her cooperative and other vendor relationships with providing helpful resources. “Having resources at First District Association with their staff that’s fully devoted and employed to focus on the FARM Program, they’re able to bring us resources,” she explained. “We’ve also had a number of resources, from our nutritionists and feed company brought in.”
Carlson Dairy wasn’t the only First District recipient of a 2024 FARM Excellence Award. First District’s Nicole Frank won the FARM Evaluator of the Year category.
In addition to the co-op, some of the most important relationships are with neighboring farms. Carlson Dairy works closely with their neighboring farms, specifically when it comes to managing their 1,400 acres of row crops. “Several of our neighbors that are quite large crop farmers will plant alfalfa and corn for us. We harvest those acres and also do a lot of work with them from a manure standpoint,” she said. “That’s been really beneficial for us to have the support of our community and those farms around us.”
Carl and Agnes Carlson, Chad’s great-grandparents, started Carlson Dairy with eight cows in a small red barn in 1891. Since then, the Carlsons have taken the all-hands-on-deck approach for their now-2,000 cow operation, ensuring the farm’s longevity and success.
“Family is extremely important to us and our legacy within dairy,” said Kindra Carlson. “We love animals, we love our cows and we want to do right by the environment. And our goal is to have eight, maybe even ten or more generations on this farm.”
