Tag: national dairy farm program

FARM Program Announces 2025 Excellence Awards Winners

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Integrity, ingenuity and the pursuit of excellence earned three farms and one program evaluator this year’s National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program’s Excellence Awards, which were announced Nov. 11 at the Joint Annual Meeting.

The awards recognize participants who uphold program values by demonstrating U.S. dairy farmers are committed to producing high quality, wholesome milk.

The 2025 FARM Excellence Award recipients are:

  • Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship — Bar E Dairy (Land O’Lakes, Inc.)
  • Environmental Stewardship — Five Star Dairy Farm LLC (Associated Milk Producers Inc.)
  • Workforce Development — Glezen Farms, LLC (Maola Local Dairies)
  • Evaluator of the Year — Lisa Ford (Cayuga Marketing)

“These winners exemplify FARM’s mission of continuous improvement through action, integrity and resilience,” Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Meggan Hain said. “It’s our honor to highlight the good deeds of the dairy industry, not only to assure customers, but also to reward farmers for their continued contributions and dedication.”

FARM created the awards in 2021 to celebrate farms dedicated to continuous improvement in each of the FARM Program pillars and to recognize a FARM Program evaluator for their exceptional care and attention to the farms they evaluate. The awards are judged by FARM Farmer Advisory Council members and other subject matter experts.

Farms and evaluators may be nominated by fellow dairy farmers and evaluators, members of their communities, extension, cooperative or processor staff, veterinarians, or other industry professionals.

About the winners:

  • Bar E Dairy is located in Kingsburg, CA, and is a member of Land O’Lakes, Inc. Bar E Dairy received the 2025 FARM Excellence Award in Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship for its commitment to exceptional animal welfare and judicious use of antibiotics through on-farm technology and innovation.
  • Five Star Dairy Farm LLC is located in Alma, WI, and is a member of Associated Milk Producers Inc. Five Star Dairy earned the 2025 FARM Excellence Award in Environmental Stewardship for its use of conservation practices to promote and maintain the land, water and wildlife in its community.
  • Glezen Farms, LLC is located in Lisle, NY, and is a member of Maola Local Dairies. Glezen Farms secured the 2025 FARM Excellence Award in Workforce Development for its dedication to fostering a safe, informed and responsible workforce through training and resource investment.
  • Lisa Ford is based in Auburn, NY, and is a FARM Program evaluator for Cayuga Marketing. Lisa took home the 2025 FARM Evaluator Excellence Award for her devotion to serving Cayuga members through education, leadership and advocacy.

FARM Participates in Global Animal Health Conversations

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program discussed shared challenges and opportunities as it co-led a roundtable session comprised of international animal care programs as a precursor to the International Dairy Federation’s 2025 World Dairy Summit in Santiago, Chile.

The roundtable, which began at the summit held in Chicago in 2023, provides a valuable avenue for information sharing and alignment among animal care programs such as FARM.

“The FARM Program advances its mission of continuous improvement by interacting with the dairy industry at a global scale,” Jamie Jonker, NMPF chief science officer, said. “Being recognized as a leader in animal welfare through the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization and the International Organization for Standardization, it’s essential to bring our voice to the table and understand the latest science and technology that’s impacting the industry.”

FARM had the opportunity during the summit to join global industry leaders in sharing experiences and recommendations to shape the future of the dairy sector. The summit’s theme “Nourishing a Sustainable World” highlights key factors emerging in the industry, from sustainable practices to technology, market trends and animal health.

NMPF’s Jamie Jonker and Meggan Hain participated in sessions on topics such as meeting the growing global demand for milk as a great source of protein, working as an industry to adapt to a rapidly changing climate and the importance of engaging the industry in policy and standard discussions.

As science and best practices evolve, the FARM Program’s goal is to continue showing customers and consumers that the U.S. dairy industry is holding itself to the highest standards.

Currently, the program has begun the process of developing its Animal Care Version 2028 program cycle. The NMPF Animal Health and Wellbeing Committee met earlier last month to establish priorities for the FARM Animal Care Task Force to consider during its initial review process. The task force will meet in person this fall with the FARM Farmer Advisory Council during next week’s Joint Annual Meeting.

FARM Provides Governance Update

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program emphasized important farmer involvement through its various governance groups in updates related to the next program cycle during NMPF’s June Board of Directors meeting.

The FARM Animal Care program area proposed to restructure its current review process to provide more opportunities for farmer feedback, which the board approved. FARM undergoes a review and revision period every three years to ensure program standards are supported by the latest science and best management practices.

NMPF’s Animal Health & Wellbeing Committee will now set priorities for the FARM Animal Care Task Force and FARM Farmer Advisory Council ahead of the initial review. The new process aims to provide a more collective representation of farmer input.

FARM opened nominations in March for its Animal Care, Environmental Stewardship and Workforce Development Task Forces. FARM received more than 60 nominations across the three task forces. Nominations were first reviewed by the FARM Farmer Advisory Council, who shortlisted nominees for consideration by NMPF’s Executive Committee. The committee reviewed the shortlisted nominations and discussed a proposed slate of new task force members, ultimately voting to seat the proposed slate June 9.

Newly seated members are:

Animal Care

  • Angela Bright, Foremost Farms
  • Doreen Dyt, CDI
  • Doug Chapin, Chapin Family Farms
  • Kaitlyn Briggs, fairlife
  • Lindsay Ferlito, Cornell University – PRO-DAIRY
  • Skyler Barney, Butterville Farms, LLC

Environmental Stewardship

  • Brian McGarry, McGarry Dairy, LLC
  • Donald Janssen, Green Hill Dairy
  • Justin Praegitzer, Skyline Dairy
  • Larry Bailey, Walker Farms, LLC
  • Suzanne Vold, Dorrich Dairy

Workforce Development

  • Karen Bohnert, Bohnert Jerseys
  • Tony Jandernoa, Dutch Meadows Dairy

FARM’s Animal Care Task Force will begin reviewing the 2028 version later this year. A stakeholder survey is set to be released in July to collect industry feedback.

FARM ES Supports Farmers, Releases Version 3 Prep Guide

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program released its FARM Environmental Stewardship Version 3 Prep Guide, helping to prepare farmers and evaluators for on-farm evaluations using the updated platform.

The Prep Guide outlines Version 3 data collection, tips for completing the evaluation and program expectations. FARM encourages farmers and evaluators to use this document when preparing for an evaluation.

Training on Version 3 topic areas are ongoing. The optional advanced manure-module training session held May 28 provided an in-depth overview of how manure management can influence ES Version 3 results.

Each of the optional, advanced training sessions is designed for evaluators who wish to better understand the data inputs, environmental footprint results, and how to run scenarios to support farmers who wish to explore continuous improvement opportunities.

FARM Opens Registration for Annual Evaluator Conference

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program is hosting its annual FARM Evaluator Conference July 14-16 at the Oneida Casino & Hotel in Green Bay, WI.

The two-day conference is filled with industry speakers, program area deep dives and provides networking opportunities for FARM Program evaluators.

FARM evaluators are individuals trained and certified to conduct second-party Animal Care, Environmental Stewardship and Workforce Development evaluations on behalf of FARM participants. Evaluators work alongside dairy producers to identify strengths and outline areas for improvement in all program areas.

Please reach out to dairyfarm@nmpf.org for questions about the event or for information about sponsorship opportunities.

FARM Leads discussion on H5N1, NMPF Talks FMMO, YCs Plan Future at World Dairy Expo

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF and the FARM Program held sessions Oct. 3 and 4 exploring current industry happenings at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI. Dairy farmer members, NMPF staff and other industry experts participated, sharing insights and discussing ongoing efforts to drive the industry forward.

NMPF’s National YC Program kicked off Oct. 3 with a panel discussion on farm transition planning. NMPF members Ben Smith of Cool Lawn Farms in Remington, VA, Steve Ohlde of Ohlde Dairy in Linn, KS, Hannah Lansing of J&K Dairy in Sunnyside, WA and Myron Czech of Pike Hills Dairy in Little Falls, MN shared their experiences and insights with farm transitions.

Later that day, the FARM Program partnered with Uplevel Dairy Podcast to bring Expo attendees exclusive insights into the ongoing H5N1 animal health outbreak. Veterinary and producer perspectives were shared during the panel discussion, which discussed best practices for mitigating H5N1 risks and preparing for a potential outbreak. NMPF’s Miquela Hanselman shared recommendations to strengthen producers’ disease preparedness plans.

The day concluded with another panel discussion featuring Peter Vitaliano, NMPF’s Vice President of Economic Policy and Market Research, who examined the short- and long-term impacts of the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) modernization process on dairy farmers. He was joined by Land O’Lakes’ Pete Kappelman and Somula Schwoeppe, owner of Schwoeppe Dairy Farm. The panel discussed the USDA’s proposed updates and next steps in the FMMO modernization process.

NMPF’s National YC Program partnered with the Dairy Girl Network on Oct. 4 to host a panel featuring women leaders in the U.S. dairy industry. The event, which reached over 1,500 attendees and livestream viewers, included Krysta Harden of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, Joanna Shipp of Bowmont Dairy, Krista Knigge from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and Gertie van den Goor of Goma Dairy Farm. The discussion highlighted leadership experiences, strategies for overcoming industry challenges and the evolving role of women in dairy.

FARM Announces 2024 Excellence Awards Winners

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Farmer leaders in animal care, antibiotic stewardship, sustainability and workforce best practices, along with a top FARM Program evaluator, were recognized at the fourth annual FARM Excellence Awards presentation Oct. 22 during the Awards Luncheon at the 2024 Joint Annual Meeting of the NMPF, the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board and the United Dairy Industry Association in Phoenix.

The awards recognized three farms and one evaluator who go above and beyond industry standards and best management practices through their commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. The 2024 FARM Excellence Award recipients are:

  • Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship — Carlson Dairy LLP (First District Association)
  • Environmental Stewardship – Double S Dairy (Saputo Cheese USA, Inc.)
  • Workforce Development — Oakridge Dairy (Dairy Farmers of America)
  • Evaluator of the Year — Nicole Frank (First District Association)

The FARM Excellence Awards were created in 2021 to celebrate farms that are dedicated to continuous improvement in the FARM Program pillars, and to recognize a FARM Program evaluator for their exceptional care and attention to the farms they evaluate. The awards are judged by FARM Farmer Advisory Council members and other subject matter experts. Farms and evaluators can be nominated by fellow dairy farmers and evaluators, members of their communities, extension, cooperative or processor staff, veterinarians, or other industry professionals.

Visit the FARM website for more information about the FARM Excellence Awards.

FARM Launches Environmental Stewardship Version 3

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

FARM Program Environmental Stewardship (ES) Version 3 launched Oct. 31, supporting the dairy community’s efforts to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050. FARM ES Version 3 gives dairy farmers a scientifically robust tool with more advanced features to assess the impact of potential practice or technology changes.

The update is critical as dairy farmers, cooperatives and processors continue to look for ways to advance their sustainability efforts in ways that make business sense.

Version 3 incorporates the Ruminant Farm System (RuFaS) model, a whole-farm model that simulates dairy farm production and environmental impacts. The process-based RuFaS model follows biological, physical and chemical flows on the farm, enabling more granular environmental foot-printing and scenario analysis.

FARM ES Version 3 provides farmers an advanced report, including estimates of carbon sequestration and the ability to analyze the environmental and productivity impacts of various practices and technologies. Version 3 also contains optional data inputs, such as details on reproductive programs, culling information and cropping practices, for more tailored results.

A key focus for the rest of the year will be to collect farmer, FARM Evaluator and other stakeholder feedback to further refine Version 3. FARM plans to host stakeholder webinars to foster discussion about the new platform.

FARM Program Hosts 2024 Evaluator Conference

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

With FARM Animal Care and Workforce Development updates now in effect, the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program gathered program Evaluators to connect, learn about recent program updates and hear from allied industry subject matter experts at its annual Evaluator Conference, held this year July 22-24 in Lexington, KY.

This was the first in-person evaluator conference since 2021, with 50 evaluators and 29 member organizations represented.

Attendees heard from industry professionals on topics surrounding the Animal Care, Environmental Stewardship, Antibiotic Stewardship, Biosecurity and Workforce Development program areas, with Animal Care Version 5 and Workforce Development Version 2 launched July 1. President & CEO of the Animal Agriculture Alliance, Hannah Thompson-Weeman, discussed animal welfare trends in state legislatures to kick off the first session for Day 1 of the conference. Participants also heard from American Farm Bureau Federation’s Bailey Corwine on Farm State of Mind, a look into mental health and wellbeing resources for farmers and agricultural workers.

Alltech, which sponsored the conference, welcomed attendees to an evening reception at the Town Branch Distillery to close out the first day. During the reception, Alltech gave a sneak preview of its latest documentary “A World without Cows”, which examines the real economic and environmental impact of cows on our world.

Participants the next day heard from Alltech’s Agolin and Carbon lead Martha Baker on understanding carbon markets and its on-farm applications. Attendees also participated in a townhall discussion surrounding FARM Program’s resources and evaluation system. This was an opportunity for participants to provide feedback and suggestions on current program implementation. To close the conference, attendees enjoyed   optional tours at Ridge Mill Farm and Alltech Headquarters.

Evaluator trainings will continue through 2024 as program participants prepare for evaluations under these new versions.

FARM Highlights NMPF Outreach in June

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF outreach to the dairy community was highlighted by the FARM team in June, as staff shared expertise across the industry.

FARM’s senior director of animal care, Beverly Hampton Phifer, presented Managing an Animal Care Crisis June 5 at the Dairy Welfare Symposium in Kansas City, MO. Dr. Valerie Smith, with Food Safety Net Services, and Hampton Phifer co-presented the efforts of FARM and implementation of the Animal Care Concern Protocol.

Emily Yeiser Stepp, FARM’s executive director, attended the American Dairy Science Association conference June 16-19 in West Palm Beach, FL. Yeiser Stepp presented with Chase DeCoite, Vice President of Food Industry Relations for Dairy Management, Inc., on June 18.  The pair’s presentation, Demonstrating U.S. Dairy’s Commitment to Animal Care, discussed how FARM supports continuous improvement on all U.S. dairy farms and understanding the supply chain’s interest in animal care.

Nicole Ayache, Chief Sustainability Officer at NMPF, discussed FARM’s Environmental Stewardship Version 3 upcoming launch at the Innovation Center for US Dairy Board of Directors meeting on June 27. The Version 3 update is two years in the making, surrounding a new evaluation tool, the Ruminant Farms Systems model (RuFaS), which will support dairy industry efforts to reach GHG neutral by 2050 as well as to respond to growing customer requests.

Other staff highlights included Will Loux, NMPF’s senior vice president for global economic affairs, speaking on the state of the dairy industry to Dairy Management Inc. officers and the Innovation Center in Rosemont, IL, giving an overview of long-term trends of the industry in production, supply and demand.

FARM Provides Program Updates in Animal Care and Workforce Development

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program updates to its Animal Care and Workforce Development program areas took effect July 1, showcasing its commitment to continuous improvement within the dairy industry.

The program’s foundational pillar, Animal Care, features updated standards surrounding euthanasia, fitness for transport, calf management, and continuing education. With the consultation of the governance structure, comprised of producers, animal scientists, cooperatives and processor staff and veterinarians, Animal Care Version 5 aims for clarity and consistency across program evaluations. Version 5 standards will be in effect through June 30, 2027.

Workforce Development Version 2 updates the evaluation tool involved, restructuring the evaluation to better group questions of similar themes. Seven new questions also were crafted to further strengthen the tool in areas of communication, clarity in roles, and performance management. Training for Evaluators began in May and will continue throughout the year.

Environmental Stewardship Version 3 will also be launching later this summer. The update will integrate a new greenhouse gas model to offer updated science and the ability to run what-if scenarios to assess practice and technology options. The Ruminant Farm Systems model, led out of Cornell University, will be the new engine for FARM Environmental Stewardship, supporting dairy industry efforts to reach GHG (Greenhouse gas) neutral by 2050 and responding to growing customer requests.

FARM Program Releases New Resources, Prepares for Summer Events

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Animal Care Version 5 training for evaluators is underway in June, anticipating updated standards focusing on locomotion, disbudding, euthanasia practices, and colostrum management.

The Animal Care Version 5 Prep Guide distributed in April and May contains information to prepare farmers and evaluators for the July 1 release of new standards, led by farmers in consultation with the broader industry and developed over the past two years. In addition to the Prep Guide, veterinarians now have a dedicated page with information and resources related to FARM and from the American Association of Bovine Practitioners surrounding animal care best practices. The FARM Program also released May 1 the 2024-2025 Milk & Dairy Beef Drug Residue Prevention Manual, as the foundational antibiotic stewardship resource.

FARM is also gearing up for its annual Evaluator Conference, July 22-23 in Lexington, KY. Every year the program also recognizes farmers and evaluators who excel in their commitment to demonstrating on-farm social responsibility through the FARM Excellence Awards. FARM is seeking nominations for four award categories, including: Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship, Workforce Development, and Evaluator of the Year.

Winners will be recognized at NMPF’s Joint Annual Meeting held in Phoenix during a special luncheon Oct. 23.