FARM Program Recognizes Outstanding Dairy Contributions

By Andi Anderson

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program recently announced the winners of its third annual FARM Excellence Awards. These awards honor farms and evaluators that exceed industry standards by focusing on innovation and always getting better. The 2023 FARM Excellence Award winners are:

• Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship: Ingleside Dairy Farm, Inc. (Dairy Farmers of America)
• Workforce Development: Newmont Farm LLC (Agri-Mark, Inc.)
• Evaluator of the Year: Jim Kauffman (Associated Milk Producers Inc.)

There's also an award for Environmental Stewardship given to a Dairy Farmers of America farm that chose to stay anonymous.

Emily Yeiser Stepp, who runs the FARM Program, praised the winners. She said these winners show what the FARM Program stands for and inspire others in the industry.

The announcement happened on November 14 at a meeting in Orlando, Florida, where dairy groups gathered.

The FARM Excellence Awards began in 2021 to celebrate farms improving in different FARM Program areas. They also honor evaluators who take great care in their work. Nominations come from dairy farmers, community members, and others in the industry.

For more information on the FARM Excellence Awards and this year's winners, visit the FARM Program website. There, you can also find pictures of the winners.

Let's take a closer look at a few of the winners:

• Ingleside Dairy Farm, Inc., part of Dairy Farmers of America, won for their excellent animal care. They're known for creating a great environment for their cows, setting an example for other farms in the Southeast.
• Newmont Farm LLC, from Fairlee, Vermont, and part of Agri-Mark, Inc., won for making their workforce safer. They have good safety rules and make sure everyone knows about them.
• Jim Kauffman, who works at Associated Milk Producers Inc., got the Evaluator of the Year award. He's great at his job and helps people understand how important it is to support dairy farmers.

This recognition shows how these winners are making big improvements in the dairy farming world.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-digitalvision