Dairy Decisions Consultants (DDC) and Transition/Transformation Team Grants Are Available Dairy producers who are looking to work one-on-on with professional consultants to make a major business transformation, begin transition planning, or analyze another area of their dairy operation should consider applying for the Dairy Decisions Consultants (DDC) Grant Program and the Transition/Transformation Team Grant Program…
Dr. Brian Reed Has Extensive Experience Working With Dairy Farm Families To help Pennsylvania dairy farm families with transition planning and business management consulting, the Center for Dairy Excellence has tapped Dr. Brian Reed to serve as a consultant in working with Pennsylvania dairy farms. Dr. Reed joins Dr. Charlie Gardner to serve as consultants…
Andy Bollinger of Meadow Spring Farm in Lititz, Pennsylvania has witnessed multiple transitions and transformations during his lifetime. After joining his family’s partnership in 2004, their farm used a team approach when making major changes to their dairy operation. During a recent webinar with the Center for Dairy Excellence, Bollinger shared how this way of…
Grants will open on December 3, 2025. These grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis until are funds are utilized. Click here to apply online. About the Program: Using a team approach to provide greater insight into your business’s decision-making process can lead to improved profitability, enhanced performance and future opportunities. It can…
Lebanon County Dairy Producer Takes Proactive Approach to Transitioning Farm to Son At Homestead Acres in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, Curtis Zimmerman and his wife manage the dairy operation and milk 120 cows alongside his son. While Curtis is only 49, he decided to take a proactive approach with succession planning and giving his son the…
Donny Bartch Was Interviewed in the New Episode of “Cow-Side Conversations” In the Center for Dairy Excellence’s latest episode of the “Cow-Side Conversations” podcast, Donny Bartch of Merrimart Farms in Perry County, Pennsylvania reflected on the complex transition process that comes along with a family business and multiple generations. He also shared their decision to…
Three Types of Grants Are Available Through the Center’s On-Farm Resource Program Dairy producers who are looking to improve profitability, create a transition plan, or plan a major business transformation are encouraged to apply for one of three team grant opportunities now available through the Center for Dairy Excellence’s On-Farm Resource Program. The 2021-22 team…
Like many Pennsylvania dairy farms, Pennwood Farms in Somerset County, Pennsylvania has multiple family members involved in managing the farm’s day-to-day operations. With four brothers and various family members overseeing the business, they have been considering transitioning to an LLC to better protect each family. They have also been considering how the next generation could…
For Reid Hoover of Brook-Corner Holsteins in Lebanon, Pa., making the decision to pursue a career in dairy was an easy one. After growing up on a farm and milking cows throughout his childhood, managing the 370-cow dairy with his family became his passion. When his son decided to join the business after graduating from…
The Dairy Decisions Consultants (DDC) and Transition/Transformation Team Grants Are Now Open The Center for Dairy Excellence is now accepting applications for both the Dairy Decisions Consultants (DDC) Grant Program and the Transition/Transformation Team Grant Program for the 2025-26 year. Dairy producers can utilize the grants to work one-on-one with professional consultants in one of…
