Matt Brake 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, Matt Brake of Oakleigh Farm in Franklin County, Pennsylvania shares how they went from a true, 1950’s era dairy farm to a fully-automated, 21st century dairy operation in less than a…
By Jordan Anderson, a sophomore at The University of Wyoming As cliché as this sounds, it seems like just yesterday I began my summer internship with the Center for Dairy Excellence and Dairy Excellence Foundation. To say I have enjoyed it would be an understatement. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for the opportunities, mentors,…
Amanda Peirson didn’t grow up in the agriculture community, but thanks to the clubs and activities she joined at The Pennsylvania State University, she quickly discovered a strong interest in dairy science. “I have no background in farming whatsoever. I ended up joining Dairy Science Club and other agriculture activities my freshman year, and I…
For Cameron Goodyear, dairy farming has been her source of comfort and how she has connected with family throughout her childhood. “I’ve been on farms since I was about 11 years old. I fell in love with cows, and they’re just my comfort. Farming was something I had an interest in. My stepdad showed me…
The Center Offers One-on-One Consulting Support at No Charge to Dairy Farm Families To help Pennsylvania dairy farm families with transition planning, business management consulting, and risk management planning, the Center for Dairy Excellence has several consultants available to work with Pennsylvania dairy farm families. Dr. Brian Reed and Dr. Charlie Gardner both serve as…
The Panel Discussions Will Feature Several Industry Experts With a Wide Range of Perspectives Brett Reinford from Reinford Farms, Curt Gooch from Land O’Lakes, Matt Royer from Penn State, and Mike Hosterman from Horizon Farm Credit will lead a dynamic panel discussion on climate-smart solutions and how they offer opportunities to enhance dairy farm profitability…
Ryan Parker did not grow up on a dairy farm, but he has loved his time spent working with dairy cattle over the last six years. In high school, he was enrolled in an agriculture education program which meant he needed to pursue an SAE (supervised agricultural experience). As a high school freshman, that’s when…
Mikayla DeReinzi has been fortunate to grow her dairy and agriculture story through her education and on-farm internship experiences. She did not grow up on a dairy farm nor did she have any agricultural background, but Penn State University helped expose her to the world of agriculture. Mikayla is currently majoring in animal science with…
Kerry Zeiset, a dairy producer from Lancaster County, had an active role on his family’s 72-cow dairy farm and a strong interest in continuing to farm with his family in the future. Like many dairy farm families, he just wasn’t sure how to take the next steps into ownership with his parents. When his mom…
A Total of 72 Grants Were Awarded to Classrooms Who Planned Field Trips to Dairy Farms A group of more than 70 elementary and middle school teachers from Pennsylvania and beyond provided their students with hands-on learning experiences at local dairy farms this spring. The teachers, who are enrolled in the Dairy Excellence Foundation’s Discover…
