The Center for Dairy Excellence got its roots as an organization grounded in the possibilities of a brighter, stronger future for Pennsylvania’s dairy industry and its individual dairy farms and businesses. This ability to start conversations, feed ideas, break down barriers, remove blinders, and grow opportunities where once only dreams existed is core to the Center’s role in supporting dairy farm families and the broader dairy industry.
The Commonwealth’s investment in the Center for Dairy Excellence fuels opportunity across the dairy sector. For more than 20 years, the Center has served as a catalyst for a vibrant dairy industry and has supported thriving dairy farm families and businesses. For every $1 invested by the Commonwealth, the Center for Dairy Excellence has generated another $4 in private investment across the dairy sector.
See the Center for Dairy Excellence in action:
Reinvestment – Meet Jeff and Kendra Nissley from Jubilee Dairy LLC
—
Generational Transition – Meet Kerry Zeiset, Lancaster County Dairy Farmer
—
Workforce Development – Meet Rylee Fuller, Dairy Herd Manager Apprentice
—
Business Transformation – Meet Donny Bartch from Merrimart Farms
—
Food Literacy – Meet Miriam Levine, Elementary Teacher from Philadelphia, PA
—
Biosecurity and Animal Health – Meet Janae Klingler from Maola Local Dairies
Key Stats:
- The Center works directly with more than 80 percent of Pennsylvania’s dairy farm families, providing grants and other resources to support their farms.
- Since 2020, the Center has invested more than $4.6 million into business transformation and reinvestment on Pennsylvania dairy farms.
- Since the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza into dairy operations in other parts of the US in 2024, the Center has helped more than 2,300 dairy farms get biosecurity plans in place within their operations.
- Collaborating with Penn State Extension and both public and private partners, the Center hosts events, workshops, webinars, and podcasts reaching more than 2,000 people each year.