From our dairy farm families to your fridge, our local communities are stronger because of the many contributions dairy farms provide. There are 4,850 dairy farmers across Pennsylvania who work hard 365 days a year to bring you fresh, wholesome dairy foods – providing nourishment for you and your family. These dairy farm families are the backbone of our vibrant dairy community with 99 percent of Pennsylvania’s farms being family owned. These dairy farms provide the foundation for an industry that supports more than 47,000 jobs and $11.8 billion in economic revenue statewide.
Click on the icons below to meet 10 Pennsylvania dairy farm families! Click here to view a snapshot of the dairy industry’s impact on your specific county in Pennsylvania.
Looking for other ways to learn about Pennsylvania agriculture?
- Participate in the Pennsylvania Ice Cream Trail this summer! Click here to learn more.
- Adopt a cow for your classroom! This free, year-long program through Discover Dairy will pair you with a calf from a dairy farm. Get updates and photos, and watch as she grows all year long! Click here to adopt a cow.
View the Map and Meet PA Dairy Farmers:
SUSTAINABILITY
Meet the Kurtz Family, Kurtland Farms
Location: Berks County, PA
About their farm: A true family business that involves multiple generations, Jared Kurtz and his family have robots that milk their 300-cow herd.
Growing green: The creek that runs out of Kurtland Farms eventually leads into the Conestoga River, which flows into the Susquehanna River and ends up in the Chesapeake Bay. To help keep the water clean and slow streambank erosion, the Kurtz family teamed up with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to plant 326 trees along the creek. These forestation projects are called riparian buffers, and protect streams from storm water runoff, reduce soil erosion and reduce greenhouse gases.
Favorite dairy product: Yogurt! They love the high protein and versatile ways it can be mixed with other foods to add great flavor.
CONSERVATION
Meet the Hershey Family, Ar-Joy Farms
Location: Chester County, PA
About their farm: With 800 cows in their herd, the Hershey family works 365 days a year to care for their animals and provide fresh dairy products to their community. They just launched a wholesale ice cream business where they’re making farm-fresh ice cream to serve directly to their community!
Conservation and renewable energy: Ar-Joy Farms has a methane digester and accepts food waste that they turn into renewable energy. Not only are they helping to keep food waste out of landfills, but they are generating electricity to power their farm and community.
Favorite dairy product: Ice cream from Our Joy creamery, their wholesale ice cream business!
ANIMAL CARE
Meet the Risser Family, Meadow Vista Dairy LLC
Location: Lancaster County, PA
About their farm: The Risser family has approximately 875 cows and farms about 726 acres. They follow an individualized approach with every decision they make on the farm – from caring for their crops and their cows to managing employees and allowing change to happen between different generations of family members.
Cows come first: The cows at Meadow Vista Dairy are housed in free stall barns bedded with sand to help keep them cool and comfortable. The cows even get a foot bath each week to maintain their health and prevent any diseases.
Favorite dairy product: They found it hard to choose just one: pepperjack cheese and coffee ice cream!
ARTISAN FOOD
Meet Emily Bryant Montgomery, Calkins Creamery & Highland Farm
Location: Wayne County, PA
About their farm: After living in California, Emily Bryant Montgomery and her husband, Jay, were drawn back to Wayne County, Pa. with an idea to help her family farm prosper. They decided to use their creativity and business skills, along with their shared desire to help their family farm, to establish Calkins Creamery! Their ultimate goal by making cheese is to show customers where their food is raised and manufactured.
Artisan cheese-making: Calkins Creamery specializes in fine, artisan cheeses, using only the freshest milk possible from their very own herd of registered Holstein cattle.
Favorite dairy product: Cheese!
INNOVATION
Meet the Bartch Family, Merrimart Farms
Location: Perry County, PA
About their farm: With about 265 cows and 1,000 acres, Donny Bartch and his family are passionate about continuing the legacy of their family farm through innovation, efficiency and technology – and managing a team of young employees who are excited to come to work every day.
An investment in robotics: As Donny and his wife considered the future of their dairy operation and the best ways to manage and empower their younger employees, they kept returning to the idea of robotic technology. They recently built a new barn with robots that milk their 265-cow herd.
Favorite dairy product: A glass of ice cold milk!
GENERATIONAL FAMILY BUSINESS
Meet the Mowrer Family, Mowrer Farms
Location: Huntingdon County, PA
About their farm: In 1990, Mike and Janet Mowrer moved their family and their cows to Huntingdon County to grow Mowrer Farms. Now, their son and his family, Nate, Erica, Madison & Luke are the 7th and 8th generation working on Mowrer Farms. They strive to produce high quality milk by being the best caretakers possible – providing nutritious feed for their cows and clean water in a calm, comfortable, and clean environment.
Balancing family and business: When reflecting on the balance between family and farming, Nate says: “I feel very honored to be in the dairy industry and that my parents had the trust and confidence in me to bring me into the business. They let me raise my family on the farm. It’s definitely a lifestyle that I grew up with that I wanted my kids to grow up with, too. On that same token, it still has to be a profitable business. Your lifestyle goals need to work into the business plan.”
Favorite dairy product: Yogurt and milk are family favorites.
GRIT AND DETERMINATION
Meet the Miller Family, Miller Family Farm
Location: Blair County, PA
About their farm: Donald and Gabrielle Miller don’t have a traditional background in dairy farming, but what they do have is a burning passion for the dairy industry and the courage to start their own operation from scratch. Donald grew up with years of hands-on experience at local dairy farms. Gabrielle spent a few years studying to become a nurse. Neither had a family farm to join, but after making the leap in 2021, the couple started their own dairy farm. Now three years into their venture, the Millers have about 75 cows and 200 acres.
Starting from the ground up: From buying their own cows and equipment to taking loans out to build barns, starting from the ground up has been an all-in investment for both of them. Donald says family has been one of their biggest sources of support. After welcoming their first child into the world, the Millers are excited to raise their son on the farm – an experience that neither one of them had when they were children.
Favorite dairy product: Ice cream!
NOURISHMENT
Meet the Orr Family, Harmony Acres
Location: Fayette County, PA
About their farm: With about 170 cows on their family dairy farm, Jennifer Orr and her husband decided to open a farm store and processing facility in 2021 so they could start bottling their own milk. About 35 miles away from Pittsburgh, they offer creamline milk every week and rotate through seasonal flavors.
Goodness that matters: At Harmony Acres, they bottle their own milk and host events to support their local food bank and give back to the community! They sell about 350-375 gallons of milk a week through a few different markets and have a prime location on a main road that customers travel.
Favorite dairy product: Greek yogurt
EFFICIENCY
Meet the Waddell Family, Apple Shamrock Dairy Farm
Location: Crawford County, PA
About their farm: The Waddell family milks about 1,200 cows, grow all their own forages, and have approximately 25 full-time employees. They use technology and innovative tools to track the feed their cows eat, monitor how much milk they are producing, and more!
Technology and efficiency: They utilize this technology on a daily basis and make innovative decisions with one goal in mind: they want to drive efficiency for their family business. Some of these decisions and management practices include a three-cell lagoon system and sand lane system that helps reduce mechanization on their dairy farm, takes a truck off the road, and cuts down on labor costs.
COMMUNITY MINDED
Meet the Hoffman Family, Hoffman Family Farms, LLC
Location: Potter County, PA
About their farm: The Hoffman family milks just under 1,000 cows and farms approximately 2,000 acres of cropland. They have a retail “beef shed” where they sell beef directly to their community. When families visit their farm, they focus on providing visitors with hands-on, memorable experiences such as touching the feed, holding a bottle, or feeding the calves – and answering questions with openness and transparency.
Local connection: The Hoffmans open up their farm for educational tours throughout the year. Their goal is to be as open and welcoming as possible with their community and show what a working dairy farm is like.
Favorite dairy product: Whole (chocolate) milk and ice cream!