PA Dairy Farmer Gives Honest Look at Managing Cash Flow and Gaining Confidence with Finances When Markets Are Tight
Todd Benedict of Sunset Dairy in Warren County, Pennsylvania is no stranger to adversity. After losing his entire farm and 110 cows to a fire in 2011, he found a way to rebuild so he could continue farming. Today he has 650 cows, 720 acres, and continues to find ways to optimize his dairy operation by listening to outside perspectives – including a nutritionist he trusts and a financial consultant who meets with him a few times a year. With dairy markets being volatile and unpredictable, Todd’s nutritionist recommended the Dairy Decisions Consultants (DDC) program to help Todd take a closer look at cash flow. He was paired with Bruce Dehm, a consultant and agricultural economist with over 30 years of experience.
Withstanding Loss on Your Dairy: A Risk Management Conversation with PA Dairy Farmer
We recently sat down with Ginger Breon of Weaver Family Farm in Centre County, Pennsylvania. With risk management being a key component of her family’s dairy farm, Ginger shared how she has used risk management to weather market downturns, avoid accumulating debt, and withstand losses.
How Risk Management Is Impacting Pennsylvania Dairies
When you look at Pennsylvania’s dairy industry, most farmers can agree – the future feels uncertain. For Joe of Somerset, Pa., becoming educated and informed has lessened some of his uncertainty. As Joe and his profit team started analyzing their dairy farm’s financial picture, Joe decided to use risk management resources to protect the farm against milk price volatility.