Today’s dairy cow deals with some of the greatest challenges ever faced in the dairy industry.

Editor's note: Progressive Dairy reached out to Marcia Itle, a territory sales manager for Alltech, and invited her to provide information about her Global 500 presentation, "The Milkman Farmer," where she talked about her family's business and what keeps them successful. Vale Wood Farms in Loretto, Pennsylvania, has been producing and delivering quality dairy products since 1933. Itle helps out on her family's operation on weekends and does a little bit of everything, from milking cows to feeding calves to helping deliver products. In 1816 John and Joseph Itle traveled from Switzerland to America. The brothers were farmers and potters by trade. Upon arrival to the new world, they settled in a small town called Loretto, Pennsylvania. John was deeded a five acre plot of land from Loretto’s famous prince priest Father Demetrius Gallitzin. John built a small log cabin homestead, and so began the Itle Family.