I tend to gravitate toward movies that delve into the “human condition,” those telling a story about individuals navigating through the challenges of life. No horror movies for me, science fiction either.

Tomorrow’s dairy leaders need training and practice in soft skills and leadership, to network and develop perspective about the dairy industry.

A Wichita Falls, Texas, man was arrested on June 27 on theft charges in a fraud case that includes more than 10 counties in Texas and Oklahoma, 8,000 head of cattle and outstanding loans of more than $5.8 million.

Animal care is a big deal to dairy farmers. If cows aren’t happy, they don’t produce as much milk for everyone to enjoy. Which is why farmers spend a lot of time and effort making sure their cows have the right nutrition, environment and veterinary care.

According to most accounts (and accountants), dairy profitability was only a dream during the first half of 2018. For many dairy farmers, just economically surviving could be deemed a successful outcome.

Our firm has produced averages of our dairy clients’ profit and loss reports on a quarterly basis for quite some time. Our clients, as well as others in the industry, have found these very helpful as benchmarks to which to compare their own operations.

Ron St. John of Trenton, Florida, got his start in the dairy industry like many others: by being born into a farming family. His farm business has taken a long journey from his father’s 67 cows in a small, northern New York town to the herd’s current status as the largest freestall dairy in Florida that may seem unique to some.

Editor’s note: This article is the second in a two-part series. Click here to read the first article. In the first article, which appeared in the June 12, 2018 issue of Progressive Dairyman, I focused on the leadership, parenting and mentoring required by parents from birth of their children to the time they do or do not return to the dairy farm business.

At the same time a new Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) processing facility was being built near the farm, the Perazzo Brothers Dairy in Fallon, Nevada, began expanding its herd and building a new double-30 milking parlor. When the family made the move to their new milking facility, they also decided to add a farm museum that looks down over the parlor.