“Not all families have family Christmas.” This was how Ron Hanson, farm business succession consultant and professor emeritus at University of Nebraska, opened his sessions on overcoming family challenges in succession planning at the 2018 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit in February.

Celebrate June Dairy Month with these tried-and-true recipes, straight from the kitchens of real farmwomen who use real dairy products as a staple ingredient. They are kid-tested and potluck-approved.

Cows take the main stage as characters in many children’s stories, but not all books accurately depict life on a modern dairy farm. Whether the audience is a fourth-grade classroom or your own children, check out these recommended reads that deliver educational messages and even a few laughs.

There is no better time than National Dairy Month to celebrate and promote the dairy industry, and dairy groups are finding creative and festive ways to reach consumers in person and online.

It is routine for Mark Berning to ask all of his teenage employees to consider running for a dairy ambassador or dairy princess title.

Thousands of people, as well as a few cows and goats, will gather for the second annual Kickin’ It With the Cows Run/Walk in De Pere, Wisconsin, on July 7. The event, organized by the Dairy Cares of Wisconsin group, benefits critically ill children in the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.

I dance and sing on a daily basis in the calf barn. From a young age, I’ve always loved to do both and found dancing helps relieve stress for me. Everyone deals with stress and, if you’re a dairy farmer, you’re dealing with a ton more stress than the average person right now.

Practice, practice, practice makes perfect, and it is what separates the blue-ribbon winners from the rest in a dairy showmanship competition.

A 2017 Penn State Extension survey revealed four primary motivators for starting a value-added enterprise – maintaining a small family operation, improving profitability, having an interest or passion for processed dairy products, or providing a business opportunity for current and future generations.