The phrase “mental health” is becoming more talked about in the agriculture industry, but it’s still a subject that often leads to feelings of discomfort and embarrassment.

This year, the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania has worked to plant seeds of knowledge and inspiration for students of all ages. For older students who may have grown up on dairy farms or have an initial interest in agriculture, we help them forge their own career paths and begin fostering their legacies in the industry. 

Growing up next to his uncle’s dairy farm, Dr. Charles E. Gardner, DVM, was curious about the world of dairy farming from an early age.

Growing a dairy business doesn’t always necessitate adding more cows. In the case of Pennsylvania’s Oregon Dairy Farm, it meant a dramatic reduction in cow numbers and building on custom cropping and agritourism enterprises. Interviewed in a recent Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence (CDE) “Cow-Side Conversations” podcast, Maria Forry discussed her family farm’s move to create new and diverse revenue streams.

Leveraging funds provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Center for Dairy Excellence offers several grant programs throughout the year to help drive profitability, efficiency and growth on Pennsylvania dairy farms.

Results from the 2022 Pennsylvania Animal Agriculture Mental Wellness Survey, which was developed to generate a baseline snapshot of the state of mental wellness in Pennsylvania agriculture. One of the key objectives was identifying potential needs relative to mental health for livestock producers.

For fourth-generation dairy producer Jared Kurtz, managing the income-generating capabilities of a dairy herd and farm are important for the future, but investing energy in family is foundational to building a dairy legacy.