“I just love the Christmas season,” says Kristen Phillips, the Progressive Publishing graphic designer behind the creation of this year’s Progressive Dairyman Christmas cover. “Growing up, we didn’t get toys or a lot of new things throughout the year, so Christmastime was where we got new toys. I was the child who was up at 4 a.m. on Christmas morning. I love the excitement.”

On a warm, clear day in Fallon, Nevada, recently, members of the press were treated to a tour of the new Dairy Farmers of America milk processing plant. Built on almost 32 acres, the plant began operation on April 5, 2014, and is currently processing an average of 1.5 million pounds of raw milk per day, though it is equipped to process two million pounds of raw milk daily.

Chobani celebrated the opening of their yogurt manufacturing facility in Twin Falls, Idaho, on December 18. Hundreds were in attendance to listen to remarks from Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter and Chobani’s founder and CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya.

HOW WE MET: It all started when I heard some sort of clatter out on my lawn last year. Springing from my bed and grabbing my eight-iron (I’ve never trusted my nine-iron), I tiptoed down the stairs to catch what I thought was an intruder rustling around in my living room. Imagine my surprise to find the Jolly Old Elf himself putting goodies under the Christmas tree. I offered him some homemade chocolate chip cookies and he was gracious enough to answer a few of my questions.

White Clover Dairy in Jerome, Idaho was the location for a demonstration of the Jamesway NUTRI-JECTOR high-speed manure injection system on September 20, 2011.