A well-conceived and coordinated plan is essential for a successful expansion that achieves the dairy family's objectives. Here are key areas to address and implement.

The reasons dairy farm families continue to invest and grow are rooted in the nature of dairy farmers and fundamental economic drivers. It is important to understand the drivers for investment decisions – both for planning on your own farm and for the industry overall.

If we go back 10-plus years, most dairy farms bred all their cows and heifers for dairy calves and raised all heifer calves as dairy herd replacements.