Tom Robinson grew up in Nova Scotia. Although his dad had left farming, Tom wanted to get into the business after he finished high school, so in 2003 his dad purchased a farm in Prince Edward Island, as quota could be obtained there at much less expense. This farm had old buildings, which were demolished to make room for a new facility, and a freestall barn with a double-six parallel milking parlour.

Gezinus Martens is an innovative thinker, always looking for better ways to accomplish things. “My drive is always being innovative and being progressive,” he says.

Ashley and Richard VanderKooi both grew up in the Fraser Valley area of British Columbia on dairy farms. Ashley’s family raised Holsteins and Brown Swiss; Richard’s family had Holsteins only.

Clarke and Nancy Gourlay had been living in Switzerland for several years, where they had experienced magnificent Swiss cheeses.

Amanda Jeffs is the third generation of her family on the farm her grandfather established near Stirling, Ontario. She farms with her parents, Fred and Taleana, and brother, Andrew, at Jeffred and Jeffson Farms.

Maintaining a position in the top 20 in any field is not something that comes about by accident. It takes hard work and dedication, but that is something not in short supply at Dual Lane Farms, where Bill Kloepfer and his four sons live and work.

Airport Dairy Ltd., located east of Fort Macleod in southern Alberta, is a family farm run by Harvey and Bernita Van Hierden.

Hendriks Dairies Ltd. is a family-run operation in Huron County, near Brucefield, Ontario. Tyler Hendriks is the third generation of his family to operate a dairy farm.

With turmoil brewing between Canada and the U.S. in ongoing trade talks, it is important to remember the foundation of each industry: dairy producers.