Location: Fallon, Nevada Your agricultural background, in a nutshell: My great-grandfather started our dairy in Sparks, Nevada, in 1915. Our family has been sustainably producing high-quality milk for northern Nevadans for 99 years.

I currently farm in partnerships with my brothers Eric and Neil. We are blessed to have my father, Pete Sr., still help us on the farm.

If I were not a dairyman … I would still be involved in agriculture in some way.

I have been a member of DFA since … our cooperative merged with DFA six months after it formed in 1998.

Why did you join DFA? I believe very strongly in dairymen working together. Working together, we can create new markets and develop more value for our members.

A little-known fact about the organization is ... the diversity of our membership. We have members of all sizes across the breadth of the U.S. A common thread is a love of family and dairy.

What DFA does best is ... bring value to the members, not just in the milk check but in member services. Those programs offer lower prices for services that all farms need – supplies, equipment, financing and risk management are but a few.

I feel valued as a member when … my cooperative built the first whole milk powder plant specifically for the export market.

An influential or interesting person I’ve met through the organization is ... Rick Smith.

He is influential or interesting because … he has a passion for making a dairyman’s business better. Through member services, working on Capitol Hill and developing new markets, Rick has made a positive impact.

The dairy industry’s greatest opportunity is … to continue to develop new nutritious products that consumers will want and develop products to compete in the world market.

I hope my dairy legacy is … that my children who are in the business will have a vibrant industry to thrive in.

My advice to all dairymen/dairywomen is ... I believe today is a great time to be in the dairy industry because of the opportunity to serve an expanding market throughout the world. The next 30 years will be volatile but could be the best we have ever seen. PD

Dairy Farmers of America
10220 N. Ambassador Drive
Kansas City, MO 64153
(888) DFA-MILK

Members: Founded in 1998, DFA is owned by nearly 15,000 dairy farmers representing nearly 9,000 farms.

Mission:
DFA is a milkmarketing cooperative and dairy foods processor dedicated to delivering value to members through secure markets,competitive pricing and increasing value throughout the entire dairy chain.