La planification de la relève permet de prendre votre avenir en main et de contrôler la destinée de votre ferme. Personne n’aime penser à ce qui se passera lorsqu’on ne sera plus là. Toutefois, c’est une nécessité pour les fermes laitières familiales qui gèrent des entreprises multigénérationnelles.

From elementary and middle school to high school, college and beyond, the Dairy Excellence Foundation offers curriculum, interactive dairy education programs, scholarships and internships to students of all ages – all available at no cost thanks to our donors and partners. 

For these three Pennsylvania dairy producers, their stories are each very different but have one commonality: working full-time on their family’s dairy operation wasn’t always their dream.

Succession planning is about owning your future and controlling your farm’s destiny. In a recent panel discussion at the “Own Your Future Forum” hosted by the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) and Center for Dairy Excellence, five panelists from all sectors of the industry had a candid conversation about taking control of the future.

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.