Who are the people behind the Proud to Dairy blog posts? Let’s get to know Ashley Howlett, a recent college graduate who has blogged about a range of topics, including her tour of China’s dairy industry, feeding acidified milk replacer and tips for incoming college students.
Tell us about your dairy farm (or dairy background).
HOWLETT: I grew up on my family’s 600-cow dairy in Vermont. The majority of my time on the farm was spent with my cows I showed in 4-H and in the tractor seat. My grandma taught me to mow when I was 13, and I mowed every summer until my senior year of high school – until my dad said I needed to learn more about cows.
(He was right.) I went to Virginia Tech my freshman year, sophomore year at SUNY Cobleskill, and junior and senior years at Cornell University, ultimately ending up with a bachelor’s degree in animal science this past May. I did two internships in college: one on a 730-cow dairy in northeast Iowa and another on a 12,000-cow dairy in central Texas.
I’m currently doing a six-month internship with PRO-Dairy on the dairy business side of things and am unsure of my path come December.
Give a shout-out to the people you dairy with.
HOWLETT: My dad manages the dairy at home with the help of my mom, Julie, and sisters: Rachel (who runs the merger), CareyAnne, Kristina (who just got upgraded to running the chopper) and Jenna.
What’s your favorite farm memory?
HOWLETT: My favorite farm memory is driving equipment at a young age and thinking, “Who needs horses for fun when you have 300-plus under your seat?”
What makes you hopeful about the future of the dairy industry?
HOWLETT: I’m hopeful for the future of the dairy industry because we are always finding more and more ways to be more efficient through technology and research. As much as activists can put us down, people rely on our skill set 365 days each year, three times each day.
Farming and agriculture aren’t going away. The pride behind putting food on people’s tables is what drives the passion every dairyman in this country has toward caring for our animals and the land.
What makes you Proud to Dairy?
HOWLETT: I am Proud to Dairy because the industry gives a limitless amount of opportunity to grow and learn as an individual. I have many different interests within the industry and am excited to see them all blend together throughout my career. 
Proud to Dairy is an online community of dairy farmers like Ashley Howlett. Visit Proud to Dairy to join and connect with fellow producers.
