HERd Management: Always learning

But I was not well versed in the world of agriculture, even though I was sure I knew all I needed to know to make informed decisions.

Jess Campbell

Let me give you an idea of what my former self thought about agriculture.

I used to think we should only eat organic food because it was obviously healthier and not doused in pesticides like “regular” food was.

I used to believe that eating veal was cruel because that meant slaughtering innocent and defenseless baby calves.

I used to believe that large “factory farms” were a terrible idea and that everyone should grow their own food.

In other words, I used to be an uneducated consumer.

Needless to say, I have since been well schooled in the ways of Canadian agriculture and count myself as more educated than not (most days). I’m now a proud third-generation dairy farmer with my husband and in-laws.

I am even more proud to be raising our two young children on the farm, immersing them in the dairy lifestyle. Although they’re young, they’re already learning many lessons I didn’t have the opportunity to learn until much later in life.

Lessons about responsibility, teamwork, trust, commitment, safety and remaining humble, to name a few.

I’ve come a long way in learning about the dairy sector. But living on a dairy farm and raising my family there doesn’t mean I know everything there is to know. I am constantly learning new things. Let me assure you, the “remaining humble” lesson is ever-present with me.

Recently, I was helping my husband milk a heifer who had just calved. I was supposed to chase her out of the calving pen into the stall and then tail her so she wouldn’t kick. Admittedly, I was terrified because, even after years of being around cows, I’m not entirely comfortable with them.

Luckily, the heifer was calm and I was able to do what needed doing. I learned two things that evening: A learning opportunity isn’t always going to come easy, and always turn your face away from a cow whose fly control includes a tail covered in afterbirth.

As I gain more dairy knowledge, I find I’m better able to understand where consumers are coming from when they have questions about our industry. Information that we as producers might consider basic – like how all milk is tested before it is pumped onto the milk truck – isn’t necessarily information the consumer is aware of.

I never assume consumers I talk to are as clueless as I used to be, but it helps to remember that they don’t know what I know.

The more I learn about dairy, the more I understand how important it is for producers to be part of the conversations people are having about dairy. Those who are purchasing our products want safe, affordable, healthy dairy for themselves and their families; they want to know where it comes from, how it’s made and what’s in it (and what’s not).

We all know there are less-than-credible sources, like activists or celebrities, who think they know about dairy and have huge platforms to share what they think they know.

In seeing some of the wild misinformation that can be spread, I’ve learned that it’s part of my job as a producer to share what I know about our industry, even though I don’t have a million followers on social media. To me, one small, knowledgeable voice amongst the crowd is better than no voice at all.

More and more, dairy producers are speaking up in consumer conversations, respectfully sharing their firsthand knowledge and dispelling misinformation with facts.

I love seeing these conversations happen because, more often than not, I’m going to witness consumers finally getting their questions answered – and I’ll very likely learn something, too.

Being an uneducated consumer in my past life has led me to amazing opportunities for learning, teaching and sharing in my present life as a dairy producer. I still have loads to learn but am happy to share what I do know with those who ask and want to know.

The fact is, if we don’t direct the conversation about dairy, someone else who’s much less educated on the subject will do it for us.

Dairy farming is a continuous learning experience, no matter how long you’ve been on the farm. I will never know all there is to know about my industry. I’m simply hoping that if I can’t be a farm girl by nature, I can keep learning and still become one by nurture.