Hoard’s Dairyman – Next 30 Years

This is my latest post for the Hoard’s Dairyman Blog – HD Notebook

Some Milestones have you reflecting on where you’ve come from and where you’ll go.

This past weekend I turned 30. That always seemed like such an adult number growing up and now that it’s here I’m wondering how that happened. It’s one of those big birthdays.

If entering a new decade is good for anything it’s reflecting and contemplating the future. Not only on a personal level, but also of course as a dairy farmer on a industry level as well.

What is in store for the dairy industry in the next 30 years?

I often wonder what my Grandpa would think if he could see our farm and the industry today. From a generation that saw so much change in his lifetime. From hand milking all the way to robotic milking, innovations even in just the last 30 years seem to have led the way. Will technology continue to change and lead the industry? It is fun to reflect on changes in the past and see how they help to shape the future.

Looking at the future of the dairy industry at times can be hard. While long term planning is always important, I feel like we often get stuck in the daily just trying to survive the present. Will there ever be able to be a stabilizing of the market that truly allows us to focus on the long term future? How will regulations and legislation continue to affect the decisions we can make on our own farms? Is there even a future for the dairy industry?

While I don’t anticipate the changes my Grandfather saw in his lifetime it is fun to contemplate what might be on the horizon for the dairy industry in the next 30 years. I commend the forethought, research and innovation that this industry puts in to make changes. I am looking forward to the next 30 years……{Read the rest of The Next 30 Years here}