Dairy industry leaders honored for exemplary service

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Illinois Milk Producers Association recently recognized Amy Hildebrandt and Tony, Walt and Bobby Graves for their leadership, stewardship and excellence in the dairy industry during the organization’s 2025 annual awards program.

Service Award

Hildebrandt is recipient of the 2025 Dairy Industry Service Award, which recognizes an Illinois individual who has shown exemplary service and benefit to the state’s dairy industry.

Hildebrandt, alongside her husband, Ken, and their family, helps manage a 1,200-cow dairy in South Beloit in northern Illinois.

She has served the dairy industry and her community through her involvement on the Midwest Dairy Illinois Division Board and the Illinois Milk Promotion Board.

Hildebrandt has hosted numerous farm tours, including visits from executives with McDonald’s and Aldi.

“It is important to open our farm to dispel misinformation and provide a positive dairy experience,” she said. “Social media is not my platform, but I am comfortable with more personal conversations. It is important to have a voice, and it is equally important to serve others.”

Sustainability Award

The Graves family is the recipient of the 2025 Dairy Industry Sustainability Award, which recognizes a dairy farmer or farm that has made outstanding contributions toward innovative technologies and best management practices to improve environmental stewardship and economic viability.

The family was nominated for its demonstrated leadership and innovation in adopting conservation practices that support the dairy operation and preserve the health of the land.

Clover Farms in Dundas in southeastern Illinois has implemented numerous environmentally responsible practices, including reusing flush water for barn cleaning, recycling sand used for animal bedding and utilizing manure as a natural fertilizer wherever possible to reduce dependence on commercial fertilizer.

The farm also uses proven soil-health measures such as planting cover crops, practicing crop rotation and establishing grass waterways to reduce erosion and improve water quality.

“Through cover crops and injection of manure and organic matter, you can actually make the land better than what it was prior to us taking control of it,” Walt Graves said, noting he was surprised by the award.

“I was glad to hear that someone sees the practices we have been doing and acknowledges that we’re trying to be very sustainable on our operation for the future.”