Checkoff initiative brings modern dairy farming into focus

NEW YORK — Many Americans regularly enjoy dairy foods, but few have the opportunity to step onto a farm and see firsthand the people, technology and care behind the milk they purchase. A new dairy checkoff initiative aims to help close that gap.

Dairy Management Inc. has launched Portraits of Modern Dairy, a storytelling initiative designed to reach consumers through national media, digital and social channels and an extensive collection of photography that will be available for public use.

Portraits of Modern Dairy kicked off with a Good Morning America segment on Oct. 12 in conjunction with National Farmers Day and the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer.

The segment introduced the initiative, which highlights the experiences of seven women on six dairy farms to give consumers a closer look at dairy farming today.

“Consumers want to know more about where their food comes from, but most will never have the opportunity to spend time on a dairy farm,” said Caroline Krajewski, senior vice president of communications for DMI.

“Portraits of Modern Dairy gives us a powerful way to bring the farm to them. These farmers have remarkable stories, and we’re showing the care, expertise and decision-making that happen every day in a way that is authentic and relatable.”

The checkoff produced photography, video and personal stories from the farmers to reflect different aspects of modern dairy farming, including technology and innovation, conservation, animal care, business management and connections with consumers and local communities.

The farmers are:

• Lolly and Jaylene Lesher, Way-Har Farms, Pennsylvania — Lolly Lesher spent decades connecting people directly to the farm through the family market that sells dairy and other goods directly to consumers, while Jaylene Lesher helps guide the herd’s genetics and breeding — two generations shaping the same family business in different ways. 

• Alice Crothers, Long Green Farms, Maryland — Crothers brought a background in healthcare administration to the farm, applying business strategy to decisions ranging from finances to a methane digester and other long-term investments.

• Kyndra Brown, Moo-View Dairy, Texas — A fourth-generation farmer, Brown knows technology can provide more information, but knowing what to notice comes from experience. She combines digital herd-management tools with what she’s learned from a lifetime working around dairy cows. 

• Emily Schaapman, Schaapman Holsteins, Georgia — Schaapman returned to the farm with a perspective shaped by entrepreneurship, storytelling and Dairy Girl Fitness, an online fitness, nutrition and wellness platform she created for women in agriculture. 

• Margaret Johnson, Trailside Holsteins, Minnesota — With a master’s degree in agronomy, Johnson brings her knowledge of soil, crops and water to a multigenerational farm where three generations work side by side. 

• Meagan Hempfling, Hemsteads Holsteins, Ohio — A sixth-generation farmer, Hempfling is helping carry forward an operation her family has farmed since 1862, using robotic milking and data-driven herd management to care for cows and shape its future. 

The strategy is intentionally visual, allowing consumers to see modern dairy farming and then learn about the people and decisions behind the images.

“Farmers know how much dairy farming has changed and how much thought goes into the decisions we make every day, but consumers don’t always have a chance to see that,” said Marilyn Hershey, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer and DMI chair.

“This initiative allows us to open our doors in a different way and show people what dairy farming really looks like today. These women and their families represent the pride, innovation, leadership and commitment that exists on dairy farms across the country.”

The checkoff created a dedicated experience on USDairy.com featuring farmer profiles, photography and a 90-second video showcasing all seven farmers.

The site will serve as the long-term home for Portraits of Modern Dairy, allowing consumers to continue exploring the farmers’ stories after the initial launch.

Another key piece is making authentic images of dairy farming more widely available. A collection of Portraits photography will be housed on Unsplash, a platform used by media, businesses, content creators and the public to find downloadable images.

Making the photos available for free provides an opportunity for accurate, contemporary images of dairy farming to appear beyond checkoff communications.

Additional national media outreach, social media and paid amplification will extend the effort. A sponsored editorial feature with The Wall Street Journal will explore broader themes behind the initiative and the women helping shape modern dairy farming.

State and regional dairy organizations will extend Portraits into local markets, including opportunities to connect local farmers with media coverage generated by the national launch.

The participating farmers also will receive photography, video and other materials captured on their farms for their own future storytelling.

While National Farmers Day provides the launch moment, Portraits of Modern Dairy is designed to have a longer life.

The checkoff plans continued media outreach and amplification through the remainder of 2026, with the photography, farmer profiles and other content serving as evergreen resources for future dairy storytelling.