The Face of a Worldwide Industry
When DMI first founded USDEC in 1995, Beck says, the U.S. dairy industry was fairly inward looking – not as reliant on exports.
When DMI first founded USDEC in 1995, Beck says, the U.S. dairy industry was fairly inward looking – not as reliant on exports.
Sustainability. It’s not an easy concept to define, either for us in the U.S. dairy industry, or the consumers we serve. But, oh, is it ever important.
The American consumer has changed. No longer does the typical family raise their own food on their own land. Far from it. In fact, less than 2% of current American households are actively involved in agriculture.
Genetic selection has led to great advancements in the efficiency and production capabilities of the American dairy cow. Nearly a century ago, in the 1920s and ’30s, the dairy cow’s performance was just beginning to be measured.
As the dairy industry has evolved through the years, so has the need for additional labor. The immigrant worker has been a critical piece to this ever-changing industry.
Larson was born in Brandon, S.D., where his family raised corn, oats, steers and hogs, and fed a few cows, selling the cream to a local creamery.
In 1710, William Nellis—along with his brother, sister, mother and father—boarded a ship to escape religious persecution in Dutch Holland. The journey wasn’t easy. And William’s father, Johannas, did not survive.