It takes a village: 4 things you might not know about dairy farming

 

When the morning sun’s rays light up Reyncrest Farms in western New York, it’s easy to understand why three generations of the Reynolds family have farmed here. The 2,400 acres of land are a stunning backdrop for 1,700 milking cows and the operations overseen by the Reynolds family, John and Shelley and their children, Mackenzie, Tyler and his wife, Kelly, and Andy and his wife, Whitney. 

Many of us have ideas about what large industrial farms look like. One visit to Reyncrest Farms can help to reimagine dairy farming from the barn floor up.  

“The farm is like a village,” Tyler says. “Everything is family-based, whether it’s actual family or it’s treating the people who aren’t family like family.”  

Cargill has been an important partner for 8 years, giving us a valuable place in the Reyncrest Farms village.  

“We couldn’t do what we do without Cargill,” Tyler says.  

 

The Reyncrest Farms village

Here are four things we can all learn from a dairy farming village. 

 

 

1. Food comes from families

The Reynolds family on their dairy farm in western New York. 

Whether it’s a grain farmer in Nebraska or a family dairy farm in New York, food comes from people. Truck drivers, Cargill’s animal feed mill employees, milk processors, people stocking retail shelves – they all have a role to play.

“The next time you go to a grocery store to pick up cereal, milk or vegetables, remember that this food came from many people working hard to feed the world,” Kelly says.  

 

2. It’s a misconception that dairies sell milk 

Dairy cows at Reyncrest farm. 

They sell milk protein and fat, which are solid nutrients in the fluid milk that are used to create the food we love, like cottage cheese, ice cream, chip dips and cheese. And, it’s an art to get a herd of cows producing higher concentrations of these nutrients. 

Cargill dairy consultant Chase Cashell helps Reyncrest Farms with support from technology like Cargill’s dairy MAX™ software. Chase’s job is to design diets that boost performance with cost efficiency, helping the Reynolds produce protein and fat with higher value nutrients. The diets Chase designs are mixed in Cargill’s Batavia, New York plant and brought to the farm two to three times per week.

 

3. Animal welfare and stewardship aren’t just core values – they’re critical for survival

The Reyncrest Farms sign stands on the family’s property in western New York.  

Whether it’s cover crops on every acre to preserve topsoil, using manure as fertilizer, or getting maximum use of every nutrient in animal feed, the Reynolds are trying to make the most out of every resource.  

“Cow comfort, water access, a well-balanced diet – it all has to be right for the farm to be productive and profitable. If dairymen and women don’t care for their cows, they are out of business,” Chase says.  

“People are invested in knowing where their food comes from and what is in it,” Tyler adds. “I’m just as invested in knowing my cows are getting the right nutrition from safe, quality ingredients. We get that with Chase.” 

 

4. Nationally, 1 in 8 kids faced food insecurity in 2021. Dairy farms help kids get access to healthy, nutritious foods

Cargill and its partners are helping improve school meal programs to increase produce and dairy availability and consumption.  

One in 11 children were food insecure in America in 2023, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

This past year, Cargill and AFHK partnered to improve local cold storage capacity in rural schools where dairy customers like Reyncrest Farms are active in their communities. As part of the project, the Attica Central school district in New York has launched a five-part plan to improve their school meal program and increase consumption of produce and dairy.

 

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