From the Editor

“I’m going to tell you a little story about how I got where I am today. I’m also going to tell you the secret to a long, satisfying career,” Phil Meadows said during his recent presentation at the American Association of Bovine Practitioners annual conference in St. Louis, Missouri.

If you listen to podcasts, you’re going to be excited for this news. We now have a podcast available. Find it by searching for “Progressive Dairy” podcast on your favorite platform.

I’ve been struck with an odd realization this summer: I’m closer to having kids in 4-H and youth programs than I am to having been a participant myself.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that 45,000 Americans died from suicide in 2016 – one person every 12 minutes. Another 1.3 million people attempted suicide that year. Given these numbers, mental health has been a topic of increasing concern.

My dad is the most selfless and caring person I know. I think he’s so good at it because he practices those traits day in and day out with his cows. Dairy farmers put their cows’ needs before themselves so much that they dedicate their lives to the sole purpose of their cows’ comfort and well-being.

Words. When spoken, they have power but, when written down, they can change the trajectory of one’s future. During a recent farm visit, a dairyman told me about the words he wrote down 20 years ago and how they guided the vision for where he is today.