From the Editor

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.

Today we introduce a small change with a big meaning. We have removed “man” from our name plate in order for the second part of our name to be as open-minded as the first. With the removal of that three-letter word, our editors reaffirm their commitment to every dairy producer and all the industry professionals who support them.

One of the lingering side effects of growing up on a dairy farm is that I continue to wake up before 5 a.m. – despite being removed from the morning milking schedule for several decades.