There are a number of people we willingly let on our dairies each day. Most, the breeder, vet or nutritionist, are readily welcomed as they offer much needed services. And oftentimes, we don't hesitate to spend a few minutes chatting, updating them on our herds and homes.The media though is often a less welcome visitor, especially in the light of disheartening industry news. Yet, when the time comes, we need to remove our humble hats, open our doors and be strong advocates for our industry.
Last week, after a video was released of a northeast Wisconsin dairy farm, Fox 11 News in Green Bay, Wis., called Ran-Rose Dairy looking for a response. They provided short notice, roughly an hour to be exact. After nearly 30 minutes of interviews, the reporter pulled two snippets out of dairy producer Randy Geiger's comments. The complete newscast is below:
Link to video.
When the time comes to answer that call, be short and concise, yet honest and transparent. Look at it as a chance to share the good you do instead of lamenting on a few bad apples.
The author, Amanda Smith, was an associate editor and is an animal science graduate of Cornell University. Smith covers feeding, milk quality and heads up the World Dairy Expo Supplement. She grew up on a Medina, N.Y., dairy, and interned at a 1,700-cow western New York dairy, a large New York calf and heifer farm, and studied in New Zealand for one semester.
