Lely North America is proud to announce Dustin Takes of Takes Dairy Farm in Ely, Iowa, has been named the winner of the prestigious The Way to Dairy Award.
Takes was given this top honor for being a dairy farmer who best demonstrates and lives by the standards of sustainability and innovation while being an animal care advocate who is involved in the dairy industry. Takes, who was selected by a panel of independent, dairy-industry experts, will receive his choice of a new Lely Astronaut A5 milking system or a recently re-launched Vector feeding system.
Lely North America announced the award earlier this year as a way to recognize the owners of the most progressive dairy operations in North America. These owners want to maximize each cow’s potential, while changing the daily tasks of the dairy to be more sustainable, profitable and enjoyable.
Applications were accepted until June 30, 2018.
Takes is involved in a thriving family dairy operation, dedicated to finding innovative solutions to continue supporting the dairy economy while maintaining the health and productivity of the herd.
In an essay submitted for the award, Takes wrote that at Takes Dairy Farm and its subsidiary, Dan and Debbie’s Creamery, they feed a growing global population by using their raw milk as the single-source used daily at their creamery.
“Adding value to our raw milk commodity through the production and marketing of finished dairy goods is one of the many ways we are directly helping to feed a growing global population,” Takes wrote. “As the world’s population continues to grow, achieving global food security through the production of nutritious dairy — with sustainability in mind—is arguably one of the greatest challenges we face today.”
"Takes operates a progressive-minded dairy operation that exemplifies the values that Lely strives to recognize,” said Chad Huyser, Vice President Lely North America. “We are proud to award one of the best dairy farms in the industry, the best automation on the market, supported by their local Lely Center, Eastern Iowa Dairy.”
Finalists Also Recognized with Lely Awards
Takes was one of four finalists for this award which included: Charles Carter of Carterly Farm, Inc. in Indiana; Kasey Hudson of Baker’s Golden Dairy in Ohio and Emily den Haan of Haanview Farms in Ontario, Canada. Each of these finalists were awarded a $20,000 Lely voucher that can be used with their local Lely Center to help them further their journey in dairy automation. Lely Centers span the U.S. and Canada from Quebec to Kentucky across the plains to California and into western Canada to serve dairy farmers across North America.
“All of the finalists are leaders in the dairy industry who impact their local communities in uniquely different ways. Lely uncovered the best of the best and is fueled by their passion and perseverance to provide innovative, sustainable and profitable solutions to the dairy industry,” Huyser said.
Watch videos about all finalists and see their personal stories at www.lely.com/us/award.
Learn more about Lely dairy industry innovations on Lely’s website, www.lely.com. Also, follow Lely on Facebook or Twitter(@DairyRobot). To watch videos featuring Lely’s products, visit http://www.youtube.com/lelydairylife.
About Lely
Lely, founded in 1948, directs all its efforts towards creating a sustainable, profitable and enjoyable future in farming. Circling the cow, the company develops premium robotics and data systems that increase animal welfare, flexibility and the production on the dairy farm. For more than 25 years, Lely has been leading in the sale and service of automated milking systems to successive generations of dairy farmers across the globe. Every day, Lely inspires her employees to offer customers innovative solutions and be a reliable partner for long-term advice and support. With her head office in The Netherlands and a worldwide network of dedicated Lely Center locations for tailor-made sales and support, The Lely Group is active in more than 60 countries and employs some 1,200 people. More information: www.lely.com.
