Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative named Christian and Laura Landis’ Worth the Wait Farm as the 2020 District 2 Producer of the Year. The Landis’ have worked to create a sustainable operation while ensuring high quality milk and animal comfort as well as have embraced community outreach to educate the public at-large about farming. The District Producer of the Year award recognizes a cooperative member for outstanding farm management practices and environmental sustainability in each district.
The Landis’ earned the award for District 2, which encompasses portions of Delaware, Northern Maryland, New York and Eastern Pennsylvania.
Worth the Wait, located in Stevens, Pennsylvania, recently celebrated its tenth year of incorporation. Christian and Laura milk 44 head and farm on 150 acres of land. The couple handles the entire operation themselves with the assistance of one part-time employee. Outside of the milking operation, the family has two organic chicken houses.
The farm recently enhanced its waste management operation and built both a new heifer and calf barn. The funding for the new facilities was supported by the Turkey Hill Clean Water Partnership (THCWP). Christian and Laura have served as the farmer-spokespersons for the THCWP, representing fellow farmers during media events, interviews and being featured in promotional materials. The sustainability efforts and best practices of Worth the Wait Farm have been recognized on state, regional and national scale.
“There is always someone downstream of you, whether you have a stream or not,” Christian Landis said. “I got a little bit of outside exposure to bring new ideas back here. So, in 2010 when I took over the operation, we started implementing some of those practices of farming to help with conservation of our resources and help to ensure that we have it for future use.”
The Landis’ are also active on social media, explaining farm life in a fun, creative and easy-to-consume way, connecting customers to their product via Facebook and Instagram. The couple host on-farm tours and speak to regulators, industry partners and the local community frequently in order to explain the importance of dairy farming.
“We could not be prouder of Christian and Laura,” said Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Vice President of Sustainability and External Relations Lindsay Reames. “As one of the first farms to participate in the Turkey Hill Clean Water Partnership (THCWP), Worth the Wait is quickly becoming more sustainable in every facet of farming. The Landis’ are a beacon for the future of farming as they work to impact their community and ensure their farming operations remains sustainable for the next generation.”
