The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

A new online application form, complete with award criteria and details, is available on AmericanDairy.com, under “Dairy Farms/For Farmers.”

“We encourage dairy farmers and ag business professionals to nominate farmers would qualify in these categories,” said ADA North East CEO Rick Naczi. “We will then use these outstanding farms and farm families as examples to help consumers make the connection to where their food comes from and show that farmers are dedicated to providing a safe, sustainably-produced food.”

Overall and honorable mention winners will be awarded in each category. To help demonstrate the impact dairy farmers have in their local communities, each overall winner will receive a donation of $1,000 and each honorable mention winner will receive a donation of $500 in their name to an ADA North East retail or school initiative.

Options include using the award funds to provide dairy products to a regional food bank, or to a local school to support the storage and delivery of dairy to students. The donation options were selected to help drive dairy sales and develop young consumers’ enjoyment of dairy.

2020 winners were:

Animal care

Winner: Musser-Ridge, Newmanstown, Pa.

Honorable Mention: Valley-Ho, Middletown, Md.

Community Outreach

Winner: Dutch Hollow Farm, Schodack Landing, N.Y.

Honorable Mentions: Bradley Dairy Farm, Athens, Pa., and Brooms Bloom Dairy, Bel-Air, Md.

Environmental Stewardship

Winner: Worth the Wait Farm, Stevens, Pa.

Honorable Mentions: Mt.-Glen Farms, Columbia Crossroads, Pa., and Walmoore Holsteins, West Grove, Pa.

Contact Beth Meyer, Director of Consumer Confidence, at bmeyer@milk4u.org for more information.