Minnesota Milk names Mursu family 2022 Producer of the Year

Mursu Dairy of New York Mills, Minnesota, was named 2022 Producer of the Year by the Minnesota Milk Producers Association during a special luncheon ahead of the group’s annual meeting.

The Producer of the Year is an annual award to Minnesota dairy farms that represent all Minnesota dairy farmers through leadership roles within the industry, display a commitment to future generations and are active within their local community. Producers of the Year receive a scholarship toward educational programming and a framed art print.

Mursu Dairy is a family farm operated and owned by parents Tom and Tammy Mursu, along with their son, Jeremy, and his wife, Vanessa. Tom’s parents started the farm in the mid-1950s. Today, the family milks about 145 cows with two Lely robotic milking units and farms 500 acres of cropland for dry, silage and high-moisture corn.

“The Mursu family embodies what it takes to run a successful dairy in the modern age,” said Minnesota Milk executive director Lucas Sjostrom. “With labor pools tightening, the family installed robotic milkers to create a stronger work-life balance. Their farm serves as a destination for local students to learn first-hand how we make dairy products.”

“Receiving this award is truly humbling for our family,” said Jeremy Mursu. “We have always believed in taking time to show the public our farm and the entire dairy industry — to show them where their food comes from.”

The Mursu family has truly embodied a community spirit on their farm. Over 1,300 guests have visited the farm over the last ten years, filling a big brown guest book with names of those who have stopped to watch the cows get milked. Word of their farm continued to spread, and a local team of students decided to feature the Mursus in a national video contest held by AT&T on technology in small businesses; the entry featuring Mursu Dairy won.

“At first, we didn’t take it very seriously,” said Mursu. “We just thought it was a couple of kids coming to do a short video for a school project. We thought it was a really well-made production of what we do and what our farm is. We were very thankful for the opportunity.”

Minnesota Milk Producers Association is the Minnesota dairy industry’s leading grassroots organization. Its strength comes from members working together and focusing on three key areas: policy, education and membership. By focusing on these areas, the organization will advance the success of Minnesota’s dairy producers. More information: www.mnmilk.org.