I didn’t grow up on a traditional dairy farm – but I was raised on a dairy beef farm, buying bull calves from local dairies and raising them. My early career was spent as a business analyst, but after meeting my husband, John, I found myself drawn back to dairy in a whole new way.
John purchased Cinnamon Ridge Farms in Iowa in 1988 and worked hard to revitalize the operation. We met in 2011 and soon laid out a vision: transitioning the farm from a tie-stall barn to a modern robotics system. After we married in 2013, I was fully immersed in dairy and quickly realized sustainability wasn’t just a buzzword or a marketing trend. It’s the foundation of our future.
The Alliance was started by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, created by dairy farmers through our checkoff. That distinction matters because it shows that sustainability isn’t being dictated to us; we are playing an active role in telling our story and shaping the future. The Alliance brings the entire dairy value chain together to talk, listen and solve problems. That includes farmers, cooperatives, processors, retailers, academics, NGOs and government agencies.
Everyone has a seat at the table. But here’s the critical part – farmers need to be there. Sustainability starts on our farms. The practices, challenges and successes we face are where it all begins. When decisions are made about environmental stewardship, animal care or community impact, it’s vital that those conversations reflect farmers’ real-world experiences.
The Alliance ensures that happens. Today, 40 dairy farmers are involved as members — representing large and small farms, different climates, management styles and perspectives from coast to coast. What unites us is our shared commitment to doing right by our land, our animals and our communities.
Our voices were clearly heard during the recent 2025 Dairy Sustainability Alliance® Spring Meeting, where more than 200 attendees, including many farmers, came together from across the dairy value chain.
Bringing Data to the Dairy
When I was invited to join the Alliance, I saw an opportunity to bridge a gap. My background as a business analyst isn’t something you see every day on a dairy farm. But it’s helped me translate our practices into language that resonates with people who live in spreadsheets and reports. At the same time, it has helped me bring data-driven decision-making back to the farm.
We’ve even woven this into our dairy’s agritourism program. Many visitors expect a modern dairy to look like the red barn days. They’re often surprised when they see our robotic milking system or how we use cover crops to improve soil health and water quality. They learn that we feed our cows byproducts that may have otherwise ended up in landfills.
And they leave with a deeper understanding of what sustainability means to a dairy farmer: it’s good for the planet, good for people and good for our bottom line. Because let’s be honest – if it’s not profitable, it’s not sustainable.
That’s what I appreciate most about the Alliance. These aren’t just feel-good conversations. We roll up our sleeves and tackle real issues. Whether we’re working to update outdated reporting systems or to improve how we measure carbon footprints, the focus is on solutions. Not finger-pointing, not posturing – just practical, collaborative work to keep our industry strong.
Sustainability isn’t just about what happens on the farm. It’s about what happens after the milk truck leaves – who processes it, packages it, markets it and buys it. And what they care about.
It’s just as important for farmers to understand the people down the line as it is for consumers to know who’s producing their food. That’s how we build trust – and a shared vision for the future.
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