Dairy of Distinction Awards Presented

Local Farm Families Honored to celebrate “June is Dairy Month”

-by Lisa Kempisty, Dairy and Livestock Educator

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (June 17, 2015) – “June is Dairy Month”, and to help celebrate, local dairy farm families were recently honored at the Chautauqua County Dairy of Distinction Awards Program held in conjunction with the Dairy Princess Pageant on June 5^th at the Falconer High School.

The Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Program recognizes attractive dairy farms with a Dairy of Distinction award, for which they receive a colorful red, yellow, and white 18 X 24 inch Dairy of Distinction sign to display along the roadside of their farmstead. This honors dairy farm families and their employees for their hard work and dedication for maintaining well-kept dairies. Chautauqua County is fortunate to currently have 27 family dairy farms proudly displaying this Dairy of Distinction honor.

Lisa Kempisty, Cornell Cooperative Extension Dairy Educator and District 2 Chairperson for the Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Program states “It is my pleasure to recognize our hardworking farm families on their many years of maintaining their farms as a Dairy of Distinction. These farms are dedicated to managing their dairy cows and farm businesses – and produce high quality, nutritious milk for all to enjoy, while keeping their farmsteads very attractive.”

For 2015, five Chautauqua County Dairy Farms are being recognized for their “Dairy of Distinction” anniversaries including: 30 Year Farm – Robert, Carolyn & Philip Beckerink, Brownell Road, Clymer, NY;

25 Year Farm - Halocrest Farm, Kris & Becky Ivett and Howard & Lucy Ivett and families, Smith Road, South Dayton, NY; 20 Year Farm – Oak View Dairy, Bruce & Charlene Kidder and Shawn & Tara Cotter & family, Shadyside and Nutt Road, Jamestown, NY; 15 Year Farm – Pinehurst Farm, Dan & Allen Minor and families, Page Road, Frewsburg, NY; and 10 Year Farm – C & W Farm, LLC, Scott & Vicki Williams and family, Darren Carlstrom and family and Jake Carlstrom, Hall Road, Sinclairville, NY.

These farm families received a new Dairy of Distinction anniversary sign and certificates of recognition from Assemblyman Andy Goodell, New York State Assembly and Vincent Horrigan, Chautauqua County Executive.

Assemblyman Goodell presented the certificates and congratulated the farm families on promoting a

positive image for the dairy industry in Chautauqua County.

Neat, clean, well-maintained dairy farms provide consumers’ greater confidence in the wholesomeness of milk, stimulates milk sales, and helps encourage public support for the dairy industry.

As your family travels the rural roads throughout Chautauqua County, watch for the colorful Dairy of Distinction signs along the roadside of these attractive dairy farms. Our dairy farm families encourage all to enjoy a cold glass of milk and the many dairy products made from this nutritious milk to celebrate “June is Dairy Month”, as well as throughout the year.

The Dairy of Distinction Program is one of many programs facilitated by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua), and meets the goals of the county’s 20/20 Comprehensive Plan. CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Last updated August 5, 2015