The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program announced the winners for the FARM Excellence Awards at the 2026 Joint Annual Meeting in Kissimee, FL. The awards were established to recognize farms and evaluators demonstrating excellence in their engagement with the FARM Program.
Animal Care and Antibiotic Stewardship
Ideal Dairy Farms
Hudson, NY
Dairy Farmers of America
Ideal Dairy Farms, located in Hudson Falls, NY, started selling milk by the dipper, door to door, in 1908. The farm packaged and sold their milk to local communities until 1987. Owned and operated by the Dickinson and Getty families, the farm owns over 7,000 registered Holsteins, with 3,500 heifers and 4,200 mature cows.
Ideal Dairy has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to animal welfare through its active participation in the FARM Animal Care Program. The farm remains engaged throughout the evaluation process, demonstrating professionalism during scheduling, preparation and on-farm assessments. Ideal Dairy believes that excellence in animal care is a value shared by the entire dairy community.
The farm has expanded continuing education efforts, using educational materials, guidance documents, and training resources available through the FARM Program website. Employee education is further enhanced by Betty Getty, who is fluent in Spanish and provides on-farm training. She incorporates FARM Program resources into trainings to reinforce best management practices and support effective bilingual training.
Preventive herd health protocols are the foundation of the farm’s antibiotic stewardship program. All antibiotics are stored in a locked room with access limited to trained, authorized employees. Lactating and non-lactating animal medications are stored separately to prevent accidental residue violations. Authorized employees receive training on the proper use of each antibiotic according to veterinary guidance, including correct handling and administration techniques.
The farm remains committed to the production of wholesome milk, with a focus founded with the onset of Ideal’s 1913 slogan, “Where Quality and Service Meet.”
Environmental Stewardship
Paloma Dairy
Tempe, AZ
United Dairymen of Arizona
For more than four decades, Paloma Dairy in Tempe, AZ, has combined family values with forward-thinking agricultural practices. Since opening in 1979, the dairy has remained under the leadership of the Van Hofwegen family, with Robert Van Hofwegen working alongside his sons, Allan, Robert Jr., Arie, and Kyle.
In addition to managing the dairy, the family owns and operates Sunset Farms, where they produce alfalfa, corn silage, wheat, barley, and cotton across approximately 7,000 acres.
Paloma Dairy has embraced the FARM Environmental Stewardship program as a tool for measuring progress and identifying opportunities to strengthen its environmental performance. Rather than viewing the evaluation as a one-time assessment, the farm uses the program to support ongoing improvements and reinforce its commitment to responsible resource management.
The information gathered through the FARM ES program has supported several operational enhancements throughout the dairy, such as improved efficiencies on irrigation infrastructure, advancing energy management systems, and automated livestock monitoring technologies that improve both resource efficiency and herd management. Environmental performance metrics and energy audit findings are incorporated into capital planning and future investment decisions, helping ensure that sustainability initiatives are backed by measurable data and aligned with the farm’s long-term environmental and business objectives.
Rather than relying on a single initiative, Paloma Dairy has created an integrated system where water conservation, renewable energy, nutrient recycling, precision agriculture, and animal care work together to improve environmental performance.
This whole-farm approach reflects the Van Hofwegen family’s commitment to continuous improvement and their dedication to preserving natural resources for future generations.
Workforce Development
Silverstreak Dairies LLP
Sauk Centre, MN
Land O’Lakes Inc.
Union Dairy, part of Silverstreak Dairies LLP, is located in Sauk Centre, MN. Established in 2003, the farm is comprised of around 3,000 dairy cattle, 1,200 dairyxbeef cross calves and 44 employees across two operations, a dry cow maternity site and milking site.
Edgar Sanchez serves as the milking manager, with Madison Gast as the dry cow and calf facility manager. They work alongside Rocio Ramirez, the company’s HR and Safety Manager to ensure employees and cows are well cared for.
In 2016, they began revamping their workforce strategy to better foster a positive work culture by focusing on employee training, advancement and safety. The farm was one of the first Land O’Lakes Inc. members to participate in FARM Workforce Development.
Union Dairy understands the importance of onboarding new employees. All employees are given a handbook to read and sign at the start of employment to help workers understand the farm operations and their rights. The farm creates goals based on previous evaluations, updating its handbook based on the areas identified for improvement. Goals include items such as employee housing, break schedules and improving training documentation – specifically around equipment training.
Silverstreak Dairies recently created two customized training videos: a welcome video explaining the operation and company values, along with a personalized safety video. The videos are then accompanied by in-person trainings.
The farm also hosts monthly gatherings aimed at including employees and their families. Workers are recognized for personal and professional milestones, such as birthdays, promotions, work anniversaries and project completions.
Silverstreak Dairies honors its mission statement, “providing families with high-quality food, in a positive work environment, while guaranteeing the welfare of our animals, maintaining a good working relationship with our community and respecting the environment.”
Evaluator of the Year
Kandice Runyon, DVM
Tempe, AZ
United Dairymen of Arizona
Originally from Canada, Kandice Runyon worked on dairies from a young age. She earned her veterinary degree from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in 2017. She served as a herd veterinarian for more than 10 years before joining United Dairymen of Arizona as its Director of Animal Wellbeing in 2025.
Dr. Runyon believes the best evaluations don’t end with a checklist. They spark conversations, answer questions, and give producers feedback that is meaningful to their operation.
She understands that every dairy is different, and she tailors her recommendations to fit each farm’s unique management style, goals and day-to-day realities.
She makes it clear that the FARM Program isn’t about finding faults. It’s about recognizing strengths and identifying improvement opportunities to make strong operations even better. Producers appreciate Dr. Runyon’s ability to recognize the things they are doing right before discussing areas for improvement, creating an environment where honest conversations come naturally. That perspective helps producers trust her as an evaluator and see the evaluations as a resource.
Dr. Runyon’s is committed to improving the FARM Program for producers across the entire dairy industry, not just the ones she works with in Arizona.
As a member of National Milk Producers Federation’s Animal Health and Well Being Committee, Kandice works alongside farmers and other industry stakeholders to review updates, discuss emerging animal care topics and help shape future versions of the program. She brings farmer perspectives to committee discussions, helping ensure the program continues to meet the needs of the dairy industry.
