The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program announced the winners for the FARM Excellence Awards at the Joint Annual Meeting. The awards were established to recognize farms and evaluators demonstrating excellence in their engagement with the FARM Program.
Animal Care and Antibiotic Stewardship
Bar E Dairy
Kingsburg, CA
Land O’Lakes
Bar E Dairy, located in Kingsburg, CA, was established in 2014 as a partnership between Matthew and Lauren Evangelo and Matthew’s parents. Today, Bar E Dairy milks 1,000 cows with a full replacement heifer program and farms 150 acres. Matthew and Lauren lead the operation with a progressive mindset, embracing innovation and technology to improve on-farm animal welfare.
Bar E was an early adopter of activity monitoring technology. Bar E’s milking and dry cows wear activity collars that track behavioral patterns, ruminations, reproduction and movement. Since then, the farm has significantly decreased antibiotic usage. Bar E Dairy also participated in the Remote Animal Welfare Monitoring (RAWM) Project, a collaboration between Land O’Lakes, Merck Animal Health and the FARM Program. The project evaluates how automated cow monitoring data — such as locomotion, rumination, and heat detection — can improve the objectivity of animal welfare assessments.
Matt and Lauren use evaluation results to identify new areas of improvement, working closely with their evaluator to align with current best practices.
Bar E Dairy uses a culture-based mastitis protocols, enabling targeted treatment decisions and reducing antibiotic use. Bar E Dairy worked with its veterinarian to develop a system to sample and culture milk from affected cows, enabling identification of the specific cause of infection before initiating treatment. This evidence-based strategy has helped the farm maintain excellent udder health and minimize antibiotic reliance.
Bar E Dairy continues to strive for animal care excellence, using progressive farming techniques and best management practices to bolster on-farm efforts.
Environmental Stewardship
Five Star Dairy LLC
Alma, WI
Associated Milk Producers Inc.
Since 1929, the Noll family has worked to preserve and improve its land while producing quality milk and crops just outside Alma, WI.
Today, the farm operates as Five Star Dairy Farm, LLC, with Scott Noll milking 115 cows three times a day with the help of his children. The business includes 400 acres of contoured corn, soybean, and hay fields, as well as 450 acres of forest, oak savanna, and remnant prairie.
For nearly a century, the Nolls have implemented innovative practices and long-term conservation projects that protect soil, water, wildlife and future productivity. They currently use more than 40 conservation practices, including cover cropping, using no-till with 90% of crops, maintaining pollinator and endangered species habitats, and using variable-rate fertilizer to optimize nutrient use.
The farm was the first AMPI member to complete the Conservation Practice Questionnaire (CPQ) in 2022, encouraging participation amongst other member-owners and providing valuable feedback to improve user experience. The evaluation process helps Five Star measure and improve their environmental footprint, while also confirming what the Nolls believe – that environmental stewardship and economic viability go hand in hand.
Scott shares that participating in FARM ES has shifted how he talks about stewardship – not just within the family, but in broader conversations with lenders, veterinarians, consultants, and neighbors.
The Noll family remains committed to using the FARM ES framework to guide both their management and their message — leading by example while staying rooted in data, humility and continuous improvement.
Workforce Development
Glezen Farms, LLC
Lisle, NY
Maola Local Dairies
Glezen Farms, located in Lisle, NY, is a family-operated LLC led by Scott Glezen and his father, with Scott’s wife, Laura, serving as the farm manager. The farm currently milks 2,400 cows and cares for a total of 4,270 head. As an 8th-generation dairy operation, Glezen Farms brings together a legacy of experience with a forward-looking approach to community engagement and workforce development.
Glezen Farms actively organizes and participates in safety and educational training sessions that promote responsible farm management and continuous improvement. The farm uses FARM Workforce Development resources as a model for their training materials and employee onboarding. Their employee handbook is multilingual and comprehensive, covering everything from conduct expectations to benefits and work hours. The farm conducts annual performance evaluations.
Glezen Farms consistently strives to go above and beyond by including additional trainings, such as sexual harassment prevention, to ensure all team members feel valued, protected, and empowered. The farm maintains up-to-date safety records, reviews all safety plans annually with employees, and measures plan effectiveness through data-driven approaches.
The farm continues to support its workforce by investing in employee housing, which will feature multiple apartment-style rooms. Notably, the building will be strategically divided into “daytime” and “nighttime” wings to accommodate employees on different shifts, minimizing noise disruptions and allowing all team members to rest and recharge safely and comfortably.
Glezen Farms is committed to fostering a positive work environment through training, safety strategies and various resources using the FARM Workforce Development program as a framework for its success.
Evaluator of the Year
Lisa Ford
Auburn, NY
Cayuga Marketing
Since 2014, Lisa Ford has served as Cayuga Marketing’s member programs manager, overseeing projects such as safety, milk quality and Cayuga’s FARM Program participation.
Farms look to Ford as their first touchpoint for dairy education, expertise and information, including questions on training resources, stockmanship, proper antibiotic storage and more. Her colleagues and farmers describe her as meticulous, detail-oriented, and known for having a keen eye – traits that are indispensable when conducting evaluations. She also developed internal programs, CREATE and CM Team, using FARM Program standards as baselines.
CREATE stands for Cayuga’s Responsible and Ethical Animal Treatment Endeavor, a quarterly points-based evaluation that compliments the FARM Animal Care evaluation. This has helped build Cayuga’s brand and build trust amongst her farmers. The quarterly visits help establish and maintain a relationship and foster understanding.
CM Team creates leadership opportunities for new hires that demonstrate a desire to learn and is available in two languages to provide equal learning opportunities for Hispanic workers. She helps members bridge gaps by providing connections and resource support for areas of struggle or concern.
Ford also understands the value of learning from other subject matter experts. She sits on the NMPF Animal Health and Wellbeing Committee, providing a voice for her members while relaying important information on standard development and industry trends.
Her dedication to continuous improvement is evident through her time spent with Cayuga Marketing members, always offering her time, resources and above all, her complete dedication to improving the dairy industry at large.