Women of modern dairy

FOUNTAIN, Minn. — Margaret Johnson opened her family’s dairy farm to consumers across the country to show them what modern dairy farming looks like. Johnson was one of seven women featured in the Portraits of Modern Dairy campaign recently launched by Dairy Management Inc. to show dairy farming in action.

“I feel really humbled that I was asked to participate in the campaign,” Johnson said.

Johnson farms alongside her husband, Michael, and her father-in-law, Jon, at Trailside Holsteins. They milk 700 cows and raise their own young stock for replacements. 

The opportunity to participate in the campaign came through Johnson’s involvement with DMI. While DMI spearheaded the project, Midwest Dairy helped to facilitate the relationship and review content for regional considerations.

In honor of National Farmers Day Oct. 12, Good Morning America aired part of the footage during its show.

Planning started this spring, with the crew arriving at the farms in mid-August. Rather than creating a staged version of farm life, the team followed the families through their daily routines. The goal was to highlight the role each woman plays in the operation of the farm.

The film crew arrived around 5 a.m. to capture Johnson caring for calves. Later, the farm’s veterinarian visited the farm for herd health work, which included examining calves’ lungs with ultrasound equipment.

Johnson wanted her farm’s story to show that a successful dairy operation depends on many people working together.

“I never want to take all the credit because it is so much more than me,” Johnson said. “There are so many people that are involved to make our farm a success.”

Her father-in-law, husband, their five children, a veterinarian and their employees all contribute to the farm’s daily work. Johnson’s five children help with calf care and other age-appropriate tasks. For Johnson, involving them in the operation is an important part of family life and agricultural education.

Johnson previously helped sort cows and feed calves. Two years ago, the family built a calf barn near their home, which she now manages. The facility was designed so Johnson and the children could handle its daily responsibilities together.

With a young baby at home, Johnson has stepped back from some daily chores, allowing the older children to take on additional responsibilities.

Her 14-year-old son, Sawyer, has developed a particular interest in the herd. Johnson said he remembers individual cows and their locations on the farm, often knowing which group an animal is in without needing to look it up.

The experience also gave the family a chance to work with a camera crew from Los Angeles. Johnson said the crew brought different perspectives and asked thoughtful questions as its members learned more about dairy production. Their visit reinforced how much an ordinary day on a farm can offer someone unfamiliar with agriculture.

Johnson said she hopes the campaign encourages consumers to ask questions rather than rely on misconceptions about dairy farming. She agreed to participate partly because her family believes in being open with the public. The farm has welcomed tours and classroom visits, and she views the campaign as another way to help people understand where their food comes from.

“We try to be really transparent and open to the public to protect our freedom to operate,” Johnson said. “Somebody needs to advocate for dairy, and if we don’t do it, who will?”

Johnson also has been encouraged by the responses from people in her own community and others who have shared the campaign’s content. The experience demonstrated that agricultural outreach can reach farther than farmers may realize.

Johnson recognizes that sharing a farm’s story can feel uncomfortable for producers who are not accustomed to promoting themselves.

“It does not have to be a social media page,” Johnson said, “I would encourage them to find something that really fits their personality, their lifestyle or their comfort level and how they want to share it.”

That might mean thanking someone for purchasing dairy products at the grocery store, bringing milk to a church gathering during June Dairy Month, or finding another simple way to start a conversation about agriculture. Every dairy farm has its own approach, shaped by the people, resources and circumstances behind it.

“We are all producing high-quality, nutritious, safe milk,” Johnson said, “But ultimately, we are doing it in such unique ways.”

For Johnson, that is the message worth sharing: modern dairy farming is not one single story. It is a collection of family operations, dedicated employees, animal-care practices and daily decisions that ultimately bring dairy products to consumers.