North
West New York
Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Team
Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops
Team
By: Collin McCarthy
In June of this year, the New York Center for Dairy Excellence (NYCDE) rolled out an initiative to promote the formation of dairy profit teams across the state. Modeled after the very successful Pennsylvania profit team program, the purpose of the initiative is to create an advisory board on farms consisting of key management advisors and agricultural professionals “to improve farm productivity, profitability and quality of life goals”.
Some dairies in New York, like Lightland Farms LLC in Stanley, have already had profit teams in place for several years. Brothers Fred, Russ and Larry Lightfoot assembled a profit team four years ago during a period of expansion and have enjoyed the fruits of the team’s efforts ever since. The team at Lightland Farms grew out of the semi-annual meetings that were mandated by the NYSCHAP Jhones control program, with herd veterinarian Dr. Rebecca Teneyck being the driving force behind its formation. Larry Lightfoot, who is the primary caregiver to the herd of 350 milking cows, says they began with “a lot of questions” and the profit team has helped provide answers. Russ Lightfoot, noting how difficult it is to get out to visit other farms, appreciates learning about what other farms are doing, especially in a forum where issues can be discussed from a multi-disciplined point-of-view.
Nutritionist and team member Mark Spoor noted the importance of team chemistry and how everyone at the table has the opportunity to contribute. “No one moves forward if it isn’t done as a team”, he says to emphasize this point. Though the primary beneficiaries of the meetings are the Lightfoot brothers, Larry points out that the relationship between the farm and the advisory board is mutualistic. “They need us to be in business”, he says, with nodding assent from reproductive specialist Tim Mullin, who also regularly attends the meetings.
Though many of the team members run into one another at other farms, the Lightfoot brothers feel that the team format has built a rapport amongst the members within the context of Lightland Farms. “Team members gain from being exposed to other members of the team”, remarks Fred Lightfoot , adding that they are able “to apply the expertise of others to our own skill sets”. According to Fred, Dr. Teneyck claims to get as much from the team meetings as the Lightfoot brothers themselves.
Russ offers a few tips from his experience to ensure productive meetings:
• The focus of each meeting should not be too broad
• The team should not meet too often. The Lightfoots hold formal meetings twice per year, with smaller more focused meetings convening more frequently throughout the year.
• Set goals and benchmark progress. “Without marking progress, the team is useless”, he notes.
• Matching personalities is key to ensure that ALL team members have input
There are still dollars available from the NYCDE to support the formation of a dairy profit team for your farm. For more information about the program and to apply for funds, go to the NYCDE website at www.nycde.org and click on the link for Dairy Profit Team.
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