February 06, 2019

Future of Agriculture 139: Building a Family Dairy Business Through a Commitment to Sustainability and Rural Communities with Ken McCarty of McCarty Family Farms

34 minutes

Ken McCarty manages McCarty Family Farms, a dairy farm that has been in operation since 1914, making it more than a hundred years old. On top of using state-of-the-art equipment, their farm is also Non-GMO Project Verified. Ken is part of the fourth generation of owners and makes sure their daily operations puts emphasis on environmental sustainability and animal welfare among other concerns.

Ken joins me today to describe how he and his family run and manages their farm. He shares some of its rich history, its humble beginnings, and why they decided to focus on dairy products. He explains why they went after a Non-GMO certification and how it has improved the quality of their operations. He also discusses how using data instead of instinct is the right way to manage a farm.

“Growth, to us, isn't milking more cows and getting bigger. Growth is getting better every day.” - Ken McCarty

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

Why you should operate in multiple, small locations instead of expanding from one big hub.
What his life was like before they decided to move to Kansas.
Focusing on exploring milk marketing opportunities and dairy farming.
The reason why they are Non-GMO Project verified.
The values and principles they want to instill in their company.
What's in store for McCarty Family Farms?

Key Takeaways:

Dairy from an economic development point of view is attractive to rural-American eco-devo groups.
Manage by the data. Let data drive your decisions.
Being biased will never let you manage your farms efficiently.

Connect with Ken McCarty:

McCarty Family Farms
Facebook

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By Tim Hammerich

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