Congratulations to Ken Raney and Reinford Farms, Inc., both who will receive the Pacesetter Award from the Center for Dairy Excellence at the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit on Feb. 9.
The Pacesetter Award recognizes individuals who work to build a positive image of the Pennsylvania dairy industry to create a prosperous, marketable future for producers and supporting industries. The awards were presented by the center’s 2011 Board of Directors Chair Lolly Lesher and 2012 Vice-Chair Gary Heckman.
Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Holstein Association, or PHA, Ken Raney of State College, Pa., is a key leader in the state’s dairy industry. In 1984, Raney joined the association as director of member services and junior programs, and was named director in 1997.
Under his guidance, the association’s adult membership has grown to more than 3,500 and the junior association to nearly 1,620 members, making them each the largest in the country. Pennsylvania junior members have competed nationally, and with Raney’s help, have produced 17 championship teams in 30 dairy bowl finals appearances, nine first place speech winners and five first place Dairy Jeopardy winners. Raney also coordinates summer junior judging schools with the help of county volunteers.
Raney and his team have also increased the association’s export business. In the past three years, nearly 50,000 head of cattle pass through the association’s farm in Middletown due to strong export markets. Cattle have been transported to Russia, Turkey and other Middle East countries, among other locations.
Raney coordinates six regional and two state championship Holstein shows, along with serving on the All-American Dairy Show’s Show Improvement and Holstein committees, and the Pennsylvania Junior Dairy Show Advisory Board. He has served as the secretary/treasurer of the Pennsylvania Purebred Dairy Cattle Association since 1986.
The second Pacesetter Award winner is Reinford Farms Inc., in Mifflintown, Pa.
Steve and Gina Reinford, along with their four children – Chad, Brett, Drew and Dove – arrived in central Pennsylvania from Montgomery County in 1991 with 57 cows. Since, their business has grown to include 550 cows and 450 replacements, and they farm 1,000 acres of crops including 650 acres of corn and 350 acres of hay. In the last year, the farm has shipped more than 10 million pounds of milk to Mount Joy Farmers Cooperative.
Sons Chad, Brett and Drew will become partners in the family corporation by 2013 and work with the 10 full-time and two part-time farm employees. The farm has an employee model with middle managers to promote leadership and advancement.
Early adopters of innovation, the Reinfords installed a 28-stall rotary milking parlor in 1998, making them the first family east of the Mississippi River to incorporate a Westfalia carousel parlor.
In 2008, the Reinfords built an on-farm anaerobic digester to complement their environmental stewardship strategy that includes odor reduction, power production and conservation tillage. In addition to digesting the waste from the entire milking herd, they take in food waste from more than 50 Wal-Mart stores. This reduces bedding and fertilizer costs and produces enough power to supply electricity and heat their farm’s water supply, buildings and house, a newly installed grain drier and calf milk pasteurizer, plus 100 homes in their community.
Source: Center for Dairy Excellence