AU Dairy Unit Wins Gold Star Status

Dee Smith

The E.V. Smith Research Center Dairy Unit was named in August as a Dairy Farmers of America, Inc., Gold Standard Dairy Farm, an award that was established in 2007 by DFA to recognize farms that exemplify the highest standards of milk production for consumers.

Gold Standard Dairy status is granted only after a dairy has been inspected by DFA field staff and evaluated on such issues as milk safety and quality, quality of animal care, environmental stewardship, personnel development and pathogen management. The DFA Gold Standard Dairy Program was created in collaboration with the Milk and Dairy Beef Quality Assurance Program and a team of industry advisers.

The E.V. Smith dairy, which has been operating since 1978, currently has a 260-cow heard of Holsteins and Jerseys, 109 of which are actually producing milk at the moment. Average annual production at the dairy is 2,500 gallons per Holstein and 1,721 gallons per Jersey. This past year, the dairy sold 288,574 gallons of milk from the herd. Superintendent Cal McCarthy has managed the dairy since 2000.