![\"Ziehm](\"https:\/\/mackinsondairy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Ziehm-4.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIt is my honor to introduce Jessica Chittenden Ziehm the Executive Director of the NY Animal Agriculture Coalition from Buskirk, New York. Jessica describes herself as the daughter, grand daughter and great granddaughter of dairy farmers, is married to a dairy farmer and is fairly certain they are raising future dairy farmers! Today, Jessica and her family live on her husband’s family farm where they milk 950 cows and crop over 2,000 acres in Upstate New York – about 3.5 hours north of NYC. In high school, she was active in 4-H, but found her passion for advocacy when she was serving as the NYS Dairy Princess. It was that opportunity that allowed her to realize the true disconnect between farmer and consumer and she\u2019s been striving to bridge that gap ever since. Jessica went to college at SUNY Cobleskill for two years and then finished up her four year at Virginia Tech. Since graduation, Jessica has held several jobs in the dairy industry, but today serves as the Executive Director for the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition<\/a>, a not-for-profit that works to enhance the public’s understanding and appreciation for animal agriculture. For fun, the Ziehm family enjoys taking Sunday drives, searching for “rusty gold”, and just being a family in the country. They are active in Farm Bureau, as well as their local land conservancy, the Agricultural Stewardship Association.<\/p>\n A popular theme amongst our dairy women, Jessica\u2019s favorite dairy product is cheese! Her family is members of the Agri-Mark Cooperative, which owns the delicious Cabot and McCadam cheese brands. She admits that she is not a super adventurous cook with two toddlers in the house but enjoys making egg stratas on the weekend for a hearty breakfast, and big pots of soup – like loaded potato, corn chowder and broccoli cheddar.<\/p>\n The family selfie is all of us packing bunk together – crammed into the cab of a tractor. I don’t think we could fit another kid – so we are done having babies \ud83d\ude42<\/p><\/div>\n Anyone who knows me knows it\u2019s the beautiful, brown eyed Jersey! What an incredible animal! My Grandpa Chittenden was a pioneer in the Jersey breed and his passion for this cow seeped into my veins. A Jersey is like a modern working mom – strong, independent, and efficient, all while being gorgeous! Her ability to not only produce milk efficiently, but produce a product that has so many extras is extraordinary! Jerseys are one of the reasons I chose Virginia Tech over Cornell, and I continue to promote their prowess on my husband’s farm, where we now have over 70 milking Jerseys in the herd of 950.<\/p>\n I’m currently serving as the Executive Director of the NY Animal Agriculture Coalition. Our mission is to enhance the public\u2019s understanding of and appreciation for animal agriculture by fostering a dialogue with consumers, engagement with farmers and cooperation among members of the industry. I grew up on a dairy farm and knew I wasn’t cut out to be on the farm every day, so I took the communications route but chose to stick with the industry. There is such a need for this type of work, and I feel we are all just on the cusp of truly realizing the impact positive public relations efforts can have on a farm. It’s a concept that is difficult to realize because it is not easily measured in dollars and cents, but rather in relationships.<\/p>\n The dairy industry is ever evolving – as any industry in the world. I see more technology being adopted, consolidation to continue, yet more opportunities for smaller farms to embrace niche marketing and on-farm processing. There is room for all sized farms in the future, as there is today. My dream is that we get to a point where we can all get along – that we aren’t attacking or accusing each other through the use of marketing terms and jargon that do nothing but confuse our consumer.<\/p>\n In the future, I hope we all are more supportive of each other because a) it’s the right thing to do, but also b) because we need each other. We are a small percentage of the population, and we will need to work harder to make time in our day for consumer education, which will involve transparency and communication – two critical actions that we as dairy farmers today are only starting to embrace.<\/p>\n That it is an amazing way of life and it’s a privilege to be given the responsibility to be the caretakers of our animals and land – as well as the providers of a nutrient rich product for consumers. This isn’t a job or task that we take lightly – its 365 days a year. Its hard work, long days, heart wrenching at times – but it’s also the most rewarding thing you’ll ever do. It’s our life! And we love it!<\/p>\n We may or may not be crazy to love it – but we do! And you have to love it to live it. That’s what it’s like to be a dairy farmer. To know the cows always come first – even on holidays and birthdays. To know that your most powerful business partner is someone named Mother Nature – and she has bad days that can ruin your year. I wouldn’t change any of it.<\/p>\n Working with our hard working, genuine natured farmers, who are the salt of the earth – that’s the most rewarding part of my job. The most challenging part – the farmers! (Ha!) Their fierce independence and pride make it difficult to move mountains at times. But the real challenge – the bottomless bank accounts of anti-agriculture activists and the sheer volume of their malicious messages. Even if every farmer were to speak up and contribute, it’s an uphill battle – but it’s a battle worth fighting and we will endure!<\/p>\n You’re not going to find a better group of people to work with. People in the dairy industry are an incredibly passionate and compassionate group that I am honored to be part of. Please join us!<\/p>\n Gosh – the sky is the limit! It’s an exciting time to get involved in the dairy industry with all of the advocacy efforts taking place and the technology being introduced. To work in a field that is so grounded, real and meaningful to the quality of life in rural America – that’s an opportunity people shouldn’t pass up.<\/p>\n Jessica, thank you for sharing your story and for the great work you are doing! Jessica and the NY Animal are very active on social media make sure you check out all of their sites below.<\/p>\n NY Animal Agriculture Coalition:<\/p>\n Jessica:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It is my honor to introduce Jessica Chittenden Ziehm the Executive Director of the NY Animal Agriculture Coalition from Buskirk, New York. Jessica describes herself as the daughter, grand daughter and great granddaughter of dairy farmers, is married to a dairy farmer and is fairly certain they are raising future dairy farmers! Today, Jessica and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[396],"tags":[428,425,294,426,427],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a>
\nJessica\u2019s Story in her own words:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Who is your favorite cow? <\/u><\/h4>\n
What is your role in the dairy industry?<\/u><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWhat do you envision the future of the dairy industry looking like?<\/u><\/h4>\n
What are 3 things you want consumers to know about the dairy industry and\/or the products you produce?<\/u><\/h4>\n
\n
<\/a><\/p>\nAs a Mom, what do you want to share with others about the dairy industry?<\/u><\/h4>\n
What is the most rewarding part of being in the dairy industry? Challenging?<\/u><\/h4>\n
What advice would you give someone interested in the dairy industry?<\/u><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/a><\/p>\nWhat are other roles and\/or opportunities available to those in the dairy industry?<\/u><\/h4>\n
\n\n
\n
Entire Women in Dairy Series:<\/h3>\n
\n