This week, we’re talking with Colton Brodt, a 21-year-old agriculture business major at Cal Poly, who is passionate about shaping and building the future of the organic dairy industry. To introduce you to Colton, here’s the first of our four-part interview.

What was it like growing up in a small farming community in Northern California?
Growing up in the agriculture town of Ferndale has been a true blessing. The cows easily outnumber the population of about 1,300, and I was raised on my grandparents’ dairy farm. Generational family-owned dairies can be spotted all over the countryside. We’re a close-knit community known for helping to support children and teens in the area through agriculture scholarships and summer jobs. Ferndale has allowed many students like me to pursue agriculture-related careers. When I graduate, I plan to come back to Ferndale to start my farming career.

What’s unique about farming in Ferndale?
It’s a perfect model of what a community looks like when most agriculture operations are organic. The area surrounding the town is comprised of acres of lush green pasture and thousands of cows grazing in the valley. My grandparents were among the first in our town to transition to organic about five years ago. They now supply milk to Horizon Organic, and we’re milking about 700 cows. As far as I know, all dairies in Ferndale are pasture-based, even the conventional ones. The organic dairies follow the current USDA organic standards that say a cow must be grazed for at least 120 days during the grazing season to qualify as being certified organic. It’s something we’re very proud of; dairy farmers in our town are environmentally conscious. These strict standards help ensure that the organic products you, the consumer, buy are the best quality.

What do you think people would be surprised to learn about organic dairy farming?
Beyond the supermarket, people don’t know where their milk comes from, and that chocolate milk doesn’t come from brown cows! An organic dairy isn’t like a factory. In Ferndale, there’s lots of space, fresh air and grass that’s green all year round; come visit to see for yourself where organic milk comes from. I can guarantee you’ll find an excited dairyman who will be glad to show you around.

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