June is National Dairy Month, a time to pay tribute to all our dairy farmers. The dairy industry has been traveling on a tumultuous road these past few years and the forecast for these farmers continues to look bleak. Volatile milk pricing, labor shortages, negative publicity from animal rights activists and the economic impact from Covid-19 all play a part in this.
According to Real California Milk, there are more than 1200 dairy farms in California and 99% of these are family owned. Statista reported that California and Wisconsin combined produce over 70 billion lbs. of milk which accounts for most of the milk sold within the United States. In fact, the United States is the third largest consumer of fluid milk in the world. According to Statista.com in 2019, Americans consumed 21,781 metric tons (equal to approximately 6,345,000 pounds) of milk. These numbers will no doubt be less in 2020 due to Covid-19 virus.
Dairies throughout the United States have been severely impacted due to schools and restaurants closing. Due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, U.S. dairy exports were also affected as many countries stopped importing. Many creameries are telling farmers to reduce their production of milk because they cannot find a buyer. Unfortunately, cows just cannot stop producing milk and without any demand, many dairy farmers are left with no other alternative than to dump this excess milk.
Dairy farming is generational business and despite these hardships, families are continuing to do what they can to persevere. These farmers are proud people and they clearly love their cows and what they do. Evidence of this lies in the job of a dairy farmer itself. Dairy farming is 365 days a year 24 hours a day profession. Dairy cows cannot shut off milk production.
Makayla Toste is a 2nd generation dairy farmer from Newman California. Her father immigrated from Azores Portugal and began working as a dairy farmer when he was younger. In 1994 he started his own dairy which now is at full capacity of cows for their facility. The Toste dairy has nine full time employees.
Work on the Toste dairy farm starts at 3:30 am and begins with feeding the cows. Their cows are fed a nutritious food mix consisting of grasses, grains and other ingredients which are recommended by a dairy nutritionist. Cows also need to drink a lot of water and they can drink up to 50 gallons of water a day.
The cows are milked twice a day once at 9:00 am and again at 5:30 pm. Then the milk is then taken to the processing plant. The Toste dairy has contracted with Nestle and most of their family milk is used for evaporated and condensed milk. There are different creameries for different dairy products.
All milk is antibiotic free, and Makayla said this is often a misconception people have about milk. Milk from cows taking any kind of antibiotics is not allowed for human consumption. In fact, there is precise testing done at the dairy before the milk is put into the bulk tank that is destined for the creamery. Once the milk is sent to the creamery, it is tested again when it is delivered. If any trace of antibiotics is found, the creamery by law is required to dump the entire tank of milk. The milk from cows that have received antibiotics within a certain time frame will travel to a separate tank at the dairy which is then used to feed the baby calves.
Dairymen must work every day as cows have to be fed and milked regularly. In fact, most dairies keep rigid schedules as cows prefer routines and are content doing the same thing every day. This has been substantiated by the negative effects that happen when a cow is not kept on a schedule. Many times, dairies do not change their feeding and milking schedule when daylight savings time occurs as it is too disruptive for the cows. Makayla also indicated while her family was able to take the occasional vacation, it was difficult for her father to be away from the dairy for extended periods.
Makayla is the oldest of the three Toste children. Growing up on her family’s dairy farm, she loved spending her summer and school vacations hanging out on the dairy. She assisted with feeding the cows, administering medications, and helping with office paperwork. Makayla’s favorite job is feeding the baby calves which she described as playful with a sense of humor.
Once the calves are born, they are taken to a special pen. This is an area that draws quite a bit of criticism from animal activists. Makayla was quick to educate me as to the reasons why dairies do this. First, it is a protection for the calf after the mother gives birth. The mother cows can become agitated because they are tired and for the safety of the baby, they remove them. Secondly, the baby calves need to be bottle fed. Separating the calves also allows them to closely monitor the progress of their health and development.
Makayla knew from a young age that she wanted the dairy industry to be part of a lifelong profession. She joined the 4-H program when she was 11 years old. This is a hands-on program where students compete in subjects like science, agriculture, health, and civic matters. Makayla was also very active in the Gustine High Future Farmers of America (FFA). FFA is an organization that helps prepare students for a career and teaches leadership skills through agriculture education. She was the recipient of the Robert Pires Memorial Trophy which is presented every year to a senior who is very involved in enjoys and shows in livestock competition. Makayla competed in the FFA dairy judging competition which took her and three other classmates to the Royal Highland Show in Scotland where she and her teammate placed 4th.
Photos by West Connection
Makayla was the first in her family to attend college and decided to turn her enthusiasm for the dairy industry into a career. She attended Modesto Junior college and then transferred to Fresno State where she graduated in 2019 with a degree in Animal Sciences. She was an officer in the Fresno State Dairy Club where she was an ambassador promoting both Fresno State’s dairy science program and the dairy industry itself. During her senior year, Makayla was the Fresno State Herd Manager for the dairy unit which is 100% student run
In 2017 Makayla was selected as the District 6 Dairy Princess. The California Dairy Princess Program is an opportunity for young women to represent the dairy industry promoting a positive image for milk and dairy products. Contests are held every year in each district throughout California where contestants must appear before a panel of judges. They are judged and selected based on how well they know the dairy industry as well as their ability to speak in front of a public audience. These ladies often appear at business and agriculture events serving as representatives for the California dairy industry.
Following college graduation, Makayla was selected as an international intern for the California Milk Advisory Board. This position offered an opportunity to learn about marketing dairy in the international marketplace. California provides more than 33% of all U.S. dairy exports to foreign markets.
Makayla spent 6 weeks in Cuernavaca Mexico working with the Imalinx marketing team finding ways to increase dairy consumption in Mexico. Currently, Mexico imports primarily cheese and powdered milk from the U.S. The fluid milk in Mexico is an ultra-high temperature pasteurized product which provides an extended shelf life and does not require refrigeration. Makayla worked with a large retailer in Mexico hosting seminars and taste testing on cheese and ice cream at the store level. These demonstrations increased sales substantially. She also worked on preparing cost analysis on fluid milk compared to extended shelf life milk. Besides promoting the California dairy industry, Makayla enjoyed living in Mexico which broadened her cultural awareness, enabled her to sample different foods as well as made new friends.
While her brother John Jr. is being groomed to take over their family dairy operations, Makayla wants to continue her work in agriculture on a broader scope. She is currently working as a Program Technician for the Merced Farm Service Agency (FSA) which is under the USDA. The FSA assists farmers and dairymen in a time of need. Makayla loves working with farmers and producers and her job allows her to continue to build and maintain relationships with the important people who bring us our food supply.
Agriculture is not a job for Makayla it is an important part of her life. The dairy industry is part of her heritage and runs deep in her blood. She enjoyed working with marketing and promoting California dairy products. She wants to continue to make a difference in this industry she is so passionate about and bridge the gap between dairy producers and consumers.