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Stewardship Report 2024—On the Farm

On the Farm

Supporting farms and the animals in their care.

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Farmworker Training Para Todos

Offering expert, up-to-date training is one of the responsibilities of our Farm Services team. Because so many farmworkers speak Spanish as their primary language, it’s vital that nothing gets lost in translation.

Each year, we bring on a native Spanish speaker to conduct these ongoing training sessions. More than just a simple translator, the instructor brings hands-on experience with the processes they are teaching. In total, we provided a combined 778 hours of training across member farms in 2024. Ongoing training like this ensures that farm employees learn the best practices for essential tasks like proper milking prep, cow movement skills, sanitation and more.

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cow care

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For our farmer-owners and TCCA’s Farm Services team, caring for cows is more than a job; it’s a 24/7 responsibility. One way we keep tabs on the health of our cow population is through monitoring milk quality at every step of the production process. The Farm Services and Lab teams work together to provide reliable, timely milk testing results 365 days a year. This service gives our farmers peace of mind as well as helps them stay on top of potential health issues affecting their herds. When results indicate the presence of bacteria, Farm Services consults with the farmer to determine a quick resolution plan.

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One illness we keep a close eye on is mastitis, an inflammation of the udder generally caused by a bacterial infection picked up during daily life on the farm, particularly during milking. Some mastitis is contagious, so it’s imperative we identify affected cows quickly as well as any equipment they’ve encountered. This helps reduce the spread among the herd and protects the quality of our milk. If mastitis is detected, our team often helps to sample cows from the same pen or group as the affected cow — sometimes working through the night to inspect hundreds of them — to isolate the infection. It also means sampling towels, bedding, milking units and even water sources to determine the source of the infection.

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Once we identify the cows, we work with the farmers to develop a plan going forward to minimize the possibility of future incidents. The farmers then follow up with their veterinarians on the farm to develop prevention and treatment plans to keep their cows healthy. Any affected milk is also discarded until the cow’s milk has tested back to normal and she is cleared to re-enter the milk supply. It’s all in a day’s — or night’s — work for the Farm Services team.