We are proud to announce Dustin Takes of Takes Dairy Farm in Iowa has been named the winner of the prestigious The Way to Dairy Award.
Takes was given this top honor for being a dairy farmer who best demonstrates and lives by the standards of sustainability and innovation while being an animal care advocate who is involved in the dairy industry. Takes, who was selected by a panel of independent, dairy-industry experts, will receive his choice of a new Lely Astronaut A5 milking system or a recently re-launched Vector feeding system.
Involved in a thriving family dairy operation, Takes is dedicated to finding innovative solutions to continue supporting the dairy economy while maintaining the health and productivity of the herd.
"Takes operates a progressive-minded dairy operation that exemplifies the values that Lely strives to recognize,” said Chad Huyser, Vice President Lely North America. “We are proud to award one of the best dairy farms in the industry with the best automation on the market, supported by their local Lely Center, Eastern Iowa Dairy.”
One of four finalists identified for this award, Takes had to compete against strong competition which included: Charles Carter of Carterly Farm, Inc. in Indiana; Kasey Hudson of Baker’s Golden Dairy in Ohio and Emily den Haan of Haanview Farms in Ontario, Canada.
Each of these finalists were awarded a $20,000 Lely voucher to be used at their local Lely Center. Lely Centers span the U.S. and Canada from Quebec to Kentucky across the plains to California and into western Canada to serve dairy farmers across North America.
"All of the finalists are leaders in the dairy industry who impacted their local communities in uniquely different ways. Lely uncovered the best of the best and is fueled by their passion and perseverance to provide innovative, sustainable and profitable solutions to the dairy industry," Huyser said.