Joel interview.mp4CNY's Dairy Industry
New York is a bustling state with bright lights, busy streets, and... a flourishing dairy industry. The dairy industry is a behind-the-scenes system that most people don’t think about often, but it holds great importance. In New York alone, we produce 15.3 billion pounds of milk per year, ranking us the fourth highest state for milk production. Our 3,650 dairy farms have created over 182,000 jobs (American Dairy Association North East, 2021). When The Lifeguard took a trip to Pompey in Central New York, just 30 minutes outside of Liverpool, we stepped into the world of the dairy industry and witnessed the workers’ daily duties firsthand.
Hillside Dairy is a family-run establishment with five farms that produce organic milk right here in Central New York.
As stated on their Facebook page, they focus on “the efficient, profitable production of large volumes of high-quality milk” while prioritizing the safety and well-being of their team, animals, and terrain. According to the conversations we had with some of the folks at Hillside dairy, there are many misconceptions about the dairy industry, especially in terms of animal treatment. At Hillside, we spoke with the owner, Joel Riehlman, to milk the truth out of the dairy industry.
Hillside farms utilize gentle cow-milking robots, which are under constant surveillance and maintenance, for maximum efficiency. According to Riehlman, the cows tend to bring themselves to the robots! If they don’t make their way over within 9-10 hours, the farmers step in and guide them to the machines. Certainly, this breaks down the “bib overalls” and “straw hat” stereotype surrounding agriculture, Joel mentions. He claims the industry is a “very technical” field and that it has been this way for decades.
In addition to Joel, we also spoke with Julie Richardson, another farmer, who also answered our questions about their cows. We asked Julie about common misconceptions surrounding the dairy industry, and her answer was all about the animals. She acknowledged how people believe that cows are treated poorly on farms. However, this is certainly not the case for Hillside. Julie and the team love the animals and do everything they can for them. For example, since the cows need to be milked seven days a week, that is how often the farmers work.
Julie Interview.mp4They even go through the process of cleaning the barn twice a day. They also utilize technology as often as possible to benefit the cows. At Hillside all of the cows have collars for two reasons: to identify the cows and to notify the farmers of the cows’ health. These technological advances allow Hillside’s staff to produce better quality milk because the cows are cared for properly.
The Hillside Dairy staff was very welcoming and made our visit memorable. We are grateful for their shared knowledge of the dairy industry, especially in New York, typically viewed from the outside as an urban state. New York may be known for its glamour and theatrics, but, truthfully, that’s only the surface. Beyond the cities lie rolling hills and fields, many of which support crucial agricultural industries, including an exceptional dairy industry that deserves recognition. We are lucky to have seen the action in person.
By: Zakyra Ashby and Mikayla Avery