At the February 11 Annual Meeting of the Indiana Dairy Producers, Brian Houin of Plymouth, Indiana, was named the 2013 Outstanding Young Dairy Producer of the Year. Each year, IDP solicits nominations for this award to highlight successful dairy producers who are under 35 years of age. His nomination was selected by Purdue extension specialists and industry advisers of the organization for his outstanding work in achieving excellence in dairy farming in Indiana.
Brian’s dad and uncle purchased their dairy farm in 1979 from their father, Brian’s grandfather. At that time, they were milking 110 cows. In 2000, they expanded to 1000 cows. After purchasing additional dairy farms, Homestead Dairy is currently up to 3300 cows in 4 facilities.
At this time, Indiana is one of 20 states that doesn't allow the sale of unpasteurized milk directly to the consumer. Purdue University Extension has just published an important information piece that answers many questions about raw and pasteurized milk: What is pasteurization? Why is pasteurization used for milk? Is milk altered by pasteurization? What risks are associated with drinking raw milk? and more. Click here for more information.
