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Young farmer says patience and honesty key in succession

A young dairy farmer says starting on his own as milk prices started to tank has forced him to become a better businessman.

“If I didn’t figure out a way to do things in a very prudent manner, I couldn’t pay my bills and I couldn’t stay in business.”        

Third generation dairy farmer James Weber tells Brownfield while in college, his family decided to sell their 40-cow herd before he was ready to take on the responsibility himself.

“In March of 2011, the Holstein cows that we had for two generations took off.”  

Four years later after working out west on large dairy farms, Weber realized he wanted to restart the dairy with a fresh start.

“We were going to start with something that could last for the rest of my career if need be, so we made the decision to put up a double 10 parallel milk parlor and a housing barn.”  

Today, the 29-year old milks 130 cows and farms 800 acres with his family in Vassar and hopes to expand once milk prices can support it.

Weber was recently selected as the Michigan Milk Producers Association’s Young Outstanding Dairy Cooperator.