Marilyn Hershey, a rural leader who strives to be a voice for U.S. dairy farmers, is named IICA Leader of Rurality of the Americas
Washington, 10 May 2023 (IICA) – A passionate champion of dairy production from her youth and a believer in the vital role of the 40,000 United States dairy producers in guaranteeing the country’s food and nutrition security, Marilyn Hershey was honored as one of the “Leaders of Rurality” of the Americas by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Hershey, a dairy farmer from Pennsylvania, will receive the “Soul of Rurality” award, which is part of an initiative by the specialized agency for agricultural and rural development that shines a spotlight on those making a difference in the rural areas of the Americas. Often neglected, the rural areas and those who live in them are pivotal in ensuring the planet’s food and nutrition security, as well as its environmental sustainability.
Hershey is the first woman to have been appointed to her current position as Chair of Dairy Management Inc., the association of United States dairy farmers that has spearheaded a promotional, research and educational program on the sector to encourage greater milk consumption in the country. It is funded by farmers and the industry.
“My responsibility today is to be the voice for dairy farmers throughout the United States. I take this very seriously, particularly because we are faced with a challenging economic climate that has threatened the livelihood of many colleagues”, she explained.
She was raised on a dairy farm that belonged to her family for many years, where her grandmother passed on to her a love for cows and the dairy industry. From a very young age, Marilyn knew that dairy production would be an essential part of her life and that she wanted to raise her family on a dairy farm.
She married Duane Hershey in 1984 and they moved to Cochranville, Pennsylvania. The Ar-Joy farm is a family business operating on 550 acres of land (close to 222.5 hectares) and located one hour west of the city of Philadelphia and 40 minutes north of Chesapeake Bay. The couple live there, along with their 600 milking cows and 100 calves.
The Leader of Rurality of Award pays tribute to those who are playing a critical dual role: guaranteeing food and nutrition security, by producing under all circumstances, as well as protecting the biodiversity of the planet. The award also highlights their capacity to be positive role models in rural areas where they live.
Nutritious food of superb quality
Marilyn tells us that, “I pay a great deal of attention to the calves, taking care of them almost like a mother. Thanks to that passion and dedication, we produce a top-quality product that is nutritious and provides value for consumers. We take great pride in this.”
She also explains that “We are faced with many challenges in the food production process. We are located near an urban area and have neighbors who are concerned about the truck traffic and about the waste management of the manure. We address these issues and that is why I am convinced that, as farmers, we have been environmentalists all our lives.”
Marilyn and Duane strive to reduce the environmental impact of their production activities. They have implemented a series of best practices to protect the soil, reduce water consumption and minimize the carbon footprint of their operations.
However, they took the most important step in 2017, by installing a biodigester, a hermetically sealed tank that treats cow dung anaerobically, where it undergoes a decomposition process resulting in the generation of biogas. This fuel is used to produce electricity. The couple also treats organic waste from various community activities in the biodigester. Thus, they can supply all the energy the farm requires and generate a surplus to feed back into the electricity grid.
This generation of renewable energy reduces methane emissions, one of the most potent greenhouse gases responsible for climate change. According to official data from the United States, beef and milk production generates up to 27% of the country’s methane emissions.
Marilyn and Dwayne believe that making a positive contribution to the community is an essential part of their work. The mutual affection and sense of belonging that the Ar-Joy Farm shares with its neighbors was evident in the winter of 2014, when the weight of snow and ice that had accumulated on the roof of the stable that houses the cows caused it to collapse. In a moving show of support, more than 100 people came in the middle of the night to help free the animals that had been trapped.
More than being a dairy industry leader, Marilyn has an enormous vocation that compels her to reach out and share her story at every opportunity.
“Promoting our industry and telling our story is my passion—she says—and therefore I do this at conferences, in schools and when we welcome visitors to our farm. All my positions in associations came about naturally”.
She is convinced that dairy farmers must stand more united than ever.
“We don’t necessarily have to agree all the time”, she explained. “Having different opinions on the issues is healthy. However, we must respect each other and recognize the reality of what is happening in our sector. Our industry has an enormous opportunity to prosper, both in the domestic and the global market. We are resilient and determined and love what we do. Together, we will be stronger”.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
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