Meet Dirk Okkema, a dairy and sheep farmer from west Michigan. He also works fulltime as a member representative of a dairy cooperative. He shares about:

• A brief history of how his parents met and came to be farmers in the U.S.
• What’s involved in “lambing” season
• An overview of the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program
• Regional differences he notices while he travels an average of 120 miles per day
• What he enjoys doing outside of work and farming
• Where he’s traveled to get a break and relax (oh, and maybe see some cool agricultural technologies)
• Teams he follows closely
• What it’s like to have an open house/barn for 2,000 people
• A clear answer regarding antibiotics & milk (It’s tested multiple times to guarantee antibiotics are never in store-purchased milk. Ever.)
• A time he looks forward to every year

Resources mentioned in this podcast:

• Farm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/degrinsoerdairy/
• Breakfast on the Farm events: https://www.canr.msu.edu/breakfast_on_the_farm/
• Michigan Milk Producers Association: https://www.mimilk.com/
• Michigan Farm Bureau: https://www.michfb.com/mi/
• Michigan 4-H: https://www.canr.msu.edu/4h/