Resiliency, Precision and the Future of McCarty Family Farms with Dave McCarty

How a 25-Year Transformation Built One of Dairy’s Most Resilient, Data-Driven Operations

From Yellow Notepads to Precision Management

At World Dairy Expo, Dave McCarty reflects on how McCarty Family Farms evolved from a Pennsylvania tie-stall barn to a multi-site operation recognized as Dairy Producers of the Year. A major part of that transformation came from shifting away from basic bookkeeping. “We were yellow notepad people at that point,” he said, describing the early days before accounting teams and HR systems became standard practice. Today, precision management drives both cow performance and financial clarity.

The Power of Strategic Partnerships

One of the most pivotal relationships in the farm’s growth came when their lender challenged them to become “price makers, not price takers.” That push led them toward the Danone partnership and eventually to building an on-site milk processing plant. He explains that because of that challenge, 15 years later the operation’s larger than they ever anticipated.

Resiliency: A Core Character, Not Just a Strategy

Resiliency comes up repeatedly in Dave’s description of his family and their business. “We’re not a group that likes to fail…One of those traits to accomplish that is resiliency.” COVID-19 tested that in unprecedented ways. Dave recalled the unknowns, the farm leaned hard on relationships with lenders and Danone and shifted quickly into tighter hedging, more aggressive risk management and stronger internal systems.

The pandemic also collided with a major building project, blowing budgets and forcing constant financial adjustments. He explained how cost continued to be a major factor during that time period. “Every time I turned around, I had one of my brothers telling me how much more it was gonna cost.”

Building Predictability Through Genetics

For the last 10 years, McCarty Family Farms has leaned heavily into genomics. These traits support lower emissions, improved sustainability and cows that last longer and perform more consistently.

The closed herd operation now has:
• Lower cull rates
• Exceptional reproductive success
• Year-over-year improvement in solids
• Predictable herd performance

All of this makes long-term financial planning far more reliable.

Creating Opportunities for the Next Generation

Dave remembers the feeling of stepping into their new double-12 parlor when the family moved to Kansas. Now, he sees that same look in the eyes of the next generation as they walk into the state-of-the-art facilities on the dairy today.

He said the future will look different; robotics, sustainability, communications and technology all offer entry points for the next generation. He emphasises that milking cows is not the only path into the dairy industry these days.

“You don’t have to be a cow guy to come back to our operation,” he said. “We have such a wide variety of things for them to take on.”

After 25 years of growth, challenges and transformation, he sees the business as positioned for a strong future; financially, genetically and operationally.

Want the full context? Catch the entire conversation with Dave McCarty on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or watch the full interview below.