Marilyn Hershey

Marilyn Hershey is the chair of Dairy Management Inc., and a director on the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) board. UDIA and the National Dairy Board fund Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program. Marilyn and her husband Duane, own and operate Ar Joy Farms, LLC, a Pennsylvania family farm nestled about an hour west of Philadelphia and forty minutes north of the Chesapeake Bay. Their long family history of dairy farming is evident as they care for the land (550 acres), the animals (800 milking cows) and their employees.  Environmental stewardship is a priority for the Hersheys and they have many on-farm practices that conserve water and soil, reducing their carbon footprint. In 2017, they installed a methane digester, taking manure from the cows and converting it to electricity. They are also able to incorporate food waste from the local community, increasing the amount of gas produced from the methane digester. The digester produces enough gas to run their farm as well as contribute to their community.  In 2019, Marilyn represented the dairy sector at several events in Rome. At the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, she presented on the importance of the role of women as farm owners in the United States, and participated in a panel discussion during the launch of the Decade of Family Farming. At the International Dairy Federation, Marilyn chaired a panel at the World Dairy Summit on Climate Change. In 2017, Marilyn was recognized as World Dairy Expo’s Dairy Woman of the Year and in 2018 she was honored by Corteva Agriscience on International Day of Rural Women as one of ten women recognized from around the world for her leadership in agriculture. Marilyn also writes a regular column for Hoard’s Dairyman.  Dairy Management Inc.™ is the domestic and international planning and management organization responsible for increasing demand for U.S.-produced dairy products on behalf of America’s dairy farmers and dairy importers. DMI manages the American Dairy Association®, National Dairy Council®, the U.S. Dairy Export Council® (USDEC) and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.