MANHEIM, Pa. — Dairy farmer Jessica Peters, of Meadville, Pennsylvania, was one of four women honored recently with the Dairy Girl Network’s newly created Forward Under 40 award.
It was presented at Forward TogetHER, the Dairy Girl Network national conference, and recognized the winners’ industry involvement, leadership skills, innovative thinking and ideas.
Also honored were Candice White from Mill Hall, Pennsylvania; Kristi Fielder, Wisconsin; and Jessica Tekippe, of Iowa.
Jessica Peters. Jessica Peters grew up on her family dairy farm in Crawford County, in northwestern Pennsylvania, where they milk Jerseys. She went to Pennsylvania State University and before returning to the farm full time, she traveled to New Zealand to explore their culture and dairy industry.
She is also active with her local county fair and the Pennsylvania State Jersey Association where she serves as treasurer.
Peters is a Young Dairy Leaders Institute graduate and inspires others by sharing her role as a dairy farmer and their challenges to a large social media following. She writes a blog post for Hoard’s Dairyman, wrote a children’s nursery rhyme book and even started a national dairy dance-off challenge.
Candice White. White is the dairy manager at Paul Dotterer & Sons and is a third-generation dairywoman, overseeing the milking center and all herd health as well as managing over 15 employees and 1,650 cows and heifers.
White is also serving her second three-year term on the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania board of directors and also serves on the Pennsylvania Beef Council board of directors.
She has been at the forefront of using social media to educate consumers, and played a role in the She-I-O music video produced by Land O’ Lakes.
Kristi Fielder. Another recipient of the award was Kristi Fielder. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, she started as an intern with GENEX and she has held multiple roles in the company ever since.
She serves as the vice president of production and manages over 125 employees in production locations throughout the USA.
Jessica Tekippe. A former Iowa Dairy Princess, Tekippe has started her own dairy in partnership with her husband.
As the lead for research and development for Ajinomoto Animal Nutrition North America, Tekippe has also played a big role in changing the nutritional outline of the global dairy industry.
The Dairy Girl Network award will be presented again in 2020.
Applicants were nominated by fellow dairy industry representatives from across the country and were judged by an outside panel of anonymous industry professionals and producers.
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