Mary Cameron Breaks New Ground – and Teaches Along the Way
As a young girl growing up on her family's dairy, Mary Cameron learned the ropesof what it meant to be a California dairy producer: hard work, a passion for your cows and your land, and a desire to bring nutritious dairy products to other people's tables.
Fast forward to 2009. Mary Cameron, who now runs her own family-operated Atsma-Cameron Dairy in Hanford, Calif., is breaking new dairying ground. Last year, Western Dairy Business magazine honored Mary with its prestigious "Outstanding Dairy Producer of the Year" award, the first time it has been awarded to a woman, for her contributions to the industry and her community. And Mary is no stranger to other industry "firsts." She was the first woman to serve as a director on a co-op board west of the Mississippi.
While Mary feels honored to contribute to California dairy, it's what she and her family do every day that really makes her proud. Mary and her husband started their dairy in 1955, and now she passes that legacy on to future generations. All three of her sons inherited her passion for dairying, and two are involved in the family dairy, while her other son runs his own dairy in Iowa. Two of her granddaughters also work for the family business - one works as the assistant herdsman and another helps manage the dairy's finances.
Cow comfort is a number one priority for Mary and her family - and they instill this priority in those who help care for the dairy's 2,000 Holstein cows and calves. "We make sure our cows are comfortable and happy," says Mary. "It's just common sense. We also have employees who really care about our cows. For example, I have a calf feeder who has worked for me for over 20 years. They are caring people."
Mary also enjoys bringing "first" dairying experiences to people in her community. For the past 25 years, Mary and her family have hosted school tours at the dairy, with as many as 1,000 children visiting the farm in a school year. "It's not only about giving the kids a tour," says Mary. "I teach them dairy vocabulary and how we feed our cows and why it's important."
For more stories like Mary's, meet our Real California Dairy Families at www.RealCaliforniaMilk.com/people.
