The Cornhusker Chapter toured Prairieland Dairy in Firth, NE on October 20th. Dan Rice, owner of Prairieland, did an exceptional job sharing the history of how he started in dairy and explained the dairy industry functionality of his operation.  This is a 1300 head Holstein dairy cow operation that produces its own milk, ice cream and a growing compost business.

Dan is truly an innovator among his dairy peers.  He has spent a lot of time developing and testing the A2 protein the Holstein cow has within their DNA.  Most dairy cows carry either an A1 or A2 protein, which has proven to be an effective positive in those consumers affected by the complications due to the A1 protein which makes it difficult to consume.  People have praised Mr. Rice on his A2 product that allows them to drink his milk without ANY adverse complications and taste the same as normal milk.  Dan is extremely passionate about human health and states his operation is a ‘functional’ operation aimed at consumer health… not a high volume dairy production commodity.

Dan also spends his time soil sampling to better understand and improve their corn feed.  He is concerned about the soil fertility & nutrient balance NPK (nitrates/phosphorus/potassium) and works closely with the University of Nebraska to improve the quality of the soil.  He also receives a 97% score from the Dairy Association’s annual audit.  Quite impressive!