Ellsworth, Wis.] – In case you missed it, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery Board Member Marty Hallock was named the 2023 Wisconsin Master Agriculturist for his dedication to dairy farming and education. Hallock is an industry leader who manages a 1,400 cow dairy in Buffalo County.
“Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery is proud to be a farmer-owned co-op supported by farms like Marty Hallock’s,” said Paul Bauer, CEO and general manager of Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery. “On behalf of Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, we would like to congratulate Marty on his recognition and thank him for his work to support the dairy industry and the community.”
Read the full story here or find excerpts below.
Marty Hallock: Details key to dairy’s success
Farm Progress
March 7, 2023
Marty Hallock and his family own and operate a 1,400-cow dairy farm and grow about 2,800 acres of crops in Buffalo County in west-central Wisconsin. Their Holstein cows average 1,285 pounds of fat and 961 pounds of protein.
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While he owns and operates a highly successful farm, Marty is quick to point out he didn’t grow up on a dairy farm.
During high school, Marty started working on his uncle’s dairy farm. He used his uncle’s farm equipment to start his own cash cropping enterprise.
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“I’m a big believer in education,” Marty says. “People have taught me a lot. I feel education is very important.”
During college at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, he worked on an Ellsworth dairy and hog farm and continued to raise his own cash crops.
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Mar-Bec Dairy has won quality milk awards for close to 15 years from Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, where they sell their milk.
Marty says the secret to their farm’s success is in the details. “It’s not one thing that we do better than everyone else; it’s the 1,000 things we do 1% better that makes our farm successful. Every cow and every heifer matters to me,” he says. “I hate guessing; we don’t guess, we know.”
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Marty is active in his community and farm organizations. He served on the Gilmanton School Board for 19 years, including 10 years as president. He also served on the Cooperative Educational Service Agency 10 board for 10 years, including three years as president. He is a member of the Gilmanton Community Club, giving him the privilege to play a major role in Santa Day.
Marty is currently a member of the Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery board, and has been for 18 years. He is a member of the Food Armor Foundation, serving on that board for four years. He was on the Professional Dairy Producers (PDPW) board for six years, including one year as president and two years as vice president.
