Where It All Began
Our story begins with Taylor McCarty in 1914 when he started milking cows near Sugar Run, PA. Taylor McCarty had a passion for working with high-performing cows. His herd of 15 cows was awarded by the National Dairy Association for their high butterfat average in 1937. One even received individual recognition for her high milk production.
Growing for the Future
Harold K. McCarty took the reigns of Elmglade Dairy in 1945. With a progressive mindset, he continued to improve upon the family farm by embracing new technologies and eventually growing his herd to about 40 Holstein dairy cows.
Setting the Bar High
In 1970, Tom and Judy McCarty left their teaching careers to farm full time. Soon after, they constructed a new barn to accommodate their 150 Holsteins and support their growing family. In 1981, PA Governor toured the dairy, calling it “one of most progressive” in the state
Looking Ahead
In the 90s, Tom and Judy knew their children were interested in carrying on the family farming tradition, but to eventually support four additional families, Elmglade Dairy needed to grow. Land availability was scarce in Sugar Run, PA so they began researching potential locations in the West.
Making the Move West
After a lot of research, the family purchased a wheat farm in Northwest Kansas. After months of planning, building and adding to the team, McCarty Family Farms began milking 250 cows in Rexford on April 1, 2000. The farm quickly grew to nearly 800 cows as the next generation began returning to the family farm.
Supporting Local Communities
In 2008, the local economic development foundation approached the McCarty Family about building a new dairy in Bird City to create a positive economical impact on the local community and school systems. The following year, the McCartys were named the Kansas Distinguished Dairy Farm Family of the Year.
Creating New Opportunities
In addition to purchasing a dairy farm in Scott City, the McCarty family began an industry-first collaboration with Dannon in 2011. In 2012, a one-of-a-kind evaporative milk condensing plant was completed on-farm in Rexford earning McCarty Family Farms awards in innovation and sustainability.
Continuing to Improve
To expand and improve, the McCarty Family began looking into dairy farms in Ohio where they could supply new non-GMO product lines at Danone's largest yogurt plant. That's where they met the VanTilburg family, like-minded farmers also looking to purchase a dairy farm. Instead, the two families created the McCarty-VanTilburg Partnership and built MVP Dairy and Dairy Learning Center. The dairy first opened in 2018 and was named IDFA's Innovative Dairy Farm of the Year in 2020.
Looking Forward
Today, Mike, Clay, David and Ken work together with their nearly 200 team members across 5 dairy farms and processing plant. With more than 100 years of farming behind our family, we hope our long standing commitment to doing what's right for our cows, land and people allow us to do what we love for generations to come.