Tom Mufford worked on oil rigs and in trucking but always knew he would return to a dairy farm one day.
He was raised on a dairy farm near Langley, B.C., and moved to Millet, Alta., in 1992.
By 1999, the Muffords had decided to move again to Hague, Sask., where Mufford is the general manager of his family’s Rivercrest Land and Cattle operation.
“When we started, we were milking 43 cows and now we milk 250 cows, we are constantly expanding,” said Mufford.
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He raises a mix of purebred and commercial animals with his father and brother, with milking housed in a double nine parlour.
“As a job, I have never really done anything else except working on dairies. I am extremely proud to have worked on the rigs and to have been in that situation … certainly wasn’t farming.”
This year, he became Holstein Canada’s Young Adult Advisory Committee representative for Western Canada.
He and his wife, Wendy, have been going to the young adult convention for the last three years and he knew a position was available on the committee.
“I knew it was coming up, I did make sure to know what the job was about and spoke to a couple people and spoke to the girl who was finishing up her term and told her it was something I was interested in,” Mufford said.
Holstein Canada’s general meeting and its young adult convention are held together.
The young adult program caters to dairy operators aged 19-29 and involves presentations, farm tours, on farm workshops and participation in the Master Breeder awards banquet.
Mufford called it a great experience. “It’s nice to talk to other young
people and it’s been great to take advantage of the program like this. It’s another way to contribute,” he said.
Holstein Canada will hold a young adult event during its national convention April 18-22 in Brandon, but the next young adult convention will be held during the World Holstein conference in Toronto Nov. 4-8.
“We try to have it as more of an educational thing. We are all together for the four days, we want to make sure it works and it will be something that other young adults will enjoy,” Mufford said.
Holstein Canada branches will contribute $750 toward the World Youth Conference and can select up to three sponsored youth to attend.
For now, Mufford is enjoying planning events and making connections.
“It’s helped out the farm with buying and selling. I call other farmers across Canada and find out what prices are like,” he said.
The other three members of the advisory committee are from Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
