When Yvette Longenecker looks across her family’s dairy farm, she sees more than cows, barns and fields. She sees decades of hard work — and a responsibility to leave the farm stronger for the next generation.

Yvette’s parents purchased the property in Williamsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1978 and built the operation from the ground up. Today, Penn England LLC is one of the largest dairies in the state. They’ve been Land O’Lakes member owners since 1979, supplying milk within the east milk shed for major dairy customers, including The Hershey Company.

Leading with stewardship

For decades, Penn England has focused on finding efficient ways to operate while reducing its environmental footprint.

“We've been no-tilling for 20-plus years, and we were one of the first farms in Pennsylvania to use a methane digester for renewable energy,” says Yvette.

One area of continued focus has been manure management. When properly processed, cow manure can become a valuable resource. The nutrient-rich liquids can be used to fertilize crops, while the dried solids can be recycled into bedding for the cows. These practices can help farms save money, maximize resources and reduce emissions.

Penn England had been using solid-liquid separation technology for years, but as the dairy grew, its aging equipment struggled to keep pace.

Thanks to a collaborative effort between Land O’Lakes and Hershey, the farm was able to build a new two-story facility equipped with advanced manure separation technology, pumps and supporting infrastructure.

The power of collaboration

On-farm infrastructure improvements often require significant investment, making collaboration essential.

Part of the cooperative’s role is connecting member-owners who are interested in environmental stewardship with dairy customers who want to reduce the carbon footprint within their supply chain.

"Our role is to support our dairy members in achieving their efficiency and sustainability goals to help position their operations for long-term success," says Kristy Miron, Dairy Sustainability manager on the Land O’Lakes Member Relations team.

The Penn England project is one of several customer-funded manure management initiatives currently underway at member farms from California to the East Coast.

“Land O’Lakes has connections that we don't have at the farm level. To have them in our corner is invaluable,” says Yvette. “And thanks to the funding from Hershey, we were able to build the facility that’s the most beneficial to our operation.”

Hershey, one of the largest consumers of fluid milk on the East Coast, has been a key Land O’Lakes dairy customer and strategic partner since 1994. 

“Successful partnerships like ours are built on shared values, an openness to solving challenges together and a commitment to long-term success,” says Max Dawes, director of Commodity Procurement at Hershey.

Building for the next generation

For Yvette, stewardship means taking care of the land and resources to ensure her family’s dairy remains strong and resilient for years to come.

“We want to continue to grow,” she says. “Not necessarily just to milk more cows, but to provide the best environment we can for our animals — and the most efficient operation for future generations.”

The Penn England project highlights what’s possible when farmers, cooperatives and customers work together. These investments can help farms operate more efficiently, support customer goals and strengthen the dairy supply chain.

Most importantly, they help family farms like Penn England continue their legacy — building a prosperous future.