Back home for Jersey enthusiast

MARIBEL, Wis. — Returning home to the family farm to work full time was not the immediate plan for Emma Vos, a recent college graduate and Jersey enthusiast. But life had other ideas.

After graduating in the spring from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in agricultural and applied economics and agricultural business and management, Vos spent her summer traveling to cow shows, networking and helping on her family’s dairy farm near Maribel. She had hoped to begin a full-time career in the dairy industry by late summer.

Yet, when her father — one of two full-time family members on the farm — was injured in a four-wheeler accident in early August, Vos’ plan shifted. She stepped up to help more on the farm, Proud Heritage Jerseys, milking approximately 120 Jerseys and Holsteins.

“I can’t complain,” she said. “The farm is really important to me and my family, and the community has just been so supportive through this whole process. I love the cows and have always had a passion for dairy.”

Vos said she has been grateful for this extra time at home and has had a renewed appreciation for the farm and lifestyle she grew up with.

“It opened my eyes that you might have a plan, but your plan might change,” Vos said. “That just makes you a better person on the other side.”

Despite some challenges the past few weeks, Vos said she has found strength in the dairy community.

“I just know my passion is the dairy industry,” she said. “The farm has supported me through everything and has gotten me to where I am today. It’s where I learned my love for the Jersey cow. It’s where I built a work ethic, learned to think on my feet and provided me with the opportunity meet my best friends and coworkers.”

Farming now has solidified her desire to stay involved in the industry for the long term.

“It’s definitely made my connection to the farm stronger,” Vos said. “(It has) made me think about where I want to end up, and that’s definitely part of our farm or another farm, whatever, whenever that might be. I want to get industry experience because there’s so much to learn, but (this has) confirmed that I want to come back.”

Specifically, she is interested in looking into diversifying the farm, combining her business knowledge with hands-on experience planning to apply for some roles later this fall in the dairy industry.

“At the end of the day, we all want the farm to be successful; we all want the best for the cows,” Vos said.

Her commitment to the farm goes back to many dairy-centric opportunities, from dairy judging to showing at local, state and national shows.

“One of the most influential activities I did was the Jersey Youth Academy through the American Jersey Cattle Association,” she said. “It was by far one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had.”

The Jersey You Academy’s mission is to attract, educate and retain young people for careers in the Jersey dairy business, and it has done just that for Vos. The weeklong experience in Ohio connected her to all facets of the breed from farm tours to ways of being involved with the association.

“The best part about it is the (association) really does try to provide opportunities for kids whether you come from a production and high genomic herd genetic herd or you (have) just shown a couple cows,” Vos said. “It really doesn’t matter what your level of experience is, they will they have an opportunity for everyone.”

Her involvement has earned her national recognition as the 2023 winner of the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest. She was also crowned Wisconsin Jersey Queen and was named second alternate in the national contest in 2023 and 2024. In 2022, she exhibited the premier performance cow of the All American Junior Jersey Show with a cow that also earned her a first All-American honor.

For Vos, though, it has never been about the awards, though she was also a Fred Stout experience winner for 2022.

“I never viewed the award as another plaque on the wall, but rather the knowledge that I gained from the experience that I had,” Vos said, “For me, when I applied, this obviously means a lot to the Jersey association and to countless breeders. This will definitely be something that I will learn from and come out better on the other side.”

While Vos has never met Stout, she often heard his name at shows and sales with his legacy inspiring the next generation, including herself.

As Vos looks ahead, she said she aspires to have a career within the industry to gain more knowledge, yet time on the farm will always be at her core.