Who We Are
Milk for Health
Milk For Health has proudly represented Western New York dairy farm families for more than 75 years. Founded as Milk For Health on the Niagara Frontier in 1941 and incorporated in 1949, our organization is one of the oldest and longest-standing dairy promotion organizations in the United States.
Today, Milk For Health is guided by a dedicated Board of Directors made up of local dairy farmers who are committed to supporting fellow dairy farm families across Western New York. Through consumer outreach, educational programs, and community engagement, we work to promote the nutritional benefits of dairy products and share the story behind the farms that produce them.
Funded through the New York State Dairy Checkoff Program, Milk For Health works with family-owned cooperatives and milk producers of all sizes throughout Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Wyoming counties.
Milk For Health’s outreach efforts include participation in Buffalo Say Yes Saturday Academies, the Erie County Fair Ag Society’s Cow for Now Program, the Erie County Fair, school and
community events, the Festival of Lights, and sponsorship of the Moo-ve the Milk exhibit at the Explore & More Children’s Museum. These initiatives provide families with engaging, hands-on opportunities to learn about dairy farming, nutrition, and where their food comes from while connecting with the local dairy farmers who produce it.
As family farmers, we are proud to share our stories, answer questions, and provide insight into modern farming practices. Through these interactions, we help build trust, strengthen consumer confidence in dairy, and foster meaningful connections between local farms and the communities we serve.
Where to find us
Media
Milk For Health advertising reaches consumers across Western New York through streaming television, digital audio and music streaming services, social media, radio, and online advertising. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Explore & More Children’s Museum
Milk For Health works in partnership with the Explore & More Children’s Museum in downtown Buffalo. We are proud to sponsor the Moo-ve the Milk exhibit, where children can learn about the journey of milk from farm to fridge through interactive play. We also collaborate on programs and events throughout the year, including Bite Size Buffalo, National Farmer’s Day, June Dairy Month celebrations, Kitchen Chemistry Camp, Touch a Truck, Cows on Canalside, and more!
Magic Shows
Magician Rob Allen has been a partner with Milk For Health for more than 50 years. Through fun, interactive magic shows, Rob helps bring nutrition messages to life for audiences of all ages. He performs at more than 100 schools throughout Western New York, at the Explore & More Children’s Museum, and during the summer season at Olcott Beach Carousel Park.
Fairs
Milk For Health participates in county fairs and community events throughout Western New York. Our largest presence is at the Erie County Fair, where we host an educational exhibit and connect with thousands of fairgoers each year. You can also find us at local county fairs and community events, including the Hamburg Festival of Lights.
Schools
Milk For Health has partnered with the Say Yes Buffalo Saturday Academy program to provide no-cost dairy education and nutrition programming to Buffalo Community Schools. Through this partnership, we help bring hands-on learning experiences to students across Buffalo’s 18 community schools, reaching more than 8,000 students in the Buffalo Public Schools District each year. We also offer school programs throughout Western New York that promote healthy, affordable nutrition through activities featuring smoothies, yogurt parfaits, and other nutritious dairy foods.
MEET THE MILK FOR HEALTH TEAM!
From our dairy farmer Board of Directors to the team members leading outreach and events, everyone at Milk For Health shares a passion for the dairy industry. Our team is dedicated to sharing the goodness of dairy across Western New York, connecting consumers with local dairy farmers, and celebrating the people and nutritious products that strengthen our dairy community.
Kendra Lamb, President
Kendra Lamb is a dairy farmer from Oakfield, NY in Genesee County. Lamb Farms is a multi-generation family farm where they are milking 8,000 cows on 3 milking sites in Genesee and Niagara Counties. They proudly produce wholesome, nutritious milk for Upstate Farms Cooperative. The Lamb Family takes pride in giving top-notch care to their cows and sustainably farming the land to leave it better for the next generation. Kendra’s role on the farm is helping to care for the calves and also giving farm tours to school groups. Being on the Milk for Health board is very meaningful for her, as Kendra is passionate about connecting with consumers and helping them feel confident in how their food is produced. Her favorite dairy food is Oakfield Artisanal Cheese.
Katie Carpenter
Carpenter didn’t grow up on a farm but went to college for animal science and found her love of dairy farming. She lives in Attica and runs All Bright Farms with her husband, Josh, two sons, Kyle and Gavin, and 50 registered Jersey cows. Carpenter has been on the board for four years and also co-owns The Vintage Cow Farmers Market in Attica. Her favorite dairy product is a toss-up between ice cream and cheese curds.
Dudley Chaffee, Vice President
Dudley Chaffee is a dairy farmer from Barker, NY in Niagara County. Dudley has been in the dairy business for more than 50 years. He operates Chaffee Farms LLC with his wife Ruth and business partner Corey Miller. They milk 2,000 cows with the help of 20 dedicated employees. Dudley’s favorite dairy food is Perry’s Ice Cream or any product produced by Upstate Niagara Cooperative.
Bill Gabel
Gabel has spent 35 years on the Milk for Health board and 30 years as a director at Upstate Niagara Cooperative. He milks 875 cows in Lawtons, N.Y. and ships to Upstate Niagara. He has three sons and one daughter on the farm, plus two granddaughters. An interesting fact: Gabel has been a tractor puller for 59 years and still enjoys the thrill. He likes all dairy products, but ice cream is the best.
Carolyn Almeter
Carolyn Almeter did not grow up on a dairy farm, but she found her passion for agriculture after marrying into her husband’s family and becoming part of their sixth-generation operation, Breezyhill Dairy Sheldon, NY in Wyoming County. She farms alongside her husband and his family, on their 1,300 cow dairy where she plays an active role in all aspects of the farm, from caring for calves and cows to helping manage employees. Carolyn is especially passionate about educating children and families about where their food comes from and enjoys hosting spring field trips and giving farm tours. In addition to farming, she is a proud mom to three daughters, Izabel, Chloe, and Sydney, who share her love of cows. While she appreciates all dairy products, her family’s favorite is definitely ice cream!
Heather Woodis, Treasurer
Heather Woodis is a dairy farmer from Dewittville, NY in Chautauqua County. She milks 800 cows at Country Ayre Farms with her parents, husband and brother. Heather has four daughters, including one who has returned to the farm as assistant herdsperson. Heather manages the calves and finances for the farm-and enjoys doing both. Her favorite dairy product is chocolate ice cream with anything chocolate added in.
Ron McCormick
McCormick has been on the Milk for Health board for 27 years and the National Dairy Promotion Board for nine years. He milks 650 cows with his two sons, and now his grandsons are working on the farm, too, which is located in Java Center, N.Y. “I still work the farm I was born and raised on.” McCormick loves to make vanilla milkshakes at home, and he never misses an opportunity to get one when out and about. Cheesecake is also a special favorite of his.
John Borer
John Borer is a dairy farmer from Freedom, NY in Cattaraugus County. John is a third-generation dairy farmer who has lived and worked on his family’s dairy farm all his life. He attended SUNY Morrisville, where he received an associate degree in Dairy Science with a minor in business. He returned home to the family farm in 2004 and began working alongside his father. Borer married his high school sweetheart, Bethany, in 2006 and together they have three children-Samuel, Olivia and Liam. Today the Borer family milks 6,000 cows on their dairy farm where they share each other’s passion for the dairy industry and hope to pass it on to their children. When it comes to dairy products, John’s favorite is definitely extra sharp cheddar cheese.
Jeremy Verratti
Jeremy Verratti is a dairy farmer from Gasport NY in Niagara County. Jeremy milks 1,000 cows and raises heifers with a team that includes his brothers Daniel and Ben, father Dan plus many other family members. Jeremy and his wife Rachel have three kids-Jack Haddie and Sidney. They enjoy traveling, going to the beach and boating as a family. He also enjoys watching the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres and plays drums in church. Jeremy loves so many dairy products but ice cream and cheesecake are his favorites.
Kendra Lamb, President
Lamb has been a Milk for Health board member for six years. She is involved with calf raising and community relations for Lamb Farms, a family dairy operation in Oakfield with 9,000 dairy cows at four separate milking facilities, as well as young stock and cropping operations. The Lambs are fortunate to have 13 family members involved in various aspects of the family farm. As a mom, Kendra sees the importance of sharing their farm through tours and social media to help families learn about how their food is produced and the ways that dairy farmers take excellent care of the cows and the land. It’s very hard to pick a favorite dairy food, but ice cream marks many celebratory occasions for the Lamb family – from birthdays to good grades or a victory in youth sports, so that’s a top pick for sure!
Katie Carpenter
Carpenter didn’t grow up on a farm but went to college for animal science and found her love of dairy farming. She lives in Attica and runs All Bright Farms with her husband, Josh, two sons, Kyle and Gavin, and 50 registered Jersey cows. Carpenter has been on the board for four years and also co-owns The Vintage Cow Farmers Market in Attica. Her favorite dairy product is a toss-up between ice cream and cheese curds.
Heather Woodis, Treasurer
The Dewittville, N.Y. native milks 765 cows at Country Ayre Farms with her parents, husband and brother. Woodis has four daughters, including one who came back to the farm as its assistant herdsperson. Woodis manages the calves and financials – and enjoys doing both. Her favorite dairy product is chocolate ice cream with anything chocolate added in.
Ron McCormick
McCormick has been on the Milk for Health board for 27 years and the National Dairy Promotion Board for nine years. He milks 650 cows with his two sons, and now his grandsons are working on the farm, too, which is located in Java Center, N.Y. “I still work the farm I was born and raised on.” McCormick loves to make vanilla milkshakes at home, and he never misses an opportunity to get one when out and about. Cheesecake is also a special favorite of his.
Dudley Chaffee, Vice President
Chaffee of Barker, N.Y. has been in the dairy business for more than 30 years. He runs a farm of 1,400 milk cows with his wife, Ruth, partner, Corey Miller, and 20 dedicated employees. Chaffee’s favorite dairy food is Perry’s Ice Cream or any product produced by Upstate Niagara Cooperative.
Bill Gabel
Gabel has spent 35 years on the Milk for Health board and 30 years as a director at Upstate Niagara Cooperative. He milks 875 cows in Lawtons, N.Y. and ships to Upstate Niagara. He has three sons and one daughter on the farm, plus two granddaughters. An interesting fact: Gabel has been a tractor puller for 59 years and still enjoys the thrill. He likes all dairy products, but ice cream is the best.
John Borer
Borer is a third-generation farmer who has lived and worked on his family’s dairy farm all his life. He attended SUNY Morrisville, where he received an associate degree in Dairy Science with a minor in business. He returned home to the family farm in 2004 and began working alongside his father. Borer married his high school sweetheart, Bethany, in 2006, and together they have three children – Samuel, Olivia and Liam. The Borers share each other’s passion for the dairy industry and hope to pass it on to their children.
Jeremy Verratti
The two-year board member is from Gasport, N.Y. He milks 800 cows and raises all replacements with a team that includes his brothers, Daniel and Ben, and father, Dan, plus many other family members. Verratti and his wife, Rachel, have three kids – Jack, Haddie and Sidney. They enjoy traveling, going to the beach and boating as a family. He also enjoys watching the Bills and Sabres and plays drums in church. Verratti loves so many dairy products, but ice cream and cheesecake are his favorites.