Who We Are

Milk for Health

Milk for Health on the Niagara Frontier began in 1941 and incorporated in 1949, making it one of the oldest dairy promotion organizations in the United States. Since day one, the goal of the organization has been to support the dairy farmers of Western New York, promote dairy products and educate the public about the goodness of milk.

The organization is funded through the New York State Dairy Checkoff Program and works with family-owned co-ops and milk producers of all shapes and sizes in Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Wyoming and Allegany counties and part of Genessee County.

Milk for Health educates its farmers on how to better communicate with the public and welcome the public to their farms. MFH also works with several local organizations like the Erie County Agricultural Society to promote the benefits milk has on a healthy lifestyle.

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Where to find us

where to find us

Media

Milk for Health commercials on all of the major local television stations have been a favorite in Western New York for decades. MFH also advertises on radio, streaming sites, social media and more!

Explore & More Children’s Museum

Milk for Health works closely with the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum in downtown Buffalo to produce monthly events and activities such as Bite Size Buffalo, Honk for Heroes, Find-a-Truck, National Farmer’s Day, Story Time and virtual STEM programming.

Magic Shows

Magician Rob Allen has been a partner with Milk for Health for more than 40 years. He brings fun and magic to nutrition and is a joy to watch for all ages! Allen performs at more than 100 schools throughout Western New York, at the Explore & More Children’s Museum and through the summer at Olcott Park.

Fairs

Milk for Health attends all the local county fairs and various other events in Western New York, such as the Hamburg Festival of Lights.

Schools

Milk for Health has teamed up with the Say Yes Buffalo program to bring no-cost programming to the Saturday Academy program for the Buffalo Community Schools. The program covers the 18 community schools in Buffalo, which include 8,000 of the most poverty-stricken children in the Buffalo Public Schools district.

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Meet Our team

Bethany

Bethany Hobin, Executive Director

Hobin grew up on and around dairy farms and continues to raise replacement and show heifers in Java Center, N.Y. As executive director, she oversees all of Milk for Health’s day-to-day operations. With a background in sales and marketing, the job marries two of those passions. “I love being able to help dairy farmers continue doing what they love and educate the public about the truth of dairy.” A mother of three young boys, Hobin’s favorite dairy product is vanilla yogurt.

Becky

Becky Kaminski, Education Manager

Kaminski has an early childhood background and is in charge of Milk for Health’s school programming. She and her young family with two sons and a daughter live in West Valley, where they have and show jersey cows and heifers. Cheese of any kind is Kaminski’s favorite dairy product.

Board Members

Milk for Health consists of eight dairy farmer board members from across Western New York.

Kendra Lamb

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

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

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

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.

Heather Woodis

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

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

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 V

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.

Kendra Lamb

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 V

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.

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