New Generation Dairy

Waking up early to milk the cows is one of Brian Rexing’s earliest memories. Growing up on a small dairy farm in Vanderburgh County, taking care of the cows and doing things right was the way of life. Today, his family takes that approach on New Generation Dairy, their grain farming operation as well as their meat processing plant in Owensville.

A fourth-generation farmer, Brian was able to choose his own destiny. “Just like my dad chose his way, I purchased land out of high school and worked on the home dairy as I was getting started,” Brian says. A pivotal moment was when he got involved with Dairy Farmers of America (DFA)’s young cooperator program. ‘My eyes were opened to how others did things with different sizes and dairy structures, I started to really think through the process and toured dairies in Michigan, Kentucky and Illinois,” Brian recalls.

He met nutritionists, talked to landowners and learned all he could to devise his business plan and approach the bank. Perhaps the biggest step in starting his own dairy was sharing his plan with his Dad. “I wanted to be sure I had my ducks in a row and do it myself before going to my dad who is a super smart famer and community member, his stamp of approval on my approach was very important.”

With a plan in place, Brian and his wife, Ranell, began New Generation Dairy in 2008 that now includes 1,400 cows and farming row crops on around 4,000 acres. “Our approach is to work with our neighbors, you just have to do things right,” Brian says. “We focus on planting straight, keeping our fields clean, drainage and being a good steward of the land.”

Brian is a past winner of the Indiana Dairy Producer’s Producer of the Year Award, and it is clear the cows come first. “The cows always have access to fresh water and feed, plus soft sand bedding with misters to help keep them stay cool when it is hot and extra protection when it is cold,” he points out. There is daily work with nutritionists to be sure the cows’ diets are balanced and their health is constantly monitored, even including pedometers in their neck collars to keep track of any mobility issues. “We want to do what is right for the cow,” Brian says.

Doing what is right for the environment is also important, with the sand bedding being dried and reused. “Dairy farming is ultimately sustainable,” Brian says, pointing out that cow manure is used for fertilizer on the crops that are then fed to the cows who produce the milk and the circle continues.

Giving back to the industry and community is part of what the Rexings do. Brian has remained involved with DFA, stepping forward and being elected to regional and national leadership positions to advocate for the dairy industry. “I have learned along the way that farmers who want to be leaders can influence change and have a platform to represent dairy farmers, it is exciting to represent the industry and be their voice,” he says.

The Rexing family makes an effort to be a positive force in their community. Ranell, who is a teacher, helped establish a tour program for school children and local groups to get a first-hand look at where milk comes from. They host fall harvest dinners and are big supporters of their local school system. Their children are involved in numerous activities, ranging from Blair who is a senior at the University of Southern Indiana where she is on the track and cross country teams, to Mylie who is active as an Ag Business student at Purdue, to Aleah who is a high school senior involved in FFA and headed for Purdue and Case who is 11 and busy as well. The family is involved in tractor pulls which is a way to travel the state.

Along with the farming operation, in 2020 an opportunity came to buy a local meat processing plant. “We talked and talked, and saw this as an opportunity that might appeal to the next generation,” Brian says of the plant that provides excellent cuts of meat through its retail store and several local restaurants. “There is something about eating a steak you produced, and we have the best smoked pork chops. We know we are doing something right when people enjoy what you do,” he says. Setting up an e-commerce site and breeding unique cattle are new ventures underway related to the meat operation.

In looking to the future, Brian is adamant that farming is a “We” thing. He emphasizes that in today’s world, farms must pay attention to a myriad of details to be successful, and it is people who make that happen. “Whatever I have accomplished, I attribute it to my family and my employees, I’ve been blessed with great people around me,” he says.