A Nevada dairy farm thrives because of export demaind

The investment in Fallon was made with those Chinese mothers and their children in mind. The plant has enabled nearby milk supplier Perazzo Brothers Dairy to expand its Nevada milking facility from 500 to 1,600 cows. Construction is well underway, bringing new hope and optimism to Daniel Perazzo, 31, whose grandfather started the farm in 1947 with six cows.

“Having this export market open up means I can pursue my dream,” said Perazzo, who works the farm with his father and uncle. “I have four little girls right now and one is still on formula. Knowing our cows are helping little kids in China is a good feeling.”

It’s also a good feeling for Fallon Mayor Ken Tedford Jr. He said plant construction, which began in 2012, provided 300 jobs for two years. Now that the high-tech facility is up and running, 45 people have permanent jobs.

“This is something a small community like ours has never seen before,” said Tedford, speaking at the grand opening. “And those people in China now have something they didn’t have before: a reliable source of milk that’s safe for their children. We’re giving them a better product and a better life.”

Mark O’Keefe is vice president of editorial services at the U.S. Dairy Export Council.