WEARING MANY HATS

Farmers wear many hats, and Kevin Satterwhite of Satterwhite Farms in Newberry, SC is no exception. Kevin farms with his father, uncle, and cousin on their diversified operation with 1600 milking cows, 500 head of beef cattle, and 3500 acres of row crops. In addition, Kevin serves as a delegate of the Premier Select Sires board of directors. Learn more about his experience as a producer and delegate!

“Our goal is to produce high quality milk while making sure our animals and the environment are taken care of,” said Kevin Satterwhite.

Kevin and his father, Wayne Satterwhite, primarily manage the dairy, while his uncle, William Satterwhite, and cousin, Steve Satterwhite, manage the beef herd and crops. Thirty-five employees also work on the farm to carry out day-to-day duties.

Kevin’s great grandfather started the farm in 1935 with 100 acres and just a few cows. Kevin is now part of the fourth generation on the farm. Advancements in recent years have included the 2014 installation of a 60-stall DeLaval rotary milking parlor, and the 2019 installation of a TSR teat spray robot for post dipping. The Satterwhites have also placed a large emphasis on the operation’s environmental impact.

“We’re doing our part to contribute to sustainability,” said Kevin.

“We recently built a new ninemillion-gallon lagoon waste storage pond, and we flush our pens with recycled water. Among other efforts, we practice no-till farming, we routinely take and evaluate soil samples, we keep careful records for waste management, and we are looking in to grants to improve sustainability.”

The Satterwhites milk three times per day and their production is averaging around 90 pounds. They are the only farm in South Carolina that direct loads milk, and they ship it to Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association.

“We meet with our Premier service rep weekly, and Premier has been important to our operation and improving our herd,” said Kevin.

Milk production, fertility, and longevity are among the operation’s top breeding goals, and they rely on their Premier representatives to help them reach those goals.

Satterwhite Farms uses several programs and services in Premier’s portfolio including the Select Reproductive Solutions®, or SRS® program (administered by Premier Reproductive Specialist Justin Edwards), and the Select Mating Service®, or SMS® program (administered by Premier Dairy Coordinator Todd Gaby). Henry Mitchell serves as the Area Sales Manager, and Brad Barham serves as the Regional Sales Manager.

“I truly enjoy working with Satterwhites due to the people that work there,” said Henry Mitchell. “I have worked with Karen Long, the herdswoman, Jesus Martinez, the technician, and Meg Long, the heifer technician, for five years now. We have become very close. I’ve also enjoyed watching them grow their herd over the last five years. They have a very good operation and I look forward to continuing servicing the Satterwhite family for years to come. There’s something about walking into the parlor and seeing cows on the rotary carrousel!”

“I’ve been with Premier [or a preceding cooperative] for 20 or more years. We discuss goals and progress with our reps and lean on them heavily,” said Kevin. “I’ve got a lot on my plate and I trust the evaluations and team at Premier to make decisions and suggestions.”

Kevin and the Satterwhite family are active members of their local community and the agricultural community. In addition to his service as a Premier delegate, Kevin’s involvement includes: board member of Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, member of the South Carolina Farm Bureau Dairy Committee, board member of his local church, volunteer fireman for his hometown, and more.

“Our farm has been here since the 1930s and we try to be a courteous neighbor to those around us, and we want to educate new neighbors,” said Kevin. “We are willing to try and accommodate if someone wants to see the farm to learn more!”