Harrisburg, Pa. - Laura “Lolly” Lesher is this year’s Dairy Hall of Fame Award recipient.
This award was developed to recognize the outstanding service and
accomplishments of Pennsylvania dairy leaders. Selection is based on character,
leadership, and the development of youth in the dairy industry.
Lolly had been rooted in small family
farming since her childhood - where she was raised on a fruit farm with cows,
pigs, and chickens in the mountains of Huntingdon County. She found her path
into the dairy industry during her college career at Penn State.
Lolly graduated in 1986 with a degree
in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. She was heavily involved with Dairy Science Club
and Block and Bridle Club. Later, she went on to
charter the Armsby Society, serve on
the Penn State Ag Alumni board of directors, Dairymen’s Club board and become the Stockmen’s
Club president. Most importantly, Lolly met her husband, William Lesher,
at Penn State. While joining William in his family farm business, Way-Har
Farms, in Berks County, Lolly worked a variety of jobs in the industry. She was
a credit analyst for Farm Credit, the director of the Pennsylvania Dairy
Promotion Program, and the Milk Procurement Director for Dietrich’s Milk
Products.
In 1991, Lolly began her 25-year trek
as the Fundraising Coordinator for the All American Dairy Show. In that role, she solicited
sponsors from industry, farms, and state
legislature to continually support the
show and all its activities. She oversaw the Youth Benefit Auction, edited the
premium book, created promotional media, coordinated the volunteers, and helped
organize the 50th anniversary of the show in 2013.
Today, Lolly is a partner-owner of
Way-Har Farms LLC. She and William, operate a 300-cow dairy with 400 acres of crops. The milk
produced at the farm is bottled and sold directly to
consumers at their retail store -
Way-Har Farm Market. Lolly manages milk marketing, wholesale customers, and specialty
events for their homemade ice cream. She and William
have mentored numerous upcoming
dairymen and women through college internships at the farm and store. In
between running a dairy farm, a retail market, and raising four children -
Joshua, Jaylene, Laura, and Olivia - Lolly is found advocating for fellow dairy
farmers.
Lolly has lobbied for fair milk
pricing and regulations to the House Agriculture Committee, served on the
Corporate Resolutions Committee for Dairy Farmers of America, and was a
founding pioneer of the Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence. Lolly also volunteers
locally on the school board for Hamburg School District, Kutztown Fair Board,
Berks Agricultural Resource Network, and the Greater Berks Food Bank.
Lolly is a leader for dairy promotion
on the state and national level. She has been a member of the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program
board of directors for over 20 years and currently serves as the chair of the
organization. She also serves as First Vice President of American Dairy
Association North East board of directors. She represents the northeast region
on the national level as Secretary of the National Dairy Promotion and Research
Board and is a member of Dairy Management Inc., board of directors. She is a
member of the DMI Personnel Committee and the Fluid Milk Advisory Committee.
Lolly not only serves as a leader in
dairy promotion, but as a public advocate for dairy helping to inform consumers about modern dairy
farming. She has conducted many media interviews and public speaking
appearances to help others understand how farmers sustainably produce
safe, nutritious food and care for their animals and the environment.
Every January, Lolly eagerly sells cheese cubes, exhibits Jersey heifers, and
visits with the public during her favorite event of the year - the Pennsylvania
Farm Show.
Whether Lolly is escorting the combine
during harvest, relief feeding calves at the farm, or driving a carload of 4-Hers to a judging
contest, her reliability is above and beyond. Three of her
greatest accolades have been selected
as Outstanding Young Dairy Leaders Institute alumni, named “The Pace Setter” by the Center
for Dairy Excellence, and was voted the first female
chair of the Pennsylvania Dairy
Promotion Program board of directors.
Lolly will be presented the Dairy Hall
of Fame award during the All-American Dairy Show on September 14-18, 2024, at
the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pa.
For more information, contact the
All-American Dairy Show at 717.787.2905, or by email at aads@pa.gov, or visit the website at allamericandairyshow.com.