MEET RENA MCDONALD, GREENVILLE PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
With a lifelong passion for dairy farming and agriculture, Rena McDonald has spent the past seven years at Foremost Farms, including the last four as Production Supervisor at the Greenville, Mich., plant. Growing up on her family’s dairy farm gave Rena a deep appreciation for the industry and the people behind it, a connection that continues to shape her work today.
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH FOREMOST FARMS?
I’ve been Production Supervisor at our Greenville, Mich. Plant for the past four years, and I’ll celebrate seven years with Foremost Farms in December!
WHAT ORIGINALLY BROUGHT YOU TO FOREMOST FARMS AND WHAT HAS KEPT YOU HERE?
My background is in dairy management, and I’ve been involved in farming since I was a kid. Dairy farming has always been a big part of my life and I wanted to find a career where I could use that experience while continuing to support farmers and the industry I care about.
What has kept me here is knowing the work I do helps keep things moving. I understand how important it is for tankers to get back to the farm on time and for products to move efficiently. Foremost Farms has allowed me to stay connected to dairy, use my experience and continue supporting farmers in a different way.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST REWARDING OR MEMORABLE ASPECTS OF YOUR ROLE?
The most rewarding part of my job is seeing someone become confident in a new task. I really enjoy teaching new hires and helping employees who are stepping into a new role. It’s exciting to see that moment when something clicks and they realize, “I can do this.”
Watching the team gain confidence and work together successfully is one of the things I enjoy most. When the people I’ve trained succeed, I feel like I’ve succeeded right along with them.
YOUR ENTHUSIAM FOR DAIRY IS EVIDENT TO EVERYONE WHO WORKS WITH YOU. CAN YOU SHARE HOW YOUR CONNECTION TO AGRICULTURE BEGAN AND WHAT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE YOU TODAY?
I grew up on my grandfather’s dairy farm, where agriculture was truly a family affair. Some of my earliest and fondest memories are from that farm from the excitement of a new calf being born to the difficulty of saying goodbye to a cow that had been part of our farm family for years.. Those experiences taught me much more than just how to work on a farm. That farm taught me the value of hard work, strong family ties and providing consumers with high-quality products.
In high school, I began working on a family friend’s dairy farm. That experience showed me that I could make a difference for a farm even if I wasn’t part of the family, and it eventually set me on a path to becoming a herdsman and the work I do today.
I’m also getting ready to begin my 23rd year as a 4-H leader and now serve as a co-superintendent for our county fair. I love watching kids gain confidence, share their knowledge and help others connect with agriculture. What continues to inspire me is knowing I can use my experience and passion for dairy to support farmers and contribute to an industry that has been such an important part of my life.
HUDSONVILLE ICE CREAM RECENTLY VISITED THE GREENVILLE, MICH. PLANT FOR A SPECIAL VIDEO PROJECT HIGHLIGHTING THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO ORGANIZATIONS. WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING PART OF THE PROJECT, AND WHAT DID YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT SHOWCASING THE PLANT AND THE WORK OUR TEAM DOES EVERY DAY.
I had so much fun being part of the video project with Hudsonville Ice Cream! It was a great experience getting to work with their team and to better understand what happens to our product after it leaves our plant.
Everyone at Hudsonville was so welcoming and easy to work with, which made the experience even more enjoyable. I also enjoyed having the opportunity to showcase our Greenville plant and the work our team does every day. It was a great reminder of how many people and steps are involved in getting a quality product from the farm all the way to the consumer.
WITH FALL BRINGING ALL THE COZY DAIRY COMFORT FOODS, WHICH DISH IS YOUR GO-TO?
My favorite fall dairy food has to be grilled cheese with my Mama’s homemade tomato soup. There’s just something about a warm, crispy grilled cheese dipped into a bowl of homemade tomato soup on a cool fall day.