Jacquelyn Blanchard
European Dairy Science – Study Abroad, May 2017
A brief description of my STEP Signature Project:
For my STEP Signature Project, I traveled throughout the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium as a member of the European Dairy Science program. A group of twenty students, including myself, and two professors traveled throughout these three countries and visited various types of farms. We were able to see multiple aspects of the European Dairy Industry as well as partake in sightseeing and other tourist activities.
What about my understanding of myself, my assumptions, or my view of the world changed/transformed while completing my STEP Signature Project:
My view of the farming industry changed drastically as a result of completing my STEP Signature Project. I greatly underestimated the time local farmers have to invest in their livestock and how much thought is put into each farming, nutritional, or procedural decision. While in each different country, I noticed how accommodating the citizens are by providing restaurant menus in English or speaking fluent English. This changed my pre-departure assumption of how difficult it would be to interact with local citizens due to the language barrier. One understanding I had about myself that changed while completing my STEP Signature Project includes the ease I found in adjusting to the different countries. I was able to navigate my surroundings to the best of my ability and felt completely comfortable in a new environment.
Events, interactions, relationships, or activities during my STEP Signature Project that led to the change/transformation I discussed:
Some events and interactions that led to changes I previously discussed from my STEP Signature Project include meeting local citizens and the free time spent roaming each city. Having free time each night to explore the town we were in provided an experience for learning how to navigate each city, understanding which areas to avoid and how to return to the hotel. Locals would often ask us where we were from or what our plans were in each country once they heard us speaking English. Most citizens were friendly and excited to meet students from the United States and exchange stories and provide recommendations for the area.
Interactions with each of the farmers, cheese producers, and production workers provided the experience necessary to transform my understanding of the farming industry in Europe. Discussing their every day life and farming routine reinforced how hard working these people are and how much care they have for each animal. Being able to travel across Europe and see multiple different types of farms also aided in transforming my views. Farmers are able to make many decisions based on feed, robotics, and layout of their farms. This also varies between type of animal raised on the farm. It was very interesting to be able to compare the differences between sheep, cow, horse and goat farms.
Learning the differences between farming techniques provided improved knowledge on the organic dairy farming industry. I was previously unaware of the specific differences between organic and non-organic farming, and without this STEP Signature Project I do not believe I would have ever learned. The differences in pasture, medication and feed are quite different and more effort has to be put into care of livestock in order to ensure healthy animals and safe organic dairy products. This transformation gave me a new-found respect for the organic dairy industry, and changed my previous fad mentality.
Why this change/transformation was significant or valuable in my life:
This change and new development impacts my professional career as I choose which side of the Food Industry to focus my job search on in the future. Gaining understanding of the dairy industry in the United States and Europe and comparing the two will give me a competitive advantage towards other potential candidates for one position. This personal development gives me confidence in myself for my future. I am unsure where my job search will take me, but I am confident that I will be able to cope in a new city. This development through my new knowledge of the dairy industry in Europe benefits my academic career by giving real life examples of food processes discusses in my course work.