Union Go Dairy

A visit to a friend’s dairy in the United States in 2000 was the “ah ha” moment for the Goltstein family, triggering a move from Germany to start a dairy farm in the U.S. “When my dad, Tony, saw the layout of the U.S. dairy, he knew that is all he ever wanted,” says Sanne Goltstein. “We all moved here in 2003 and were milking cows by 2005, having built our dairy from the ground up.”

Today, Union Go Dairy located outside of Winchester in Randolph County is home to 1,750 cows producing non-GMO milk for Danone yogurt. “We have a longstanding relationship with Danone for their yogurt factory. In fact, we are the second farm in the U.S. to have this direct supply relationship with them, helping provide what their customers want,” Sanne points out. Non-GMO means the cattle are fed a diet that is certified non-GMO.

The cows are milked three times a day, with their comfort and health being the top priority. For example, the cows are bedded down with sand which is a very hygienictype of bedding material. “Bacteria counts are so much less when sand is used. While it is hard on our equipment, it is the best for the cows. My favorite day is lying on a beach, and the cows get to do that every day!” Sanne says. When the cows go to be milked, their stalls are raked, and the cows come back to fresh sand. Sand is also sustainable in that 96 percent of it is recycled at Union Go Dairy, being dried out for seven weeks and then it is ready to go back in the stalls.

The farm has earned numerous third-party certifications that ensure quality care and animal comfort. “We know if the cows are taken care of, they will take care of us,” Sanne says.

Union Go Dairy truly is a family affair, with each family member playing an important role. Founder Tony oversees the entire operation, and wife Yvonne handles the day-to-day office work such as paying bills and handling payroll for the family and their 25 employees. Son Rob leads the outside work, including the maintenance of buildings and equipment, as well as crops and manure management. Daughter Sanne does the administrative work for everything from accounting to HR to certifications to working with the milk processor. Youngest daughter Maike graduated college in 2022 and is involved on the marketing and public relations side of the dairy.

The family is active in their community and statewide telling the story of dairy production. In fact, Tony was named the 2024 Indiana Dairy Producers Producer of the Year which recognizes individuals who embody all that is great about the dairy industry. The family hosts multiple tours and open houses, bringing people to the farm to better understand this important industry. Family members play a big role in the Randolph County Fair, working to get future generations interested in the dairy business, along with serving thousands of grilled cheese sandwiches.A unique outreach opportunity came when Sanne and Maike worked on National School Breakfast Week efforts to help students understand the importance of dairy. “My sister and I joined Colts cheerleaders and Blue (the Colts’ mascot) at Richmond High School for a great morning helping students know milk is a great way to start their day,” Sanne says.

As family members think about the future of the farm, Sanne points out that Tony has instilled a passion for dairy farming in the entire family. “We love cows, and we love producing a wholesome product,” she says, “We would not pick any other career!”

The next generation, currently represented by Sanne’s 7-year old son Henry and Rob’s two young sons Anthony (3) and baby Theo, serve as inspiration to continue the good work of the dairy.

Of course, the family loves the Dairy Bar at the Indiana State Fair and looks forward to telling fairgoers about their cows and how milk goes from their farm to the yogurt container in the grocery store. “We take great pride in producing milk and talking about what we do every day,” Sanne concludes.