Posted on 6/3/2022
A barn fire in 2019 was almost a blessing in disguise for the de Jong family who owns and operates ELBI Dairy in La Broquerie, Manitoba. Michael de Jong, who represents the second generation of family operators, says that the fire left them with a new vision for dairy.
“At that time, we also knew labor shortages were an ongoing concern in our area,” de Jong says.
Early Days
In 1998, Michael’s parents, Pieter and Astrid de Jong, immigrated to Canada from the Netherlands, purchasing a 55-tie stall barn in Kleefeld, Manitoba. In 2002, an opportunity presented itself with the purchase of their current dairy that allowed the family to exp...