2025 Kansas Distinguished Dairy Award
High Plans Ponderosa Dairy LLC
Dedicated employees are credited with the success of High Plains Ponderosa Dairy LLC by CEO and managing partner Greg Bethard.
The original High Plains Dairy was established in 2001 by local farmers near Plains KS who were looking to find a better market for their crops.
Over the years, the Clawson Family became the majority owners and guided the business through good and lean times.
In 2017, John Pagel from Wisconsin and Greg Bethard became partners with the mindset to grow the dairy that included a name change to High Plains Ponderosa Dairy.
Since 2017 Greg has served as CEO and managing partner and recruited a team of high-caliber managers to oversee the operations of a growing dairy.
The management team has come to include Jordan Leak, Will Basham, Manuel Rodriquez, Chris Yohn, Brandon Griep and Kyle Ross. Under them is a team of talented middle managers that execute day-to-day operations.
High Plains Ponderosa Dairy has been able to attract talent for the management team from all over the US and throughout the world.
High Plains Ponderosa Dairy of Plains, Kan., was recognized with the 2025 Kansas Distinguished Dairy Award at the Kansas Dairy annual meeting March 21 in Manhattan, Kan. CEO and Managing Partner Greg Bethard was on hand to accept the award from Kansas State University Research and Extension and Kansas Farmer magazine.
The dairy expanded in 2018 and again in 2025, with all cows milked 2x in rotary parlors and all mature cows housed in cross-ventilated freestall barns.
The herd has evolved from Holstein to a Holstein/Jersey cross to maximize daily production of milk components.
Board Chairman David Clawson and fellow board members Dan Clawson, Lee Reaves, Carl Clawson and Greg Bethard provide governance for the business.
In addition to recent expansion of the dairy, they are also looking at ways to reduce the dairy’s carbon footprint and develop another source of revenue through the production of low-carbon intensity renewable compressed natural gas (R-CNG) with digesters from the manure produced by the dairy cows.
The access to existing natural gas distribution and the abundant access to manure has provided the right environment to expand into this area.
Once at maximum production, the facility is expected to produce more than 500,000 MMBtu a year of negative carbon RNG.
Milk from the dairy is marketed through Dairy Farmers of America and the new Hilmar Cheese plant in Dodge City.
Increased access to additional milk processing through the Hilmar facility created a market for the expanded dairy.
High Plains Ponderosa Dairy maintains an infinite mindsight and intends to be a viable dairy operation for years to come with a transition to the next generation of dairy leaders.
To be infinite, the dairy must be profitable, and must also care for its cows, people, community and environment.
High Plains Ponderosa Dairy is proud to be a member of the growing Kansas Dairy Industry, and a very proud member of our local community in Meade County KS.
The herd at High Plains Ponderosa Dairy LLC has evolved from Holstein to a Holstein-Jersey Cross.