Bucks Unlimited in Minnesota: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Bucks Unlimited is a family dairy in Goodhue, Minnesota, that has grown from a start of roughly 70 to 80 cows in 1991 to about 1,400 milking cows. The Minnesota Milk Producers Association named Dave and Ann Buck its 2025 Producer of the Year, and the operation now involves their sons and multiple families.
| Location | Goodhue, Goodhue County, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Founded | Dave and Ann Buck bought the farm in 1991; Dave had farmed with his family before |
| Sectors | Dairy; manure management; custom chopping; crossbred beef |
| Scale | About 1,400 milking cows, with an expansion adding a rotary parlor and 500 stalls reported by KTTC |
| Why it is notable | Minnesota Milk Producers Association 2025 Producer of the Year |
| Ownership | Multi-family enterprise led by Dave and Ann Buck and their sons D.J. and Chris |
| Official website | Dairy Producer profile of Bucks Unlimited, 2025 Minnesota Producer of the Year |
History of Bucks Unlimited
Dave and Ann Buck bought the farm in 1991 after Dave had farmed with his family. Reports differ slightly on the starting herd, citing about 70 cows in Dairy Producer and about 80 cows in KTTC coverage, but both describe steady growth over more than three decades.
Dave served 12 years on the Minnesota Milk board, including four as president, and Ann served 12 years on the local school board. The Bucks take part each year in Breakfast on the Farm. Most day-to-day management has passed to their sons D.J. and Chris, and the farm is now a multi-family operation with grandchildren growing up on it. Local coverage has also named the Bucks a Goodhue County Farm Family of the Year.
What Bucks Unlimited Grows and Raises
The dairy milks about 1,400 cows, according to Hoards Dairyman and Dairy Producer. KTTC reported that the herd had passed 1,000 cows and that a major expansion was underway with a rotary parlor and 500 added stalls, with the family expecting about 1,500 cows by the end of that year.
Dairy is not the only enterprise. The Bucks also run a manure management business, a custom chopping business and their own crossbred beef. The sources do not give acreage, milk buyer, yields or herd genetics, and none are stated here.
How Bucks Unlimited Makes Money
Milk sales
The main revenue stream is milk from the herd. The sources do not name the milk buyer, prices or volumes, and the operation has not published revenue.
Manure management and custom chopping
Side businesses use equipment and crews beyond the dairy's own needs. Manure management and custom chopping are services the family offers, which diversifies income beyond milk checks.
Crossbred beef
The Bucks raise their own crossbred beef, adding a livestock product that complements the dairy. Details of how it is marketed were not published in the sources.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Bucks Unlimited
First, growth worked when it was paired with a transition plan. The family planned for the next generation's role as the herd grew, and with D.J. and Chris managing much of the day-to-day work, the operation can support more than one household.
Second, leadership in the industry and community pays back at home. Dave's board service with Minnesota Milk and the family's involvement in Breakfast on the Farm build relationships and public trust for a herd of this size.
Going from a few dozen cows in 1991 to a rotary parlor in Goodhue County is the kind of expansion that makes a barn calendar look like a train schedule. When the last cow has been milked, visit farm.FM for farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, including affectionate teasing about cows that know the milking time better than any watch.
Part newsroom, part radio dial, farm.FM bills itself as America's first satirical farm site and plays Tractor Tunes, its country music for farmers. Browse a farm.FM writer's back catalog to see the style.
How to Contact Bucks Unlimited
Website: https://www.dairyproducer.com/minnesota-dairy-family-2025-producer-of-the-year/
No official website or public business contact details for the operation were found, so this links to a trade magazine profile, November 2026. Herd figures come from that coverage and may have changed.
Bucks Unlimited Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Dairy Producer: from 70 cows to 1,400 - Profile of the Buck family dairy
- KTTC: Meet Bucks Unlimited - Television coverage of the expansion and award
- Hoard's Dairyman: Producer of the Year - Award announcement for Bucks Unlimited
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture profile - State agriculture facts and figures
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - County and state dairy and crop data
Bucks Unlimited FAQ
Where is Bucks Unlimited?
It is in Goodhue, Goodhue County, Minnesota.
How many cows does it milk?
Hoard's Dairyman and Dairy Producer report about 1,400 milking cows.
What award did it win?
The Minnesota Milk Producers Association named it its 2025 Producer of the Year.
How do I contact the farm?
No official website or business contact details were found. The linked trade and news coverage is the best verified starting point.
Bucks Unlimited shows how a Goodhue County dairy grew steadily and planned for the next generation. To compare it with other leading operations, read the Minnesota farms guide.