Fermes Anderson in Quebec: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Fermes Anderson is a dairy operation in the Monteregie region of Quebec that uses the Silverstream Holsteins prefix. It ranked third among gold-medal (Commandeur) farms in the 2023 Ordre national du merite agricole national ranking, with 914 points in the dairy category.
| Location | Tres-Saint-Sacrement, near Howick, Monteregie, Quebec |
|---|---|
| Sector | dairy (Holstein); maple |
| Herd | 100 cows milked (AgProud, 2017) |
| Land | About 1,100 acres including 4,600 maple trees (AgProud, 2017) |
| Why it is elite | Gold (Commandeur), third place in dairy in the 2023 national ranking of the Ordre national du merite agricole |
| Ownership | Anderson family |
| Official website | AgProud profile of Anderson Farms (no official site found) |
History of Fermes Anderson
The operation is run by members of the Anderson family: the 2023 ranking lists Danny Anderson, Mark Anderson, Dawn Elliott and Jodi Wallace as the farm's recognized partners. The farm lies in the Howick area of the Monteregie, southwest of Montreal.
A 2017 AgProud article by Mireille Cloutier profiled the farm under the Silverstream Holsteins prefix. It described a 100-cow herd on about 1,100 acres, including 4,600 maple trees, and a management style where nothing is left to chance. The national ranking confirms the operation's standing: 914 points, third among gold-medal dairies.
What Fermes Anderson Grows and Raises
Dairy is the core. Quebec dairy farms operate under supply management, with each producer holding quota, and the province's farms average 82 cows according to the Quebec ministry. At 100 cows Fermes Anderson is above the provincial average but still a family-scale herd, where quality of management rather than size carries the result.
The AgProud profile highlights heifer raising: the owners treat replacement animals carefully because they become the future milking herd. Four of the farm's bulls are used for artificial insemination, which shows an active genetics program. Maple trees on the same property add a second enterprise that uses the same land and winter labour.
How Fermes Anderson Makes Money
Milk under supply management
Milk is the main revenue stream. Quebec producers hold quota and ship milk to processors at regulated prices, so income depends on quota, components, yields and cost control rather than on market swings.
Genetics and breeding stock
The use of the farm's bulls in artificial insemination points to genetics as a second stream. Selling breeding stock and genetics is a typical add-on for top Holstein herds.
Maple
The 4,600 maple trees reported in 2017 provide a seasonal product that fits between winter milking and spring fieldwork. Quebec maple is sold through a producer marketing system, so syrup is a stable, quota-managed sideline.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Fermes Anderson
Lessons for other dairy operators: invest in the heifer program early, since replacement quality sets the next decade of milk yield. A named herd prefix and active genetics work turn good cows into a recognised brand.
A woodlot diversification such as maple uses land that cannot be cropped and smooths labour across seasons. Awards like the ONMA ranking judge the whole business, including environment and management, not only milk volume.
A herd that carries a prefix like Silverstream deserves its own entry in the cattle-name hall of fame. At farm.FM the writers keep a soft spot for dairy cows, and the farm satire there often notes that a Holstein with a pedigree has better paperwork than most of us. The farm humor is gentle, and so is the ranch humor aimed at barns where the heifers get fussed over like family. Dairy people have heard all the farm jokes about cows and quota, and they usually laugh first.
farm.FM calls itself the nation's first satirical farm site, and between the headlines it spins Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers; a good place to start reading is this farm.FM columnist's archive.
How to Contact Fermes Anderson
Website: https://www.agproud.com/articles/45369-anderson-farms-raises-heifers-as-if-they-were-their-children
No official website, address, phone or email was found, so none is listed. The 2023 Ordre national du merite agricole ranking lists the farm; confirm any visit with the family.
Fermes Anderson Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- AgProud profile - Independent profile of Anderson Farms and its heifer program
- Ordre national du merite agricole 2023 ranking - Official ranking listing Fermes Anderson third among gold dairies
- Quebec dairy production - Ministry overview of Quebec milk production and quota
- Statistics Canada 2021 Census of Agriculture, Quebec - Dairy share of Quebec farm revenue
- MAPAQ mission and services - Quebec ministry of agriculture
Fermes Anderson FAQ
Where is Fermes Anderson?
The 2023 ranking places it in Tres-Saint-Sacrement, in the Monteregie region of Quebec near Howick.
How big is the herd?
AgProud reported 100 cows milked on about 1,100 acres in 2017.
What award did the farm win?
Gold (Commandeur) in the 2023 Ordre national du merite agricole national ranking, third in the dairy category with 914 points.
How can I contact the farm?
No official contact details were found. Use the Ordre national du merite agricole and local dairy associations to reach the family.
Fermes Anderson shows how a family dairy can earn the top tier of Quebec farm recognition with strong herd management and a maple side business. For wider context, see our Quebec farms guide and the other operations profiled with it.