UdderWays LLC, a dairy technology startup founded by an Orleans County family, took home a second place finish and half a million dollars at the 2024 Grow-NY agriculture business competition Nov. 7 in Ithaca, New York. Based in Albion, New York, and co-founded by Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences alum Jody Neal '96 and his sons, Zachary and Jayden, UdderWays developed a patented tool that is applied to cows prior to milking to sanitize and stimulate their udders, reducing the risk of infection while promoting efficiency and increasing output.
"This competition was an incredible opportunity to showcase the work we're doing in dairy innovation," said Zach Neal, CEO of UdderWays and a fourth-generation dairy farmer who co-presented on stage with his father, Jody. "We're grateful to have been chosen as a Grow-NY winner and excited to bring our vision to life for farmers everywhere."
An annual two-day business contest focused on strengthening the food, beverage, and agriculture innovation sector in upstate New York, this year's Grow-NY event showcased 19 finalists who took the stage in Shark Tank inspired competition competing for $3 million in total prize money, with a top prize of $1 million. The competition drew 312 applicants from 26 states and 50 countries, including 89 entries from New York state. Winning companies are required to grow jobs, connect with local industry partners, and contribute to the upstate New York economy.
Refined over nearly a decade on their family dairy farm, Poverty Hill Farms, the Neal family's invention utilizes brushless technology to eliminate cross-contamination and reduce mastitis cases in dairy cows. The device prepares cows for milking without using laundry-intensive cloths and increases milk parlor output by about 25 percent, said Zach Neal.
Dairy expertise with a dedication to innovation and the ability to leverage the individual skills of each family member have been the drivers behind UdderWays's success. Longtime dairy farmer Jody Neal recognized the need for the device after realizing that existing market tools couldn't meet their needs for a new sanitization routine on the farm. Jayden Neal, a senior at the Rochester Institute of Technology studying robotics manufacturing, led the design and product development process. Zach Neal has led the marketing and outreach efforts.
"Throughout our R&D process, my dad would come up with an idea and then go back to my brother and say, 'hey can we develop a product for this?' Then Jayden would design it in CAD and we'd print it out on a 3-D printer and have it at the farm the next day or even the same afternoon," said Zach Neal. "That allowed us to do rapid development with many different prototypes."
Zach Neal pointed to his and his brother's experience in the Cornell Cooperative Extension Orleans County 4-H program as playing a crucial role in shaping their individual skillsets. Both Zach and Jayden Neal were especially active in the robotics program which took them regional competitions in the Rochester area. Zach Neal said those experiences taught he and his brother programming, engineering, and the value of teamwork.
"4-H gave us the skills we needed, from leadership to public speaking to hands-on tech skills," said Zach Neal. "All of it played a big role in our success."
Robert Batt, a longtime 4-H mentor, and executive director of CCE Orleans County, praised the family's achievements. "We are incredibly proud of the UdderWays team and all they've accomplished," Batt said. "The 4-H community is dedicated to empowering youth to become leaders, and Udder Ways is living proof of how impactful that can be."
Said Andy Turner, statewide director of Cornell Cooperative Extension: "We are thrilled to see 4-H alumni like the team behind UdderWays make such an impact. Their work not only drives innovation but inspires the next generation of youth in agribusiness."
UdderWays' success in Grow-NY builds on a runner up finish in the American Farm Bureau Federation's Ag Innovation Challenge, held this past February in Salt Lake City, Utah, which netted a $20,000 prize and national recognition.
With the Grow-NY prize money, UdderWays plans to scale its operations, bringing its innovative udder prep tool to dairy farmers across New York and beyond. "What drives me is knowing this product could help farmers all over the world," said Zach Neal. "Customer value is very important to me, and I hope our work inspires others to pursue solutions that benefit both farmers and the environment."
