Meet the man who’s been building DairyComp for over 42 years
If you would’ve told John Mitchell back in 1983 when he first began working on DairyComp, that he would still be contributing to the same program more than four decades later, he probably wouldn’t have believed you. But that’s exactly how it unfolded.
John is one of the original developers behind DairyComp. What began as freelance development work eventually led to him becoming the company’s second full-time employee, hired by founders Steve Eicker and Connor Jameson. Over the years, that early involvement grew into a respected career dedicated to shaping the herd management software more than 7,000 producers around the world rely on today.
As John steps into his well-deserved retirement, we reflect on the impact he’s had, not just on a leading herd management software, but within the VAS team and industry as a whole.
Evolving with the industry
From the beginning, John listened closely to producers, identifying their needs and developing tools and features that made herd management simpler and more efficient. As the dairy industry evolved, John was a driving force in making sure DairyComp evolved with it.
Among John’s most significant contributions was his work to make it possible to integrate data such as DHI records and milking parlor software directly into DairyComp, making it far easier for producers to view and act on their data in one place.
He also helped pioneer tools that were first-of-their-kind at the time, like the vet check list in DairyComp. This turned a task that once required an hour or more of sorting through cow cards and paperwork into a list generated in seconds.
Through every stage of his career, John was committed to delivering quality. He understood the trust producers placed in DairyComp to manage their herds and took that responsibility seriously, especially as herd sizes grew and data became an essential tool for day-to-day farm management.
“The industry’s grown dramatically.” John reflected. “The stuff that we used to record back then is just growing and growing. There’s so much data now – integrations, sensors, activity systems. The herds are also so much larger than they used to be, so it’s really just about managing all that data and presenting it in something understandable for the customer.”
In more recent years, John moved from the development side of DairyComp into a planning role, still working closely with the development team, but turning his attention to documentation, training and helping share the knowledge he’d built over decades.
Innovation led by listening
If one quality defined John’s career, it was his ability to listen. No matter what feature or improvement he was working on, he knew it had to be driven by what producers truly needed to make their day easier.
“I’ve never believed you can just take four or five people, put them in a room with a whiteboard and come up with innovation,” John said. “That’s never really how it works. It’s listening to farmers, listening to consultants, listening to the support team. Along with paying close attention to the new technologies and innovations appearing in the industry, that’s where so many of our ideas came from. Most importantly, the foundational design and philosophy provided by Connor and Steve gave us a strong and consistent base to work from.”
John was also well known for his quick wit. He’s always willing to jump in and help, usually with a perfectly timed remark that never fails to make you smile.
Longtime colleagues Craig Walter and William Avila both agree that DairyComp wouldn’t be what it is today without John.
“His knowledge, wisdom and experience helped make DairyComp the best herd management software around – and his guiding presence helped it evolve all these years. Not sure DairyComp, or myself, would be where we are today without his input and direction,” said Craig.
More than a software
After 42 years, it’s comes as no surprise that DairyComp is more to John than “just a piece of software.”
When he first started, the team consisted of three people. Today, VAS has grown to over 120 team members. While John’s steady presence behind DairyComp played a role in that growth, he’s quick to credit the people around him.
“What makes DairyComp special is what’s behind it,” he shared. “There have been a lot of really smart, hard-working people over the years. Ones that contribute ideas, go the extra mile to fix a problem or ones that have sat for hours with a customer just trying to get something right.”
“I think it’s a powerful piece of software, and I’m proud of my contribution, but it’s more than that. All these people are critical to getting where we are today.”
As John steps away from his full-time role at VAS, he leaves behind a legacy defined by innovation, humility and an unwavering commitment to serving producers.
On behalf of the entire VAS team and the thousands of dairies who benefit from his years of work, thank you, John, for 42 years of dedication to the dairy industry.
