Guernsey Breeders' Journal: American Guernsey Association History, Content and Staff
Profile updated November 2026
Guernsey Breeders' Journal is the official publication of the American Guernsey Association (AGA), the U.S. registry for the golden-fawn dairy breed from the Channel Island of Guernsey. The AGA has published it for more than a century, and its archive, digitized from 1910, is free online. Produced by the association's Purebred Publishing division in Columbus, Ohio, it remains the breed's main source of news.
| Publisher | Purebred Publishing, Inc., a division of the American Guernsey Association |
|---|---|
| Archive begins | 1910; issues 1910-2014 free on the Internet Archive |
| Headquarters | 1224 Alton Darby Creek Rd., Suite G, Columbus, Ohio |
| Current issues | Seasonal editions, such as Summer 2026, readable free online |
| Regular feature | We Believe in Guernseys! farm directory |
| Executive Secretary | Robin Alden |
| Official website | USGuernsey.com |
History of Guernsey Breeders' Journal
Guernsey cattle come from the island of Guernsey in the English Channel and were prized in America for rich, golden-colored milk. American breeders organized their registry in the 1870s, and the American Guernsey Association, as it is now known, describes itself as the breed's official registry organization.
The Guernsey Breeders' Journal has been the AGA's official publication for more than a century. In 2021 the Internet Archive digitized the association's entire microfilm collection of the Journal, dating back to 1910, making issues such as the April 1952 edition, volume 84, freely available to researchers and breeders.
The AGA moved to Columbus, Ohio, and built Purebred Publishing, Inc., into a shared publishing house for several dairy breeds. By 2015 it produced the Guernsey Breeders' Journal as well as the Ayrshire Digest, Brown Swiss Bulletin and Milking Shorthorn Journal, along with national directories and marketing tools. That March the board named a three-person management team, with Brian Schnebly as executive secretary and Cheri Oechsle as managing editor of Purebred Publishing. Robin Alden later became executive secretary.
Guernsey Breeders' Journal Today
The Journal is still published by Purebred Publishing as the AGA's official magazine, with recent issues such as Summer 2026 readable free online and print subscriptions available through an online form. The association says Guernsey enthusiasts rely on it for 92 percent of their breed news.
Every issue includes the We Believe in Guernseys! farm listings, a directory of Guernsey herds, alongside breeder advertising. A small staff in Columbus handles the magazine together with registrations, transfers, genomic testing and member services.
What Guernsey Breeders' Journal Is Publishing Now
Breed news
Association programs, national convention and show coverage, and news from Guernsey herds across the country.
Farm directory
The We Believe in Guernseys! listings, which appear in every issue.
Genetics and marketing
Registration, DNA and genomic testing updates, and advertising for Guernsey cattle and genetics.
Guernsey Breeders' Journal Editors and Staff
The American Guernsey Association's staff page lists:
- Robin Alden - Executive Secretary; Guernsey Breeders' Journal advertising sales
- Ashley Shaffer - Creative Director, Guernsey Breeders' Journal
- Chloe Lambert - Records Supervisor
- Rita Rittgers - Accounting and Journal subscriptions
Advertising and farm-listing questions go to ralden@usguernsey.com.
Who Reads Guernsey Breeders' Journal
Readers are registered Guernsey breeders, junior members, dairy farmers and fans of the breed's distinctive milk. Dairy brought in $41.8 billion in U.S. receipts in 2021, according to USDA's Economic Research Service, and smaller breeds such as the Guernsey hold a loyal niche within that industry.
Guernsey breeders will tell you, unprompted, that their milk is golden and their cows are gentle. For laughs between chores, farm.FM offers farm satire and farm humor in a deadpan rural voice, plus ranch humor for the beef neighbors who think a dairy cow is a dairy cow. Its farm jokes are full fat and slightly golden.
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.
Guernsey Breeders' Journal Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- American Guernsey Association: Guernsey Breeders' Journal - current issue, subscriptions and advertising.
- Internet Archive: Over a century of Guernsey Breeders' Journal - the digitized archive from 1910.
- Hoard's Dairyman: AGA new management - Purebred Publishing and its dairy titles.
- USDA ERS: Dairy - federal dairy sector analysis.
- Ohio State University Extension: Dairy outlook - land-grant dairy market analysis.
Guernsey Breeders' Journal FAQ
Who publishes the Guernsey Breeders' Journal?
Purebred Publishing, Inc., a division of the American Guernsey Association in Columbus, Ohio.
Can I read old issues?
Yes. Issues from 1910 to 2014 are free on the Internet Archive.
How do I advertise in the Journal?
Contact executive secretary Robin Alden at ralden@usguernsey.com.
What is We Believe in Guernseys!?
A farm directory of Guernsey herds that appears in every issue.
With more than a century of issues behind it, the Guernsey Breeders' Journal is still where Guernsey people go for their breed news.