Made in Vermont since 1899.

Lyndonville, Vermont is in the heart of Vermont‘s picturesque Northeast Kingdom region. We started here in 1899, and we‘re staying here. With scenery this beautiful, why on earth would we go anywhere else?

Made differently.
(beware of the imitators)

Others may cost more, and may claim more. So look for the familiar green can with red clover on the lid. We’re in drugstores, farm stores, pet stores, hardware stores, feed stores, and tack shops all across the country.

Made to make headlines.
(even if that wasn’t our plan)

Charles Kuralt paid us a visit, and wrote about us in his final book. We’ve been talked about on Oprah Winfrey, recommended by dozens of health columnists, and seen our name in the New York Times—plus hundreds of other publications. All because—quite simply—Bag Balm® works.

HISTORY:

For over a century, Bag Balm® has been a fixture around farms.

It all started in 1899, after John L. Norris bought the formula for Bag Balm from its original creator in the little town of Wells River, Vermont. The salve was created to soften cow udders, and it worked extremely well.
The little green can stood out from the rest.

Bag Balm’s “packaging” (practically an unheard of marketing term in those days) would prove to stand the test of time with as much distinction as the product itself. Mr. Norris traveled from Lyndonville, Vermont to Boston to design the original can. Its distinctive, dominant green color accented by red lettering and red clover surrounding a cow’s head on the top of the lid has remained virtually unchanged for over 100 years.

From a Vermont village to all reaches of the world…

Word spread quickly about how well Bag Balm worked, and soon the little green can was turning up in farms across the country. Unfortunately, Mr. Norris became ill in 1934 and summoned his son John to take over the operation of the company. Just 20 years old at the time, John had considerable musical talent and was training under the world renowned flautist George Barrere—making arduous weekly trips to New York City for his instruction. Although music remained a great love for John his entire life, his focus became the rapid growth of Dairy Association’s flagship product, Bag Balm.

Admiral Byrd takes Bag Balm® to the North Pole.

In 1937, Admiral Byrd’s provisions for the trip to the North Pole included Bag Balm, which provided soothing comfort to the various animals on the trip. It would be the first of many instances where Bag Balm played a role in comforting those on a very long journey.
Charles Kuralt puts Bag Balm® on the map.

Sales of Bag Balm skyrocketed when famed CBS reporter Charles Kuralt told the Bag Balm story in 1983 as one of his feature segments for his “On the Road” series. The Kuralt feature of the Dairy Association was also captured in his 1985 book, and press coverage of the product has been constant ever since. From Glamour Magazine to the New York Times, from Oprah Winfrey to dozens of syndicated columnists, Bag Balm consistently finds itself in the news—and without hardly a single press release through the years.

Pets & Vets find Bag Balm soothes more than cow udders.

No one knows when the first farmer tried a little Bag Balm on the paws of the family dog, but the product proved itself once again. Minor cuts and abrasions were quickly soothed, and soon veterinarians were requesting Bag Balm by the case lot. Bag Balm continues to be a standard in veterinary offices throughout the United States today.
Post 9/11: Bag Balm Helps Amidst the Tragic Aftermath in NYC.

With no fanfare, Dairy Association donated Bag Balm to the search teams looking through the charred rubble for survivors after the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001. The salve was massaged into the paws of dozens of search dogs who worked hours on end to find the living. request of some of our troops, the familiar little green can has been part of the packages sent to American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
From one generation to another.

Dairy Association is proud of its long standing roots in the community of Lyndonville, Vermont, and has been served by a faithful, loyal workforce through the years.

John Norris Jr., loved dearly by the employees who surrounded him, the students at nearby schools who received musical instruction from him, and the entire community to which he quietly and constantly gave his support, passed away in 2002 after running the Dairy Association for over 60 years. John’s daughter Barbara has taken over the reins and—while so much has changed in the world during the company’s 105 year history—in Lyndonville, Vermont much, thankfully, has not. The little green can is still easy to recognize, and inside is a sure formula for soothing relief.

Bag Balm still works as well—and as hard—as ever.