In New York (N.Y.) and dairy regions with similar climates, interest in dairy farms producing a proportion of their own grains has varied over time but has always been present. Home-grown grains can be viewed as a strategy to control feed cost and inventory, buffer growing season variability through flexible forage or grain harvest, or benefit from economies of scale. While these are valid justifications, careful, farm-specific evaluation is needed to assess their true fit. With environmentally and economically efficient milk production as the primary goal of any dairy business, any discussion on diversification or adding to the dairy operation should center around how the change will advance sustainable milk production. The debate on home-grown grains largely takes place in regions where home-grown forages are the basis of environmentally and economically sustainable milk production. If adding grain production is going to be a net benefit, it cannot come at the expense of the forage system or other critical farm processes.