Dairy Stream: Recent Episodes
Dairy Stream
Dairy Stream focuses on policy, sustainability, market trends, new technology and farmer involvement. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Aug. 12.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Brad Herkenhoff, Senior Dairy Lending Specialist at Compeer Financial, discuss the big money and time suckers on the farm, hidden labor costs, healthy labor-cost-per-hundredweight, reviewing balance sheet and the future of labor on the dairy farm.
Learn more about Compeer Financial.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
Dairy Stream and the Menn Law Firm are proud to present the third annual “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests, Chuck Ripp and Kailyn Kippley, third and fourth generations at Ripp’s Dairy Valley, discuss early influences, improvements to be better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future for the farm and dairy industry.
This three-part series is sponsored by the Menn Law Firm.
About the guests:
- Chuck Ripp is a third-generation farmer with his brothers, Troy and Gary, and they own Ripp’s Dairy Valley in Dane. They manage more than 1,800 head of cattle and farm 1,600 acres. Chuck was awarded the DBA Advocate of the Year award at the Dairy Strong conference for his contributions to the Wisconsin’s dairy community. He is also an a board member of Yahara Pride Farms.
- Kailyn Kippley is the daughter of Chuck and the fourth generation to be taking over Ripp’s Dairy Valley. She has been working as the herdsperson since 2022.
Season 1: How We Got Here (2024):
- How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Season 2: How We Got Here (2025):
- How We Got Here: Ocooch Dairy in Hillsboro, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Melichar Broad Acres in Port Washington, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Scheps Dairy in Almena, Wisconsin
Season 3: How We Got Here (2026):
- How We Got Here: Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin
- Next episode releasing this fall.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Dairy Stream and the Menn Law Firm are proud to present the third annual “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on July 29.
This three-part series is sponsored by the Menn Law Firm.
About the guests:
- Chuck Ripp is a third-generation farmer with his brothers, Troy and Gary, and they own Ripp’s Dairy Valley in Dane. They manage more than 1,800 head of cattle and farm 1,600 acres. Chuck was awarded the DBA Advocate of the Year award at the Dairy Strong conference for his contributions to the Wisconsin’s dairy community. He is also an a board member of Yahara Pride Farms.
- Kailyn Kippley is the daughter of Chuck and the fourth generation to be taking over Ripp’s Dairy Valley. She has been working as the herdsperson since 2022.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Components and beef on dairy are the strong themes in this interview. We dive into a farm’s true net revenue, historic high beef prices and future items to keep an eye on.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Dr. Megan Roberts, discuss the following topics:
- Structural shifts occurring now compared to 5-10 years ago
- Diversification in dairy changing baseline stability
- Three items to note on your milk check
- Calculating a farm’s ‘true’ net revenue
- Hedging strategies
- Beef on dairy, herd rebuild
- Cost of purchasing vs raising a replacement heifer vs crossbred calf
- Less cull cows, what does the next 12–18-month dairy cycle projection
- Keeping an eye on in 2026 and into 2027
About the guest
- Dr. Megan Roberts is a seasoned agricultural economist at Compeer Financial, bringing experience in farm economics, agribusiness education and policy analysis. With deep roots in agriculture, Megan combines academic expertise and hands-on farming experience to provide real-world insights that help farmers navigate economic challenges and opportunities. Before joining Compeer, Megan spent years teaching agricultural economics and business in higher education, including leadership roles in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and as an Extension educator at the University of Minnesota. She holds a doctorate in agricultural education from Texas A&M University, along with a master’s and bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Beyond academia, Megan is a farmer herself, living on a farrow-to-finish hog, corn and soybean farm in southern Minnesota with her husband and son. Growing up on a dairy farm and now co-managing her family’s operation, she understands the day-to-day realities of farming, giving her a unique perspective that blends economic theory with practical application. Megan is a regular speaker at industry events and published author on farm business strategies and ag policy. Her ability to break down complex economic trends into actionable insights makes her a trusted resource for today’s farmers and agribusiness professionals.
This is sponsored by Compeer Financial.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
*Recorded July 6
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on July 15.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Dr. Megan Roberts, agricultural economist at Compeer Financial, discuss the biggest structural shifts occurring now compared to 5-10 years ago, understanding a farm’s baseline with multi-commodity businesses, beef herd rebuild and what to keep an eye on in 2026 and into 2027.
This is sponsored by Compeer Financial.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
*Recorded July 6
Deer Run Dairy completed energy-efficient upgrades with Focus on Energy since 2017 and they updated lighting, refrigeration, water systems and ventilation. Deer Run Dairy has earned $47,203.04 in Focus on Energy rebates to support these improvements and combined upgrades result in annual electricity savings of 839,511 kWh, which is equivalent to $105,946.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Duane Ducat and Joel Roltgen, discuss the following topics:
- Overview of savings at Deer Run Dairy
- How Deer Run learned about Focus on Energy
- Updating lighting, Deer Run Dair updated:
- Replaced 250–1000W HID fixtures with efficient LED high-bay and exterior fixtures.
- Added LED troffers and direct-wire T8 replacements.
- Installed LLLC-enabled fixtures in select areas for advanced controls and additional savings.
- Dairy refrigeration tune-ups
- VFDs on primary and secondary agricultural water systems
- Variable speed vacuum pumps
- High-speed ventilation fans with VFDs
- Initial investments
- Process of working with Focus on Energy
- What’s next for Deer Run Dairy in energy efficiency
- How to get started with Focus on Energy, find an advisor here.
About the guests
- Joel Roltgen is an Energy Advisor for Wisconsin's Focus on Energy Program, serving agricultural customers in northeastern Wisconsin. He joined Focus on Energy in 2019, providing operational efficiency strategies and financial incentives to agriculture operations and industry partners. Joel brings many years of engineering and management experience, having worked with employees at all levels in various industries.
- Duane Ducat, who is one of the owners of Deer Run Dairy in Kewaunee, Wisconsin where they milk 1,800 cow and farm 3,000 acres. Duane is a board member of the Dairy, Business Association and Peninsula Pride Farms.
This is sponsored by Focus on Energy.
Resources:
- Contact us at 800.762.7077 or business@focusonenergy.com
- Full list of opportunities here.
- Focus on Energy Trade Ally list here.
- 2026 Agribusiness catalog here
- Dairy Stream rewind: Unforeseen money savings and benefits of agricultural tune-ups
- Dairy Stream rewind: Save money through a farm energy assessment
- Top 5 Ways to Save Energy on Your Dairy and Livestock Farm
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on July 1.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Duane Ducat, owner of Deer Run Dairy, and Joel Roltgen, agribusiness energy advisor with Focus on Energy, discuss the update made at Deer Run Dairy, which saved them thousands of dollars. We give an overview of the money saved, most impressive energy savings project, process of working with Focus on Energy and what’s next in the energy efficiency space for dairy.
This is sponsored by Focus on Energy.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Learn more about BankFirst.
The Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration started in 2021 and is studying soil health and manure management and their effects on greenhouse gas reduction, water quality improvement and agronomic factors such as yield and forage quality on working dairies and research farms in major dairy regions.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests, Dr. Mara Cloutier and Dr. Dennis Busch, discuss the following topics:
- Strides and accomplishment since last Dairy Stream episode in 2022
- Common design of the project
- Research at UW-Platteville
- Importance of nutrient management in soil health management
- Most impactful conservation practices
- Economics of new practices and processes
- Baseline survey
- Farmers adopting new practices
- What’s next for the project
About the guests:
- Dr. Mara Cloutier is a research soil scientist and program director at the Soil Health Institute who oversees the organization’s scientific and data management contribution to the Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration project.
- Dr. Dennis Busch is a senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville whose work centers on applied agroecosystem research, with an emphasis on pasture- and crop-livestock systems, soil and nutrient dynamics, and long-term field experimentation.
Resources:
- Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration website
- Project video
- Frequently asked questions
- Wisconsin soil health assessment webinar
- Dr. Mara Cloutier video clip
- Dr. Dennis Busch video clip
- Dairy Stream Rewind: National-scale project examines dairy’s greenhouse gas footprint
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Learn more about BankFirst.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on June 17.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Dr. Mara Cloutier, research soil scientist and program director at the Soil Health Institute, and Dr. Dennis Busch, senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, discuss accomplishments of the Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration Project (DSWR), focus and research areas at UW-Platteville, most impactful conservation practices, economics and the future of the project.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Learn more about BankFirst.
Dairy Stream and the Menn Law Firm are proud to present the third annual “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Bob and Tom Zwald, second and third generations at Bomaz Farms, discuss early influences, improvements to be better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future for the farm and dairy industry.
This three-part series is sponsored by the Menn Law Firm.
About the guests:
- Bob Zwald is the second generation to operate Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin. Bob's is the general manager and oversees the cattle.
- Tom Zwald is the third generation to operate Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin. Tom oversees cropping operations on the farm. They milk 1,500 cows and farm 2,500 acres.
Season 1: How We Got Here (2024):
- How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Season 2: How We Got Here (2025):
- How We Got Here: Ocooch Dairy in Hillsboro, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Melichar Broad Acres in Port Washington, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Scheps Dairy in Almena, Wisconsin
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Learn more about BankFirst.
Dairy Stream and the Menn Law Firm are proud to present the third annual “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on June 3.
This three-part series is sponsored by the Menn Law Firm.
About the guests:
- Bob Zwald is the second generation to operate Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin. Bob's is the general manager and oversees the cattle.
- Tom Zwald is the third generation to operate Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin. Tom oversees cropping operations on the farm. They milk 1,500 cows and farm 2,500 acres.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Dairy Stream Rewind with Lee Kinnard on July 23, 2025.
Farmers in Wisconsin have teamed up to create a farmer-led watershed group called Peninsula Pride Farms and it’s taking soil health to the next level. We are going to learn more about the farmer-led group, how they make informed management decisions, conservation practices to build organic matter and manure management practices. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Lee Kinnard of Kinnard Farms discuss the following topics:
- History of Peninsula Pride Farms
- From field day to conservation idea
- Making informed management decisions
- Including everyone in conservation efforts
- Conservation practices that make big impacts
- Building organic matter
- Importance of manure
- Manure application methods
- Adding other minerals to help with soil structure
- Tools that support conservation
- Manure management success stories
- Conservation goals for Kinnard Farms
- Conservation future trends
Special thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Lee Kinnard is president and owner of Kinnard Farms located in Kewaunee County in Wisconsin. He manages the business, the people and the cows. Kinnard Farms consist of 9,250 cows, 7,800 heifers located in Colorado in partnership with four Wisconsin farmers, 11,500 acres, and has 21,000 acres with a nutrient management plan and currently provides jobs to 137 valued employees. Over the years, Kinnard Farms has grown due to Lee’s new ideas, methods and solutions that have a positive impact on animal care, regenerative agriculture and food production.
Resources
- Producer-Led Group Roadmap and more
- Peninsula Pride Farms website
- Kinnard Farms website
- Farmer-led services through Farmers for Sustainable Food
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Billions of dollars in new investment are pouring into the I-29 corridor and the Great Lakes region, creating some of the most technologically advanced cheese processing plants in the world.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Greg Siegethaler and Mike North, discuss the following topics:
- Overview of cheese processing capacity in the Midwest
- Economic signals for the Midwest area
- What it means for farmers in the short-term
- Processors achieving net zero and ESG requirement
- Make allowances
- Dairy landscape in 10 years
About the guests
- Greg Siegethaler, president of the Dairy Business Association and the VP of Milk Marketing, Strategic Sourcing, & Sustainability at Grande Cheese
- Mike North, president of the Producer Division at Ever. Ag and a past DBA president
Learn more about Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on May 20.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Greg Siegethaler, president of the Dairy Business Association and the VP of Milk Marketing, Strategic Sourcing, & Sustainability at Grande Cheese and Mike North, president of the Producer Division at Ever. Ag and a past DBA president, discuss the billions of dollars in new investment pouring into the I-29 corridor and the Great Lakes region, creating some of the most technologically advanced cheese processing plants.
Learn more about Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This unique episode welcomes five female farmers from across the Midwest to celebrate the International Year of the Women Farmer.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza discusses the following topics:
- The best piece of advice
- Advice to their younger selves
- Balancing roles
- Helpful resources that bring success in their roles
- Future goals, steps to take
Guests include:
- Christina Zuiderveen, Black Soil Dairy, IA
- Heidi Fischer, Fischer Clark Dairy, WI
- Dorothy Elliott, Drumgoon Dairy, SD
- Kate Minten, Spadegenske Dairy, MN
- Kelly Oudenhoven, Larrand Dairy, WI
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
This Dairy Streamlet takes a unique approach and covers how to celebrate mothers’ and fathers’ day on the farm and what traditions they’ve learned from their mothers. We encourage you to listen to the episode on May 6 focused on advice, resources and future goals for these five accomplished women.
Guests include:
- Christina Zuiderveen, Black Soil Dairy, IA
- Heidi Fischer, Fischer Clark Dairy, WI
- Dorothy Elliott, Drumgoon Dairy, SD
- Kate Minten, Spadegenske Dairy, MN
- Kelly Oudenhoven, Larrand Dairy, WI
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Wisconsin legislative sessions has wrapped up and we want to walk you through the wins, surprises and importance of member engagement.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Chad Zuleger and Cody Carpenter, discuss the following topics:
- Biggest wins for Wisconsin dairy
- Surprises in the policy space
- Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports
- Farm field calculator
- Label grown meat
- Clean water and PFAS
- Importance of engagement
- Basic to advance ways to get involved
- What’s next in the policy space
About the guests
- Chad Zuleger is the Executive Director of the Dairy Business Association. He has been working in the policy space for 25 years.
- Cody Carpenter, owns and operates Redrock View Farms with his family in Darlington, Wisconsin, where they milk 650 cows and farm 1,500 acres. Cody is currently serving as a DBA board member and also a member of the Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance.
Resources:
- Dairy Business Association priorities
- ARIP Program
- Producer- Led Watershed Protection Grants
- Crop Insurance Premium Rebates for Planting Cover Crops
- Rock Elm local ordinance: DBA members help prevent local ordinance
- Wisconsin dairy and farm statistics from Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin
- Dairy Day at the Capitol information
- DBA Dairy Golf Classic July 28 information
Learn more about Dairy Business Association.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on April 29.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Chad Zuleger, executive director of the Dairy Business Association, and Cody Carpenter, dairy farmer and owner of Redrock View Farms in Darlington, Wisconsin and also a DBA board member, discuss the Wisconsin legislative wins, surprises, basic to advanced ways to engage policymakers and what’s next in the policy space.
Learn more about Dairy Business Association.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Dairy Stream Rewind with Chris Clark on August 13, 2025.
We are taking a big picture look at the challenges mother nature has brought us and how farmers are overcoming these challenges. We will cover adaptive strategies farmers are implementing, crop selection, new technologies, pest control and more. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Chris Clark of UW-Extension discuss the following topics:
- Shifting weather patterns and the impact on planting and harvesting windows
- Adaptive strategies
- Crop selection and varieties
- Emerging best practices in nitrogen and phosphorus
- Compaction in the Midwest
- Data tools for in-season decision making
- New or increasing pest and disease threats
- Agronomic trends or challenges in the next 3-5 years
- Resources for farmer education
About the guest
- Chris Clark is an agronomic outreach specialist with Northeast Wisconsin for the nutrient and pest management team for the University of Wisconsin Division of Extension. Chris partners, cooperates and brings together farmers, researchers and industry providing agronomy outreach she focuses on crop and soil nutrient use. Chris began her role at Extension in 2023. Prior to joining Extension, Chris worked in private sector agronomy lab testing for 12 years, and as a agriculture teacher and FFA Advisor for 9 years. She has a BA in Agricultural Education from UW-River Falls and is a Wisconsin Certified Crop Advisor and has been a member of the WI CCA board for 6 years.
Resources
- Wisconet
- Ag Weather Outlook
- Agriculture Data | Wisconsin State Climatology Office
- UW Extension Agriculture- Agriculture – Extension
- Farmer-led services through Farmers for Sustainable Food
- Find a farmer-led group near you
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Learn more about BankFirst.
We are through the first quarter of 2026 and we’ve seen some big items for dairy. We cover the highlights of the last four months, dairy policy items, market trends and more.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Dr. Marin Bozic, discuss the following topics:
- Top highlights for dairy in the last four months
- Federal Milk Marketing Orders update
- Farm Bill
- Pros/cons of new dietary guidelines
- Global conflicts
- Record-high beef prices
- Value of milk
- GLP-1 weight-loss
- Market signals to keep an eye on
About the guest
- Marin Bozic is the founder and CEO of Bozic LLC, a global provider of technology solutions for commodity markets analytics and designer of three major livestock insurance programs in the United States - Dairy Revenue Protection, Livestock Gross Margin and Livestock Risk Protection. In addition, Dr. Bozic is a board advisor to Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and a nationally popular consultant and speaker on economics of dairy markets and policy issues.
Learn more about Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
*Recorded March 30, 2026
Learn more about BankFirst.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on April 8.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Dr. Marin Bozic, a nationally recognized dairy economist who serves as an adviser to the Edge board of directors, discuss the top highlights for dairy in the last four months, Federal Milk Marketing Orders, global conflicts, value of milk and market signals to keep an eye on.
Learn more about Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
*Recorded March 30, 2026
Learn more about BankFirst.
We have covered succession planning many times on Dairy Stream and this time we are taking a unique approach that focuses on the alignment of family and business goals to support long-term family harmony and business success.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Barb Dartt, discuss the following topics:
- First things to assess and align to improve succession planning
- Collaborative dialogue, how to practice it
- Handling difficult conversations
- Leadership development in succession planning
- Structured governance
- Biggest thorns in succession planning
- Advice to the next generation
- How to revisit succession plans
About the guest
- Barb Dartt is a principal consultant for The Family Business Consulting Group. She has more than 20 years’ experience helping individuals and family groups grapple with the joys and challenges that are a natural part of families owning and managing businesses together. At The Family Business Consulting Group, Barb helps families get aligned, anticipate and prevent future challenges, and communicate effectively to grow their businesses.
Resources:
- Lydia Tuthill’s article on the 3 Cs
- Barb's article on Next Gens “grabbing hold” and Letting Go... by Avoiding the Identity Trap
- Crucial Conversations
- Death by Meeting
- FBCG Resources
- Managing Conflict in the Family Business
- Power, Authority, and Influence: The Hidden Challenges of Succession Planning
- Three Key Conversations for Sibling Partnerships to Succeed in Succession
- Having “The Talk:” Navigating the Family Business Succession Conversation with Your Parents
- Family Business Succession: 15 Guidelines
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Learn more about BankFirst.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on April 1.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Barb Dartt, principal consultant for The Family Business Consulting Group, discuss assessing and aligning farm owners, biggest thorn, preparations and what’s next in the space of succession planning.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Members of the Dairy Business Association, Wisconsin’s leading dairy advocacy group, demonstrated the positive impact farmers can have when they come together to prevent unnecessary and burdensome local ordinances designed to limit the productivity of dairy farms.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests Erin Tomasik and Paul Fetzer discuss the following topics:
- Rock Elm township local ordinance in Pierce County, Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permits
- Conversations leading up to the committee meeting
- DNR meeting with the town board
- Testifying at town board meetings
- Bridging the gap
- Monitoring local ordinances
- Running for local office
About the guests
- Erin Tomasik is the Community Relations Manager at the Voice of Milk, where she works to ensure farmer voices are represented on local policy issues. She supports the organization’s government affairs team as well as its permitting and regulatory efforts. Erin collaborates closely with members to connect them with resources, participate in important town meetings and advocate for practical change at the county level. With over 4 years of experience in agricultural advocacy, she has a strong commitment to supporting farmers and the dairy community.
- Paul Fetzer is a retired dairy farmer and his family is running Fetzer Farm in El Paso, Wisconsin. Where they milk 1,400 cows and farm 3,000 acres. Paul is a past DBA board member and was awarded the 2024 DBA Advocate of the Year.
Resources:
- DBA members help prevent local ordinance in Rock Elm, read here.
- Nutrient Management Planning resource
- Livestock Facility Siting resource
- Contact DBA team
- DBA policy priorities
- Connect with Erin, email Erin at etomasik@voiceofmilk.com
Learn more about the Dairy Business Association.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Dairy Stream Rewind with Orion Samuelson on Jan. 13, 2021.
It was an honor to host the voice of agriculture. Dairy Stream's Mike Austin talks with farm broadcast legend Orion Samuelson about his over 60 years of broadcasting experience. Orion shares his favorite stories, gives advice, reminiscences on memories and shares future plans.
WGN Radio shared a tribute to Orion here.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on March 18.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests Erin Tomasik, community relations manager and Paul Fetzer, retired dairy farmer and DBA member board member, discuss the recent burdensome local ordinance designed to limit the productivity of dairy farms in Rock Elm township. They discuss the local ordinance, collaborative efforts, monitoring local ordinances and running for local office.
Resources:
- DBA members help prevent local ordinance in Rock Elm, read here.
- Nutrient Management Planning resource
- Livestock Facility Siting resource
- Contact DBA team
- DBA policy priorities
- Connect with Erin, email Erin at etomasik@voiceofmilk.com
Learn more about the Dairy Business Association.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Details matter and our guest doesn’t miss a beat sharing insight on the challenges and successes with regenerative farming practices.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Alex Udermann of Meadowbrook Dairy Inc. discuss the following topics:
- Meadowbrook Dairy’s start in regenerative farming
- Go-to cover crops
- Making educated decisions
- Soil health mentorship
- Most impactful equipment for regenerative practices
- Precision nutrient management practices
- What consumers are asking
- Conservation goals
- Improving animal health from in-field conservation efforts
- Perspective on feed additives
- What’s next for regenerative farming
About the guest
- Alex Udermann is a fifth-generation dairy, beef, and row crop farmer who operates alongside his parents, John and MaryLou, his wife Kirsten, and his brother Jake and sister-in-law Sam. Their farm focuses on regenerative practices including no-till, cover crops, and responsible nutrient and manure management. They also provide custom no-till planting, cover crop seeding, custom manure hauling, and direct-to-consumer beef sales. Alex serves as an active member and mentor with the MN Soil Health Coalition, helping educate farmers and communities on soil health practices
Resources:
- Meadowbrook Farm website
- Follow Meadowbrook Dairy on Facebook.
- UM-Extension article on the Udermann family
- MN Soil Health Coalition website
Learn more about the Voice of Milk.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on March 4.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Alex Udermann of Meadowbrook Dairy Inc. discuss regenerative farming practices, precision nutrient management, what consumers are asking and what’s next for the future of regenerative farming practices.
About the guest
- Alex Udermann is a fifth-generation dairy, beef, and row crop farmer who operates alongside his parents, John and MaryLou, his wife Kirsten, and his brother Jake and sister-in-law Sam. Their farm focuses on regenerative practices including no-till, cover crops, and responsible nutrient and manure management. They also provide custom no-till planting, cover crop seeding, custom manure hauling, and direct-to-consumer beef sales. Alex serves as an active member and mentor with the MN Soil Health Coalition, helping educate farmers and communities on soil health practices
Learn more about the Voice of Milk.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Every step a dairy cow takes counts. There is a new tool available for farmers to detect lameness before it’s visible. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Tera Baker discuss the following topics:
- Basics of hoof health care
- Automating hoof care
- Accuracy of artificial intelligence (AI) findings
- Materials needed on farm
- How it fits into a hoof care plan
- ROI
- Lifespan of equipment
- Advice to a farmer who is hesitant about adding AI on the farm
- Future of hoof health care
About the guest
- Tera Baker is the North American Marketing Manager for the NedapDairy Business, bringing a lifelong passion for agriculture and a career spanning multiple segments of the dairy industry. Originally from Three Oaks, Michigan, she holds a B.S. in Agribusiness Management from Michigan State University and an MBA from Central Michigan University. Tera’s career includes roles in pharmaceutical sales and leading the precision livestock sales unit at Topcon, and has spent time living and working with farms in Texas, Wisconsin, and Michigan in addition to national and international roles. She is especially energized by Nedap’s commitment to technology creation and its role as a key connector among leading brands serving progressive dairy farmers. Beyond her work at Nedap, Tera remains deeply rooted in agriculture. She farms cash crops with her family, co-owns a precision ag dealership with her husband, and operates a U-Pick flower farm experience. Tera brings a grounded yet forward-looking perspective on dairy technology, innovation, and the future of livestock management.
Resources:
- SmartSight with Nedap
- Article on Nedap ignites the era of AI-powered vision technology with SmartSight
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Feb. 18.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Tera Baker of Nedap discuss the basics of hoof health, automating hoof care, working with your hoof trimmer, artificial intelligence, ROI and the future of hoof health care.
This episode is sponsored by Nedap.
About the guest
- Tera Baker is the North American Marketing Manager for the NedapDairy Business, bringing a lifelong passion for agriculture and a career spanning multiple segments of the dairy industry. Originally from Three Oaks, Michigan, she holds a B.S. in Agribusiness Management from Michigan State University and an MBA from Central Michigan University. Tera’s career includes roles in pharmaceutical sales and leading the precision livestock sales unit at Topcon, and has spent time living and working with farms in Texas, Wisconsin, and Michigan in addition to national and international roles. She is especially energized by Nedap’s commitment to technology creation and its role as a key connector among leading brands serving progressive dairy farmers. Beyond her work at Nedap, Tera remains deeply rooted in agriculture. She farms cash crops with her family, co-owns a precision ag dealership with her husband, and operates a U-Pick flower farm experience. Tera brings a grounded yet forward-looking perspective on dairy technology, innovation, and the future of livestock management.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
In today’s fast-paced world, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly expanding, even in industries like dairy farming. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Mike Kutzke discuss the following topics:
- Overview of the AI platforms and what is being used
- Most helpful on the farm
- Hype vs reality
- Simple and advance examples
- Where to learn more about AI
- Data ownership
- Government’s role in AI
- Positive and negative implications of AI
- AI replacing the farmer?
- Future of AI
Collaborate with the Voice of Milk.
About the guest
- Mike Kutzke is a life-long learner who is interested in technology, artificial intelligence, and how people and groups adapt to change. He holds an M.S. in Social Sciences from North Dakota State University and a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Minnesota State University Moorhead. Mike grew up on a dairy farm and farmed full-time early in his career. He was a police officer for 17 years and has worked in higher education for over 20 years.
Resources:
- Connect with Mike Kutzke on LinkedIn
- Major AI Platforms: Claude, Copilot, Gemini, and ChatGPT
- Dairy Brain with UW-Madison
- SmartSight with Nedap
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Feb. 4.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest discuss AI platforms, simple and advance ways to use AI, hype vs. reality, data ownership, government’s role in AI and the role it plays on farms.
Collaborate with the Voice of Milk.
About the guest
- Mike Kutzke is a life-long learner who is interested in technology, artificial intelligence, and how people and groups adapt to change. He holds an M.S. in Social Sciences from North Dakota State University and a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Minnesota State University Moorhead. Mike grew up on a dairy farm and farmed full-time early in his career. He was a police officer for 17 years and has worked in higher education for over 20 years.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
What agricultural policy items should you be keeping an eye on in 2026? Our guests share insight on workforce, trade and the farm bill while stressing the importance of advocacy with the turnover in Congress.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests Heidi Fischer of Fischer-Clark Dairy and Michael Torrey of Torrey Advisory Group discuss the following topics:
- Reflect on ag policy and what we can learn
- Workforce, labor shortage
- Exports
- Positives and negatives of tariffs
- Farm bill
- FDA, Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- Renewable Fuel Standards
- How to advocate
About the guest
- Michael Torrey founded the Torrey Advisory Group in 2005. Mike’s commitment to the critical role of agriculture remains the foundation of the firm, and he has developed an experienced, bipartisan team who is dedicated to working for the greater good through food, agricultural, and related industries. The team’s ranks include experts in science, nutrition, legislative policy, and trade.
- Heidi Fischer is a dairy farmer and owner of Fischer-Clark Dairy in Hatley, Wisconsin, where they milk 1,100 cows and farm 2,800 acres. Heidi is currently serving as the president of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.
Resources:
- Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative policy priorities
- Edge member portal
- Contact Edge Chief Policy Officer Karen Gefvert at kgefvert@voiceofmilk.com
Learn more about Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Jan. 21.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests Heidi Fischer of Fischer-Clark Dairy and Michael Torrey of Torrey Advisory Group discuss the complexities of agricultural policy in 2026. It covers the historical perspectives on policy-making, current labor shortages, the farm bill timeline and the importance of advocacy for farmers.
About the guests
- Michael Torrey founded the Torrey Advisory Group in 2005. Mike’s commitment to the critical role of agriculture remains the foundation of the firm, and he has developed an experienced, bipartisan team who is dedicated to working for the greater good through food, agricultural, and related industries. The team’s ranks include experts in science, nutrition, legislative policy, and trade.
- Heidi Fischer is a dairy farmer and owner of Fischer-Clark Dairy in Hatley, Wisconsin, where they milk 1,100 cows and farm 2,800 acres. Heidi is currently serving as the president of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.
Learn more about Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Register now for the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
What will 2026 bring the dairy economy? Our guest emphasizes the importance of understanding demand curves and offers actionable insights for farmers to navigate the challenges ahead.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest David Widmar of AEI discuss the following topics:
- Reflecting on Historical Contexts
- Current Financial Health of U.S. Agriculture
- Commodity Prices Outlook for 2026
- Trade Dynamics and Their Impact
- Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
- Labor and Immigration Policy Effects
- Risk Management Strategies for Farmers
- Ad Hoc Policies and Their Implications
- Demand Curves and Economic Insights
- Key Action Items for Farmers in 2026
About the guest
- David Widmar is an ag economist specializing in trends and conditions across the farm economy. He is the managing partner of Ag Economic Insights (AEI.ag), which he co-founded with Dr. Brent Gloy in 2014. AEI is a trusted source of insight for thousands of ag professionals who subscribe to the free weekly newsletter, AEI Premium, or various data offerings. Before founding AEI, Mr. Widmar was a researcher at Purdue University. He holds degrees from Kansas State University and Purdue University.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Recorded 12.17.25
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Jan. 7.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest David Widmar of Ag Economic Insights discuss historical parallels, the current financial health of U.S. agriculture, outlook for commodity prices, impact of trade dynamics, the role of artificial intelligence and what to keep an eye on in 2026.
Register now for the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin
About the guest
- David Widmar is an ag economist specializing in trends and conditions across the farm economy. He is the managing partner of Ag Economic Insights (AEI.ag), which he co-founded with Dr. Brent Gloy in 2014. AEI is a trusted source of insight for thousands of ag professionals who subscribe to the free weekly newsletter, AEI Premium, or various data offerings. Before founding AEI, Mr. Widmar was a researcher at Purdue University. He holds degrees from Kansas State University and Purdue University.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
The 2026 is Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, we hope you can join us - learn more at dairystrong.org.
We are showcasing past Dairy Strong conference speakers and some of the key highlights. At the 2024 Dairy Strong conference, Scott Caine, president of Aimpoint Research, was the keynote speaker. He discussed key concerns for dairy farmers going forward and the steps needed to keep the industry secure.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Kwik trip has been repeatedly named as a “Best Place to Work” both statewide and nationally and we dive into the specifics on employee culture. This previews a 2026 Dairy Strong conference presentation, register today at dairystrong.org.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Ben Leibl of Kwik Trip discuss the following topics:
- Praise Program
- Unsolicited guest compliments
- Employee training
- On-going education and professional development
- Motivators
- Challenges
- Keys to building a reputation
- Advice to balance performance with fostering a supportive, compassionate environment
- How to start a positive culture
- Future goals for Kwik trip customer service and employee engagement
Register now for the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin
About the guest
- Ben Leibl is a Public Relations Specialist for Kwik Trip Inc., based in La Crosse, WI. In his role at Kwik Trip, he assists coworkers with their ongoing educational needs and directs the Kwik Trip praise program, which last year meant acknowledging over 2600 unsolicited guest compliment letters. Prior to joining Kwik Trip in 2020, Ben was an instructor and principal in Oshkosh, WI and Omaha, NE. He holds degrees from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN. Ben sits on the Boards of the Boys and Girls Club in La Crosse, WI and serves as the Chair of St. Paul's Lutheran School Board. Ben and his wife Heidi have 3 children and they live in Holmen, WI.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Dec. 17.
Kwik trip has been repeatedly named as a “Best Place to Work” both statewide and nationally and we dive into the specifics on employee culture. This previews a 2026 Dairy Strong conference presentation, register today at dairystrong.org.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Ben Leibl of Kwik Trip discuss the Kwik Trip Praise Program, unsolicited guest compliments, employee training, motivators, how to start a positive culture, future goals for customer service innovation and employee engagement.
Register now for the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin
About the guest
- Ben Leibl is a Public Relations Specialist for Kwik Trip Inc., based in La Crosse, WI. In his role at Kwik Trip, he assists coworkers with their ongoing educational needs and directs the Kwik Trip praise program, which last year meant acknowledging over 2600 unsolicited guest compliment letters. Prior to joining Kwik Trip in 2020, Ben was an instructor and principal in Oshkosh, WI and Omaha, NE. He holds degrees from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, MN. Ben sits on the Boards of the Boys and Girls Club in La Crosse, WI and serves as the Chair of St. Paul's Lutheran School Board. Ben and his wife Heidi have 3 children and they live in Holmen, WI.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
The 2026 is Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, we hope you can join us - learn more at dairystrong.org.
We are showcasing past Dairy Strong conference speakers and some of the key highlights. At the 2024 Dairy Strong conference, Dr. Thomas P.M. Barnett, a strategist and bestselling author, was the keynote speaker. He shared the latest on the demographic studies and what steps the United States could take to win over the globe’s growing middle class, which could help U.S. farmers with selling their products abroad. In 2024, he shared how the world is going through three major transitions — climate change, demographic transition and a growing global middle class.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Voice of Milk and BMO are proud to bring back the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Dan Scheps, owner of Scheps Dairy, and Paul Salm of BMO discuss early influences, improvements to better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future of the farm and dairy industry.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Dan Scheps is the owner of Scheps Dairy in Almena, Wisconsin where they milk 1,850 cows and farm 2,700 acres. Dan farms with his brother, Ken.
- Paul Salm manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships, including dairy, row crop, grain merchandising and potato customers and has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry
2025 Season 2: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Ocooch Dairy in Hillsboro, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Melichar Broad Acres in Port Washington, Wisconsin
2024 Season 1: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Voice of Milk and BMO are proud to bring back the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and the steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Nov. 26.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Dan Scheps is the owner of Scheps Dairy in Almena, Wisconsin where they milk 1,850 cows and farm 2,700 acres. Dan farms with his brother, Ken.
- Paul Salm manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships, including dairy, row crop, grain merchandising and potato customers and has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry
2025 Season 2: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Ocooch Dairy in Hillsboro, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Melichar Broad Acres in Port Washington, Wisconsin
2024 Season 1: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
The 2026 is Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, we hope you can join us - learn more at dairystrong.org.
We are showcasing past Dairy Strong conference speakers and some of the key highlights. Jeff Eggers is a leading senior policy advisor, best-selling author and organizational performance expert and former Navy SEAL. He has 20+ years of experience managing strategic efforts and leading high-stakes, high-performing teams during his time with the White House, Department of Defense and the U.S. Navy as a Navy SEAL. Jeff spoke at the 2025 Dairy Strong conference.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Voice of Milk and BMO are proud to bring back the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Adam and Kendall Melichar, owners of Melichar Broad Acres, and Jen Peal of BMO discuss early influences, improvements to better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future of the farm and dairy industry.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Adam and Kendall Melichar, owners of Melichar Broad Acres in Port Washington, Wisconsin where they milk 1,750 cows and farm 1,700 acres.
- Jen Peal is an agricultural banking officer for BMO and manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural and agribusiness related customers with a focus on dairy farms. She has over 20 years of banking experience.
2025 Season 2: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Ocooch Dairy in Hillsboro, Wisconsin
2024 Season 1: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Voice of Milk and BMO are proud to bring back the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and the steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Nov. 5.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Adam and Kendall Melichar, owners of Melichar Broad Acres in Port Washington, Wisconsin where they milk 1,750 cows and farm 1,700 acres.
- Jen Peal is an agricultural banking officer for BMO and manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural and agribusiness related customers with a focus on dairy farms. She has over 20 years of banking experience.
2025 Season 2: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Ocooch Dairy in Hillsboro, Wisconsin
2024 Season 1: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Voice of Milk and BMO are proud to bring back the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Jim Mlsna, owner of Ocooch Dairy, and Brad Guse of BMO discuss early influences, improvements to better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future of the farm and dairy industry.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Jim Mlsna is the owner of Ocooch Dairy in Hillsboro, Wisconsin where they milk 950 cows and farm 1,450 acres.
- Brad Guse manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships made up of primarily dairy farm accounts. Brad has over 30 years of experience in agricultural banking.
2024 Season 1: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Voice of Milk and BMO are proud to bring back the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and the steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Oct. 15.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Jim Mlsna is the owner of Ocooch Dairy in Hillsboro, Wisconsin, where they milk 950 cows and farm 1,450 acres.
- Brad Guse manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships made up of primarily dairy farm accounts. Brad has over 30 years of experience in agricultural banking.
2024 Season 1: How We Got Here Podcast series
- How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
- How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Farm transition plans are starting to include non-family members and it offers unique opportunities and challenges in succession planning. We will cover how transition plans have evolved, lending support, essential items, tools, economic pressures and policy items. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Bill Oppriecht of Compeer Financial discuss the following topics:
- Evolution of farm transitions
- Lender support
- Essential items
- What’s driving the shift to non-family members
- Successful example of a blended farm ownership
- Risks for non-family members
- Lending tools or resources
- Biggest challenge
- Economic pressures
- Advice to dairy owners who don’t have a successor
- Policy
- Reviewing transition plans
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Bill Oppriecht is a senior dairy lending specialist at Compeer Financial. He has been part of the Farm Credit System for more than 11 years, with the last six years focusing specifically on dairy operations. Bill grew up on a small dairy farm and uses that background to help support dairy producers in southern Wisconsin. Bill graduated from University of Wisconsin-Platteville, double majoring in ag business and animal science with a dairy emphasis. He is a member of Dairy Business Association, Professional Dairy Producers, Farm Bureau and the Wisconsin Holstein Association. Bill resides in southwestern Wisconsin with his wife, Heidi, and two sons, Alex and Evan.
Resources
- Success in Succession Planning series (1 of 3): How to get organized
- Success in Succession Planning series (2 of 3): Financial analysis
- Success in Succession Planning series (3 of 3): Legal and mediation
- Dairy Streamlet: Succession planning and creating generational wealth
- Succession planning and creating generational wealth
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on September 24.
Farm transition planning is an important topic that we continue to cover on Dairy Stream as new tools and insights are shared. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Bill Oppriecht of Compeer Financial discuss essential items, involving non-family members, resources and how to keep tabs on your succession plan.
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Bill Oppriecht is a senior dairy lending specialist at Compeer Financial. He has been part of the Farm Credit System for more than 11 years, with the last six years focusing specifically on dairy operations. Bill grew up on a small dairy farm and uses that background to help support dairy producers in southern Wisconsin. Bill graduated from University of Wisconsin-Platteville, double majoring in ag business and animal science with a dairy emphasis. He is a member of Dairy Business Association, Professional Dairy Producers, Farm Bureau and the Wisconsin Holstein Association. Bill resides in southwestern Wisconsin with his wife, Heidi, and two sons, Alex and Evan.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
If you’re the next generation to take over the family farm, you will want to learn about digital twins and environmental modeling. We will cover what it is, what digital insights to track, affordable data sources, risk, engaging policy makers, protecting data and the future of this technology. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Dr. Bruno Basso discuss the following topics:
- What are digital twins and environmental modeling
- Projects Dr. Basso has worked on
- What insights to track
- Affordable and popular data sources
- Is this risky?
- How to engage lawmakers
- Protecting data
- Other industries using this technology
- Next generation of sustainable crop nutrition
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Dr. Bruno Basso, professor of earth and environmental sciences, integrates diverse disciplines such as biophysics, climatology, hydrology, genetics, agronomy and soil science to understand the spatial and temporal variabilities of crop yield and environmental outcomes in agricultural systems. With a focus on sustainable row crop production, Basso is harnessing advanced UAV technology and predictive process-based models to quantify the impact of current and future climate, soil, genetics and management on crop yield and ecosystem services.
Resources
- Bruno Basso - Digital Twins to Scale Sustainable Agricultural Systems YouTube video
- 2025 MSU Tech Transfer Achievement Award-Bruno Basso’s Crop Yield Modeling System article
- Dr. Bruno Basso’s Lab with Michigan State University
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Sept. 3.
Digital twin and environmental modeling will be a valuable tool for farmers in the near future. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Dr. Bruno Basso of Michigan State University discuss the what it is, affordable and popular data sources, risk, engaging with policy makers and the future of sustainable crop nutrition.
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Dr. Bruno Basso, professor of earth and environmental sciences, integrates diverse disciplines such as biophysics, climatology, hydrology, genetics, agronomy and soil science to understand the spatial and temporal variabilities of crop yield and environmental outcomes in agricultural systems. With a focus on sustainable row crop production, Basso is harnessing advanced UAV technology and predictive process-based models to quantify the impact of current and future climate, soil, genetics and management on crop yield and ecosystem services.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
We are taking a big picture look at the challenges mother nature has brought us and how farmers are overcoming these challenges. We will cover adaptive strategies farmers are implementing, crop selection, new technologies, pest control and more. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Chris Clark of UW-Extension discuss the following topics:
- Shifting weather patterns and the impact on planting and harvesting windows
- Adaptive strategies
- Crop selection and varieties
- Emerging best practices in nitrogen and phosphorus
- Compaction in the Midwest
- Data tools for in-season decision making
- New or increasing pest and disease threats
- Agronomic trends or challenges in the next 3-5 years
- Resources for farmer education
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Chris Clark is an agronomic outreach specialist with Northeast Wisconsin for the nutrient and pest management team for the University of Wisconsin Division of Extension. Chris partners, cooperates and brings together farmers, researchers and industry providing agronomy outreach she focuses on crop and soil nutrient use. Chris began her role at Extension in 2023. Prior to joining Extension, Chris worked in private sector agronomy lab testing for 12 years, and as a agriculture teacher and FFA Advisor for 9 years. She has a BA in Agricultural Education from UW-River Falls and is a Wisconsin Certified Crop Advisor and has been a member of the WI CCA board for 6 years.
Resources
- Wisconet
- Ag Weather Outlook
- Agriculture Data | Wisconsin State Climatology Office
- UW Extension Agriculture- Agriculture – Extension
- Farmer-led services through Farmers for Sustainable Food
- Find a farmer-led group near you
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on August 13.
Mother nature has the control but farmers are navigating new challenges with adaptive strategies. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Chris Clark of UW-Extension discuss the strategies, emerging best practices in nitrogen and phosphorus management, handling pest and disease, and the future of agronomy trends and challenges.
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Chris Clark is an agronomic outreach specialist with Northeast Wisconsin for the nutrient and pest management team for the University of Wisconsin Division of Extension. Chris partners, cooperates and brings together farmers, researchers and industry providing agronomy outreach she focuses on crop and soil nutrient use. Chris began her role at Extension in 2023. Prior to joining Extension, Chris worked in private sector agronomy lab testing for 12 years, and as a agriculture teacher and FFA Advisor for 9 years. She has a BA in Agricultural Education from UW-River Falls and is a Wisconsin Certified Crop Advisor and has been a member of the WI CCA board for 6 years.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Farmers in Wisconsin have teamed up to create a farmer-led watershed group called Peninsula Pride Farms and it’s taking soil health to the next level. We are going to learn more about the farmer-led group, how they make informed management decisions, conservation practices to build organic matter and manure management practices. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Lee Kinnard of Kinnard Farms discuss the following topics:
- History of Peninsula Pride Farms
- From field day to conservation idea
- Making informed management decisions
- Including everyone in conservation efforts
- Conservation practices that make big impacts
- Building organic matter
- Importance of manure
- Manure application methods
- Adding other minerals to help with soil structure
- Tools that support conservation
- Manure management success stories
- Conservation goals for Kinnard Farms
- Conservation future trends
Special thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Lee Kinnard is president and owner of Kinnard Farms located in Kewaunee County in Wisconsin. He manages the business, the people and the cows. Kinnard Farms consist of 9,250 cows, 7,800 heifers located in Colorado in partnership with four Wisconsin farmers, 11,500 acres, and has 21,000 acres with a nutrient management plan and currently provides jobs to 137 valued employees. Over the years, Kinnard Farms has grown due to Lee’s new ideas, methods and solutions that have a positive impact on animal care, regenerative agriculture and food production.
Resources
- Producer-Led Group Roadmap and more
- Peninsula Pride Farms website
- Kinnard Farms website
- Farmer-led services through Farmers for Sustainable Food
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on July 23.
Farmers in Wisconsin are making a difference in the soil health space through farmer-led watershed groups. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Lee Kinnard of Kinnard Farms discuss the history of Peninsula Pride Farms, conservation practices, game-changer in the manure management space, manure management tools, conservation goals and future of conservation.
Special thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Lee Kinnard is president and owner of Kinnard Farms located in Kewaunee County in Wisconsin. He manages the business, the people and the cows. Kinnard Farms consist of 9,250 cows, 7,800 heifers located in Colorado in partnership with four Wisconsin farmers, 11,500 acres, and has 21,000 acres with a nutrient management plan and currently provides jobs to 137 valued employees. Over the years, Kinnard Farms has grown due to Lee’s new ideas, methods and solutions that have a positive impact on animal care, regenerative agriculture and food production.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Employees are a valuable asset on the farm and there are specific financial investments a farm can make to improve workforce culture. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Brad Herkenhoff discuss the following topics:
- What is employee culture
- Small financial investments to improve culture
- Large financial investments
- Gifts and financial incentives
- ROI on positive work culture
- Technology
- Documenting a plan to improve
- Goals
- Resources
- Trends
This episode is brought to you by Compeer Financial.
About the guest
- Brad Herkenhoff is a Senior Dairy Lending Specialist at Compeer Financial. His primary role at Compeer is to work closely with dairy clients providing industry expertise in finance strategy. He is committed to working with dairy farm families on identifying their goals and helping to work towards them. He works with dairies in MN and western WI. Brad was born and raised near Freeport, MN where his family operated a dairy farm. His brother and sister-in-law have taken over the family farm; however, Brad is still active in the farm primarily helping with field work as needed. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance at St. Cloud State University and has been in the Ag lending industry for 17 years prior to joining Compeer. He is active in local and community events and has been involved in the dairy industry his whole life.
Resources
- Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and onboarding talent
- Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement
- Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling
- Workable Workforce Series: HR management and legal matters
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on July 2.
Employees are at the core of a successful business and we will cover specific financial investment to improve the workforce culture and in return save your farm business money. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Brad Herkenhoff discuss basic and advanced financial investments to improve employee culture, ROI on positive work culture, resources and trends.
This episode is brought to you by Compeer Financial.
About the guest
- Brad Herkenhoff is a Senior Dairy Lending Specialist at Compeer Financial. His primary role at Compeer is to work closely with dairy clients providing industry expertise in finance strategy. He is committed to working with dairy farm families on identifying their goals and helping to work towards them. He works with dairies in MN and western WI. Brad was born and raised near Freeport, MN where his family operated a dairy farm. His brother and sister-in-law have taken over the family farm; however, Brad is still active in the farm primarily helping with field work as needed. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance at St. Cloud State University and has been in the Ag lending industry for 17 years prior to joining Compeer. He is active in local and community events and has been involved in the dairy industry his whole life.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.
Farmers are leading the way in conservation efforts through producer-led watershed groups, and today we are going to learn more about these farmer networks, common conservation practices and future goals. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Brody Stapel and Ricardo Costa discuss the following topics:
- Backstory of producer-led watershed groups
- Common conservation practices within the groups
- Challenges
- Opportunities to engage with the non-farming community
- Test sites and research
- Game-changing techniques
- Conservation practices that have potential
- Future goals and strategies
This episode is brought to you by The Nature Conservancy.
About the guests
- Brody Stapel is a dairy farmer from Cedar Grove, Wisconsin milking 250 cows and farming 900 acres with his brother Jory, and Father Rudy, their wives, 10 kids and multiple employees!! They also own and operate 2 beef feedlots and recently launched a direct to consumer brand focused on glass bottled milk, beef and other Stapels from the farm. Brody is the President of the Sheboygan River Progressive Farmers, which is group of farmers in the Sheboygan river basin area that came together to test and explore farming strategies that improve soil health, allow greater farming efficiency, sustain profitability and lessen the impact on the environment.
- Ricardo Costa serves as the Associate Director of Agriculture Strategy for TNC in Wisconsin. With a strong background in plant sciences and agronomy, he began his career as a Field Crops Educator and Plant Pathology instructor at Michigan State University Extension, where he worked directly with farmers to develop and implement conservation practices. He is a Certified Crop Advisor and a 4R Nutrient Management Specialist. In his role at TNC, Ricardo collaborates with farmer-led groups, private industry, and government agencies to advance conservation practices across Wisconsin.
Resources
- Producer-Led Group Roadmap and more
- Commercial Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Grant Program
- Sheboygan River Progressive Farmers website
- Farm Stapels website
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on June 11.
In Wisconsin, farmers created farmer-led conservation groups, known as Producer-Led Watershed Groups (PLWG), that are leading the way in conservation. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Brody Stapel and Ricardo Costa discuss the backstory of the groups, common conservation practices and future goals.
This episode is brought to you by The Nature Conservancy.
About the guests
- Brody Stapel is a dairy farmer from Cedar Grove, Wisconsin milking 250 cows and farming 900 acres with his brother Jory, and Father Rudy, their wives, 10 kids and multiple employees!! They also own and operate 2 beef feedlots and recently launched a direct to consumer brand focused on glass bottled milk, beef and other Stapels from the farm. Brody is the President of the Sheboygan River Progressive Farmers, which is group of farmers in the Sheboygan river basin area that came together to test and explore farming strategies that improve soil health, allow greater farming efficiency, sustain profitability and lessen the impact on the environment.
- Ricardo Costa serves as the Associate Director of Agriculture Strategy for TNC in Wisconsin. With a strong background in plant sciences and agronomy, he began his career as a Field Crops Educator and Plant Pathology instructor at Michigan State University Extension, where he worked directly with farmers to develop and implement conservation practices. He is a Certified Crop Advisor and a 4R Nutrient Management Specialist. In his role at TNC, Ricardo collaborates with farmer-led groups, private industry, and government agencies to advance conservation practices across Wisconsin.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
We get creative in this episode and discuss specific examples of how farmers are approaching their neighbors with mutually beneficial business ideas. The first part identifies the opportunities and after the break, we discuss how to approach the opportunities. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Steve Schwoerer discuss the following topics:
- Defining neighbors
- Why this has become more popular
- High-level overview of farm and neighbor relationships
- Crop purchase agreements
- Land leasing agreements
- Investor opportunities
- Conservation efforts with your neighbors
- Outside professional support
- Legal and financial items
- What situation is the most successful
- Challenges
- Future topics in this space
This episode is brought to you by the Compeer Financial.
About the guest
- Steve Schwoerer is the Vice President of Dairy Lending at Compeer Financial. His primary role is to provide industry expertise and advice to the largest dairy farm clients of Compeer Financial. He has been an account officer for dairy clients in the Farm Credit System for more than 38 years. Steve graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. Steve is also a member of the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Dairy Business Association.
Resources
- Connect with Steve
- Agricultural Financing resources
- Agricultural Businesses resources
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on May 21.
Our guest helps farms get creative with improving their business by maximizing neighbor relationships. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Steve Schwoerer discuss the list of opportunities, what is the most successful, outside professional support, challenges and future topics in this space.
This episode is brought to you by the Compeer Financial.
About the guest
- Steve Schwoerer is the Vice President of Dairy Lending at Compeer Financial. His primary role is to provide industry expertise and advice to the largest dairy farm clients of Compeer Financial. He has been an account officer for dairy clients in the Farm Credit System for more than 38 years. Steve graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. Steve is also a member of the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Dairy Business Association.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Creating a plan to act on regular tune-ups on your farm can result in money savings and improved relationships with industry allies. Focus on Energy shares the unforeseen benefits of farm equipment tune-ups, highlighting the critical role of proactive equipment maintenance in improving energy efficiency and farm operations. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Melissa Beeksma, discuss the following topics:
- Ideal timeframe for tune-ups
- Dairy refrigeration, other tune-ups
- Grain dryer tune-ups
- Who to get involved
- Benefits with industry allies within the tune-up program
- Significant money savings
- Sensors to track equipment performance
- Time commitment from the farmer
- Incentives
- Energy efficiency trends in the future
Special thanks to Focus on Energy for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Melissa Beeksma has been working in the energy efficiency field for over 18 years. She is the Technical Quality Lead for Focus on Energy’s Agriculture and Schools and Government Programs. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a Master’s Degree in Natural Resource Management with an emphasis in Environmental Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Melissa is a Certified Energy Manager and Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional through the Association of Energy Engineers. In 2024, she co-authored the Agricultural Maintenance Benefits White Paper: The Success and Unforeseen Benefits of Farm Equipment Tune-Ups, highlighting the critical role of proactive equipment maintenance in improving energy efficiency and farm operations.
Resources
- Agricultural Maintenance Benefits White Paper: The Success and Unforeseen Benefits of Farm Equipment Tune-Ups
- Energy Advisor Map
- Agricultural: Improving your bottom-line resources
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on April 30.
Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Melissa Beeksma with Focus on Energy, shares the unforeseen benefits of farm equipment tune-ups, highlighting the critical role of proactive equipment maintenance in improving energy efficiency and farm operations.
Special thanks to Focus on Energy for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Melissa Beeksma has been working in the energy efficiency field for over 18 years. She is the Technical Quality Lead for Focus on Energy’s Agriculture and Schools and Government Programs. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a Master’s Degree in Natural Resource Management with an emphasis in Environmental Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Melissa is a Certified Energy Manager and Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional through the Association of Energy Engineers. In 2024, she co-authored the Agricultural Maintenance Benefits White Paper: The Success and Unforeseen Benefits of Farm Equipment Tune-Ups, highlighting the critical role of proactive equipment maintenance in improving energy efficiency and farm operations.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
We are virtually traveling in-field to learn more about microbial nitrogen and the impact biologicals and biostimulants can have on your crops. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Rick Molenaar, discuss the following topics:
- Evolution of technology in crop production
- Gene-editing microbes
- Current advancements in microbial nitrogen
- Impressive corn silage research
- Key growing stages to focus on
- ROI benefit of nitrogen management
- How microbes can help dairy farmers
- Precision agricultural equipment
- Microbial nitrogen technologies to support GHG emissions
- Challenges
- Future of nitrogen fertilizer management
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Rick Molenaar is a regional agronomy lead for Pivot Bio. He is an agronomy professional with a proven track record of success in leading field agronomist teams, conducting on-farm trials of pre-commercial biological products, and collaborating with land grant universities. His expertise spans Midwest row crop production, where he utilizes agriculture-based GIS programs to develop innovative variable rate maps for seeding, fertility, liming, and manure application, optimizing both crop yield and sustainability.
Resources
- Connect with Rick Molenaar on LinkedIn
- Scientific Reports: Genetic remodeling of soil diazotrophs enables partial replacement of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer with biological nitrogen fixation in maize, Purdue University & University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Agronomy Journal: Soil inoculation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to supplement maize fertilizer need, University of Illinois
- Video Interview: Science Validated: Purdue & UW-Madison Confirm PROVEN 40’s Mode of Action
- Past Dairy Stream episode with Co-Founder Karsten Temme: How microbes are shaping the future of crop nutrition
- Past Dairy Stream episode with Dr. Connor Sible of the University of Illinois: Understanding biologicals and biostimulants
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on April 2.
We are getting an in-field perspective from an agronomist expert on the opportunities with microbial nitrogen. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Rick Molenaar discuss gene-editing microbes, current advancements in microbial nitrogen, research, precision agricultural equipment and the future of nitrogen fertilizer management.
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Rick Molenaar is a regional agronomy lead for Pivot Bio. He is an agronomy professional with a proven track record of success in leading field agronomist teams, conducting on-farm trials of pre-commercial biological products, and collaborating with land grant universities. His expertise spans Midwest row crop production, where he utilizes agriculture-based GIS programs to develop innovative variable rate maps for seeding, fertility, liming, and manure application, optimizing both crop yield and sustainability.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
We help navigate the space of dairy market risk from understanding the basics to future implications. The first part cover dairy risk management options to important deadlines and the second part discusses what dairy market risk will look with changes in the Federal Milk Marketing Orders to the Farm Bill. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Dr. Chris Wolf, discuss the following topics:
- Why do we have dairy market risk tools
- Dairy market risk options
- Options for certain size dairies
- Recommendations for beginners in risk management
- Important dates and timeframes
- Federal Milk Marketing Orders impact on dairy market risk
- Potential for new risk management tools
- Resources
- Future of dairy market risk management
This episode is brought to you by the Voice of Milk.
About the guest
- Chris Wolf is the E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics and the Director of Land Grant Programs in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University. Wolf conducts research, extension and teaching focusing on dairy markets and policy, livestock disease economics, farm business management, risk management, and farm animal welfare. He has published widely in academic and industry outlets. Wolf’s extension program stresses the effect of public policy on farm behavior and financial outcome, aiming to focus on issues of current and future importance to policy makers and industry decision makers. A native of Wisconsin, Wolf received his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin and his Ph.D. from the University of California-Davis.
Episode recorded February 27, 2025
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on March 5.
The focus is on dairy market risk with understanding the basics and what items impact it. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Dr. Chris Wolf discuss why dairy market risk programs exist, options for dairy farmers, recommendation for beginners, changes to the Federal Milk Market Order, future farm bills and resources.
This episode is brought to you by the Voice of Milk.
About the guest
- Chris Wolf is the E.V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics and the Director of Land Grant Programs in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University. Wolf conducts research, extension and teaching focusing on dairy markets and policy, livestock disease economics, farm business management, risk management, and farm animal welfare. He has published widely in academic and industry outlets. Wolf’s extension program stresses the effect of public policy on farm behavior and financial outcome, aiming to focus on issues of current and future importance to policy makers and industry decision makers. A native of Wisconsin, Wolf received his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin and his Ph.D. from the University of California-Davis.
Episode recorded February 27, 2025
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Farmers in the Upper Midwest are utilizing actionable data to make informed decisions about the conservation practices implemented on their farms. Results from the first year of a five-year effort through the Farmers for Sustainable Food Climate-Smart Program showed that these sustainable farming practices are achieving positive environmental outcomes. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Drew Kessler and Michael Crinion, discuss the following topics:
- Using actionable data to make informed conservation decisions
- How the conservation efforts are analyzed
- What conservations practices are the most popular
- Conservation efforts making economic sense
- Most impressive part of the program
- Challenges
- Resources
- Data becoming a currency
- What next in the space of data-driven sustainability efforts
Special thanks to Farmers for Sustainable Food for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Drew Kessler — a seasoned Scientist and Principal at Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI)—is a leading expert in water resources management and agricultural sustainability. With nearly two decades of experience, including a decade at HEI, Drew has dedicated his career to bridging the gap between environmental science and agricultural practices. His expertise in water quality, wildlife ecology, and TMDL processes has made him a valuable asset to farmers, food supply chains, and policymakers alike. Drew’s ability to translate complex scientific information into actionable insights has fostered collaboration and positive outcomes for agricultural working lands.
- Michael Crinion — a rural entrepreneur with extensive knowledge of dairy, beef, sheep, and poultry enterprises, as well as experience in implementing ISOs and HACCP protocols. Having grown up on a farm in Ireland, Crinion moved to Brookings, SD, in 2004 to extend his farming operations. He serves as the Managing Partner of Ash Grove Dairy, a 2,100-cow cross-ventilated dairy operation in Lake Benton, MN, and is the CEO of BioHydrogen LLC, which transforms waste streams into a sustainable and renewable hydrogen energy. In addition to his role as a Board Member with Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Crinion is the 2024 Chair of U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action.
Resources
- Farmers for Sustainable Food Climate-Smart Program
- Farmers for Sustainable Food Resources
- Press release on year-one results
- Contact Farmers for Sustainable Food staff
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Feb. 26.
A dairy farmer and scientist share the about the actionable data and results from the first year of a five-year effort through the Farmers for Sustainable Food Climate-Smart Program. The results showed that these sustainable farming practices are achieving positive environmental outcomes.
Special thanks to Farmers for Sustainable Food for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Drew Kessler is a seasoned Scientist and Principal at Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI)—is a leading expert in water resources management and agricultural sustainability. With nearly two decades of experience, Drew has dedicated his career to bridging the gap between environmental science and agricultural practices.
- Michael Crinion is a Board Member for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and rural entrepreneur with extensive knowledge of dairy, beef, sheep, and poultry enterprises. He serves as the Managing Partner of Ash Grove Dairy, where they milk 2,100-cow in Minnesota, and he is the CEO of BioHydrogen LLC, which transforms waste streams into a sustainable and renewable hydrogen energy.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
This episode provides a unique spin on wind power and why it might be a good fit for your farm. EWT is the number one selling wind turbine in its one Mega Watt class and has 20 years of presence in the U.S. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Brett Pingree, discuss the following topics:
- What is distributed wind and its importance
- Wind power potential on a dairy farm
- Wind resource in the U.S.
- How wind works with other renewable energy sources on the farm
- ROI of wind energy
- Incentives and grants
- Challenges with implantation
- Operation and maintenance cost
- Regulatory challenges
- Ownership and financing options
- Key steps to implement wind power on your farm
Special thanks to EWT for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- An industry veteran, Brett Pingree has worked in renewable energy for 20 years with the majority of it being in distributed renewables, largely distributed wind. Brett has years of developing commercial and industrial solar PV as well as developing distributed energy storage projects across the US. Brett has lived in Europe and developed, or attempted to develop, projects in nearly all of the Western European countries. But his renewable energy experience started in the Arctic regions of Alaska where he has spent 20 years developing projects that displace diesel fuel for the indigenous communities. Brett re-joined EWT in 2021 as Commercial Director of the North American market after successfully developing C&I solar projects in America for the previous four years. Previous to developing PV solar projects, Brett was Head of Business Development for EWT. Brett began his career in renewables with Northern Power Systems in 2004 and has held various senior roles in Commercial Executive leadership and Business Development at Endurance Windpower, Dynapower, and EWT over the years. Brett holds an Executive Leadership Certificate from the Wallace E. Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College (2005) as well as a BS in Environmental Science (1991) from the University of Vermont.
Resources
- Distributed Wind Market Report: 2022 Edition
- Contact us - EWT
- Distributed Wind for Farmers
- Environmental Law and Policy Center
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Feb. 5.
You’ll be blown away by the potential of wind power on your dairy farm. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and EWT expert Brett Pingree discuss the potential of distributed wind, ROI, incentives and grants, challenges and key steps to get started.
Special thanks to EWT for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- An industry veteran, Brett Pingree has worked in renewable energy for 20 years with the majority of it being in distributed renewables, largely distributed wind. Brett has years of developing commercial and industrial solar PV as well as developing distributed energy storage projects across the US. Brett has lived in Europe and developed, or attempted to develop, projects in nearly all of the Western European countries. But his renewable energy experience started in the Arctic regions of Alaska where he has spent 20 years developing projects that displace diesel fuel for the indigenous communities. Brett re-joined EWT in 2021 as Commercial Director of the North American market after successfully developing C&I solar projects in America for the previous four years. Previous to developing PV solar projects, Brett was Head of Business Development for EWT. Brett began his career in renewables with Northern Power Systems in 2004 and has held various senior roles in Commercial Executive leadership and Business Development at Endurance Windpower, Dynapower, and EWT over the years. Brett holds an Executive Leadership Certificate from the Wallace E. Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College (2005) as well as a BS in Environmental Science (1991) from the University of Vermont.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Did you know not all magnesium is created equal and it's important to know where it is sourced. This episode is unique as we will get perspectives from three guests including a dairy herd manager, researcher and sales professional about the importance of magnesium and research to prove it. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza, Dr. Silva del Rio, Sean and Jeff discuss the following topics:
- Importance of Magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and recognizing deficiencies
- How Mg is absorbed
- How much Mg to feed
- Difference Mg options
- Research on Mg
- Understanding where minerals are sourced
Special thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests:
- Dr. Noelia. Silva del Rio serves as the Dairy Herd Health Specialist at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Her research interests includes a wide range of topics, such as transition cow and calf health, dairy herd sustainability, and animal welfare.
- Sean Mangieri is the Director of Sales at GLC Minerals and works closely with the company’s animal nutrition team.
- Jeff Evenson is the dairy manager at Woldt Farms in Brillion Wisconsin and has been employed at the farm for 17 years. They milk 1,650 cows and farm 4,000 acres
Resources:
- Mg research from GLC Minerals
- Multesium
- Dr. Goff’s field test
- Woldt Farm's story
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Jan. 15.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza connects with a researcher, GLC Minerals expert and dairy herd manager, to discuss the importance of magnesium in dairy cattle including spotting deficiencies, ration, importance of sourcing high-quality magnesium and more.
Special thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests:
- Dr. Noelia. Silva del Rio serves as the Dairy Herd Health Specialist at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Her research interests includes a wide range of topics, such as transition cow and calf health, dairy herd sustainability, and animal welfare.
- Sean Mangieri is the Director of Sales at GLC Minerals and works closely with the company’s animal nutrition team.
- Jeff Evenson is the dairy manager at Woldt Farms in Brillion Wisconsin and has been employed at the farm for 17 years. They milk 1,650 cows and farm 4,000 acres
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
There is uncertainty as we head into 2025 and our guests, Mike North and Dr. Marin Bozic, share optimism and tools to help navigate the year ahead. Mike and Marin will be presenting on this topic at the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza, Mike and Marin discuss the following topics:
- What to expect from the new administration
- Momentum of the farm bill
- Federal Milk Marketing Orders
- Tariffs
- Avian influenza in dairy cattle
- Opportunities and challenges with increased cheese processing
- Milk prices
- What to watch for in the first 6 months
Check out and attend the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
About the guests:
- Mike North has spent nearly 30 years working with both producers and processors or the end users of agricultural commodities to address and manage their exposure to commodity price risk. Mike is currently the president of the producer division at Ever.Ag.
- Marin Bozic has nearly 20 years of experience in the dairy industry. He serves as a dairy economist on the Edge Board of Directors.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.
This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Jan. 1.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza connects with two 2025 Dairy Strong presenters, Mike North and Dr. Marin Bozic, to discuss their Dairy Strong presentation and outlook on the dairy markets in 2025. They cover what to expect from the new administration, farm bill, tariffs, avian influenza in dairy cattle, milk price and more.
Check out and attend the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
About the guests:
- Mike North has spent nearly 30 years working with both producers and processors or the end users of agricultural commodities to address and manage their exposure to commodity price risk. Mike is currently the president of the producer division at Ever.Ag.
- Marin Bozic has nearly 20 years of experience in the dairy industry. He serves as a dairy economist on the Edge Board of Directors.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Dairy has the potential to boost your mood, reduce anxiety and stimulate the immune system. Today, we will focus on how cheese has the ability to lower hypertension. Our guest today was awarded a grant from the Dairy Innovation Hub to support the Center for Dairy Research’s work to develop cheese manufacturing and aging methods to increase the amount of the bioactive peptides in cheese that have antihypertensive properties. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Rodrigo A. Ibáñez, associate scientists at the Center for Dairy Research, discuss the following topics:
- What are bioactive peptides
- Nutritional properties of cheese
- Bioactive peptides and the impact on lower hypertension
- Ethnicity and the role on the human body
- CDR’s research on testing bioactive peptides
- Challenges within the research
- What’s next for the study
- Food is medicine conversation
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Rodrigo A. Ibáñez holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from University College Cork – National University of Ireland. He currently works as an Associate Scientist in the Cheese Research Group at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying topics related to cheese defects, impact of cheese components in human health and use of dairy ingredients to improve cheese quality. Additionally, Rodrigo supports teaching activities in CDR short courses, including those offered in Spanish.
Resources:
- Dairy Pipeline (see page 8)
- Enhancing the Bioactive Peptide Profile of Cheese presentation
- About the Dairy Innovation Hub
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Dec. 25.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Rodrigo A. Ibáñez, associate scientists at the Center for Dairy Research, discuss a grant from the Dairy Innovation Hub to support the Center for Dairy Research’s work to develop cheese manufacturing and aging methods to increase the amount of the bioactive peptides in cheese that have antihypertensive properties.
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Rodrigo A. Ibáñez holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from University College Cork – National University of Ireland. He currently works as an Associate Scientist in the Cheese Research Group at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying topics related to cheese defects, impact of cheese components in human health and use of dairy ingredients to improve cheese quality. Additionally, Rodrigo supports teaching activities in CDR short courses, including those offered in Spanish.
Resources:
- Dairy Pipeline (see page 8)
- Enhancing the Bioactive Peptide Profile of Cheese presentation
- About the Dairy Innovation Hub
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Ken Verhasselt, owner of Verhasselt Farms, and Don Adams of BMO discuss early influences, improvements to be better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future for the farm and dairy industry.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Ken Verhasselt is the owner of Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin where they milk 4,000 cows and farm 5,000 acres.
- Don Adams of BMO manages a portfolio of production agricultural relationships that focus mainly on dairy, and has just shy of 40 years of experience in the banking industry, with 37 of those years being with BMO.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Dec. 11.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Ken Verhasselt is the owner of Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin where they milk 4,000 cows and farm 5,000 acres.
- Don Adams of BMO manages a portfolio of production agricultural relationships that focus mainly on dairy, and has just shy of 40 years of experience in the banking industry, with 37 of those years being with BMO.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Dennis Hawkins, owner of Solhawk Dairy, and Paul Salm of BMO discuss early influences, improvements to be better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future for the farm and dairy industry.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Dennis Hawkins is the owner of Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls where they milk 2,200 cows and farm 3,100 acres.
- Paul Salm of BMO manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships, including dairy, row crop, grain merchandising and potato customers and has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Nov. 20.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Dennis Hawkins is the owner of Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls where they milk 2,200 cows and farm 3,100 acres.
- Paul Salm of BMO manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships, including dairy, row crop, grain merchandising and potato customers and has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Josh Meissner, owner of Norm E Lane, and Brad Guse of BMO discuss early influences, improvements to be better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future for the farm and dairy industry.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Josh Meissner is the owner of Norm E Lane in Chili Wisconsin. They milk 4,000 cows and run 5,000 acres.
- Brad Guse manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships made up of primarily dairy farm accounts. Brad has over 29 years of experience in agricultural banking.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Oct. 30.
This three-part series is sponsored by BMO.
About the guests:
- Josh Meissner is the owner of Norm E Lane in Chili Wisconsin. They milk 4,000 cows and run 5,000 acres.
- Brad Guse manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships made up of primarily dairy farm accounts. Brad has over 29 years of experience in agricultural banking.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Innovation has been influential in a lot of dairy research and today our focus will be on the SnapPlus Manure Application Realtime Tracker (SMART) mobile manure app. This app helps farmers identify restricted manure hauling areas and help maintain better manure hauling records. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Hava Blair of UW-Madison and Jeremy Heim of Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy and Heim Brothers Custom walk through the app, opportunities, challenges, data protection and questions from dairy farmers. Joanna, Hava and Jeremy discuss the following topics:
- Overview of the SMART app
- Opportunities with the app
- Challenges
- How to get support
- Data protection and access to the maps
- Compatibility with other apps
- Future of manure tracking
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests:
- Hava Blair, soil scientist with the SnapPlus team. She received her Ph.D. in Land and Atmospheric Science from the University of Minnesota. She helps lead the SnapPlus team and works on the science behind the SnapPlus software, including soil fertility, erosion, and nutrient loss components. In addition, she develops trainings and educational materials on how to use SnapPlus and related tools.
- Jeremy Heim, owner of Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy and Heim Brothers Custom in Algoma, Wisconsin. The dairy farm milks 825 cows and runs 1,800 acres. The custom business operates 26,000 acres and assists with crop harvesting, manure transportation and other trucking needs.
Resources:
- For tech problems and support: support@snapplus.wisc.edu
- What is the SMART mobile manure app, download information here
- Guide: Getting started to SMART here
- Project summary of SMART here
- SnapPlus3 information
- UW Nutrient Management Education self-paced program
- DATCP Nutrient Management Trainings and resources
- About the Dairy Innovation Hub
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Oct. 9.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Hava Blair of UW-Madison and Jeremy Heim of Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy and Heim Brothers Custom discuss the SnapPlus Manure Application Realtime Tracker (SMART) mobile manure app funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub. This app helps farmers identify restricted manure hauling areas and help maintain better manure hauling records.
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests:
- Hava Blair, soil scientist with the SnapPlus team. She received her Ph.D. in Land and Atmospheric Science from the University of Minnesota. She helps lead the SnapPlus team and works on the science behind the SnapPlus software, including soil fertility, erosion, and nutrient loss components. In addition, she develops trainings and educational materials on how to use SnapPlus and related tools.
- Jeremy Heim, owner of Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy and Heim Brothers Custom in Algoma, Wisconsin. The dairy farm milks 825 cows and runs 1,800 acres. The custom business operates 26,000 acres and assists with crop harvesting, manure transportation and other trucking needs.
Resources:
- For tech problems and support: support@snapplus.wisc.edu
- What is the SMART mobile manure app, download information here
- Guide: Getting started to SMART here
- Project summary of SMART here
- SnapPlus3 information
- UW Nutrient Management Education self-paced program
- DATCP Nutrient Management Trainings and resources
- About the Dairy Innovation Hub
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Associationand Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Our topic today can take years to establish and requires continuous involvement from both parties. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Bill Oppriecht of Compeer Financial examine the relationship between a dairy producer and processor and identify how to better understand each other’s needs, challenges, collaboration areas, growing pains and how to best communicate. Joanna and Bill discuss the following topics:
- How dairy processor and producer relationships have evolved
- Better understand each other’s needs
- Understand challenges
- Who should be involved
- Collaboration areas
- Disconnects in the dairy chain
- Growing pains
- Advice for improving the relationship
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Bill Oppriecht is a senior dairy lending specialist at Compeer Financial. He has been part of the Farm Credit System for more than 11 years, with the last six years focusing specifically on dairy operations. Bill grew up on a small dairy farm and uses that background to help support dairy producers in southern Wisconsin. Bill graduated from University of Wisconsin-Platteville, double majoring in ag business and animal science with a dairy emphasis. He is a member of Dairy Business Association, Professional Dairy Producers, Farm Bureau and the Wisconsin Holstein Association. Bill resides in southwestern Wisconsin with his wife, Heidi, and two sons, Alex and Evan.
Resources:
- Bill’s contact information Oppriecht@compeer.com
- Sustainability in dairy processing: A changing landscape
- Examining processor relationships
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Sept. 18.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Bill Oppriecht of Compeer Financial examine the relationship between a dairy producer and processor and identify how to better understand each other’s needs, challenges, collaboration areas, growing pains and how to best communicate.
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Bill Oppriecht is a senior dairy lending specialist at Compeer Financial. He has been part of the Farm Credit System for more than 11 years, with the last six years focusing specifically on dairy operations. Bill grew up on a small dairy farm and uses that background to help support dairy producers in southern Wisconsin. Bill graduated from University of Wisconsin-Platteville, double majoring in ag business and animal science with a dairy emphasis. He is a member of Dairy Business Association, Professional Dairy Producers, Farm Bureau and the Wisconsin Holstein Association. Bill resides in southwestern Wisconsin with his wife, Heidi, and two sons, Alex and Evan.
Resources:
- Bill’s contact information Oppriecht@compeer.com
- Sustainability in dairy processing: A changing landscape
- Examining processor relationships
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Focus on Energy helped over 600 Wisconsin dairy operations save $3.8 million on utility bills through operational improvements. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Jessica Mlsna, lead agriculture energy advisor at Focus on Energy, discuss the five assessment areas, time commitment and financial incentives. If you’re not from Wisconsin, contact your local utility and see what is offered. Joanna and Jessica discuss the following topics:
- First assessment lighting
- Second assessment variable frequency drives
- Third assessment fans
- Fourth assessment dairy operation equipment
- Fifth assessment heating equipment
- General maintenance best practices
- Time commitment and what to expect
- Financial support
Special thanks to Focus on Energy for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Jessica Mlsna is the Lead Agriculture Energy Advisor at FOCUS ON ENERGY®, serving customers in Southwest and Central Wisconsin. She holds a Bachelor's in Animal Science from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and a Master's in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University. With over nine years of experience in the energy efficiency field, Jessica is also a Certified Energy Manager accredited by the Association of Energy Engineers.
Resources:
- Must have a Focus on Energy participating electric or natural gas utility provider: https://focusonenergy.com/about/participating-utilities
- Agribusiness propane offering:
- Offered in partnership with Wisconsin’s Office of Energy Innovation.
- Electric provider must participate in Focus on Energy.
- Must use propane to fuel incentivized equipment.
- Visit focusonenergy.com/business/propane for full details.
- Energy Best Practices guide: Download a free copy at https://focusonenergy.com/business/ee-best-practice-guides
- https://focusonenergy.com/business/agribusiness
- Contact Focus on Energy at 800.762.7077 or visit https://focusonenergy.com/
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Aug. 28.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Jessica Mlsna, lead agriculture energy advisor at Focus on Energy talk through the five assessment areas: Lighting, variable frequency drives, fans, dairy operation equipment and heating equipment. Focus on Energy helped over 600 Wisconsin dairy operations save $3.8 million on utility bills through operational improvements!
Special thanks to Focus on Energy for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Jessica Mlsna is the Lead Agriculture Energy Advisor at FOCUS ON ENERGY®, serving customers in Southwest and Central Wisconsin. She holds a Bachelor's in Animal Science from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and a Master's in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University. With over nine years of experience in the energy efficiency field, Jessica is also a Certified Energy Manager accredited by the Association of Energy Engineers.
Resources:
- Must have a Focus on Energy participating electric or natural gas utility provider: https://focusonenergy.com/about/participating-utilities
- Agribusiness propane offering:
- Offered in partnership with Wisconsin’s Office of Energy Innovation.
- Electric provider must participate in Focus on Energy.
- Must use propane to fuel incentivized equipment.
- Visit focusonenergy.com/business/propane for full details.
- Energy Best Practices guide: Download a free copy at https://focusonenergy.com/business/ee-best-practice-guides
- https://focusonenergy.com/business/agribusiness
- Contact Focus on Energy at 800.762.7077 or visit https://focusonenergy.com/
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
As our guest predicts in this episode, “biologicals and biostimulants aren’t going away anytime soon.” Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and Dr. Connor Sible, postdoctoral research associate with the crop physiology lab in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, explains the basics with understanding biologicals and biostimulants. This episode is split into two parts with the first part covering biologicals and the second part covering biostimulants. We discuss the following topics below:
- Basic definition
- How it works
- What to do before adding a product
- Challenges
- How it fits into a farm input plan
- Other management practices to get the full economic benefit
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Dr. Connor Sible is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Crop Physiology Lab in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois. Originally from northern Illinois, he received his degrees in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois where his graduate studies focused on categorization and best management practices in the use of biologicals and biostimulants for row crops. His current research focuses on nutrient use efficiency of corn and soybean systems with specializations in residue management and nitrogen retention systems.
Resources:
- Department of Crop Sciences – Crop Physiology at the University of Illinois
- Connor’s email: sible2@illinois.edu
- Getting the most out of biostimulants
- Role of Biologicals in Enhancing Nutrient Efficiency in Corn and Soybean
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Aug. 7.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Dr. Connor Sible with the University of Illinois dive into the basics of understanding biologicals and biostimulants. We discuss the differences between them, prior management practices before implementation, challenges, additional practices needed to get the full economic benefit and the future of this technology.
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Dr. Connor Sible is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Crop Physiology Lab in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois. Originally from northern Illinois, he received his degrees in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois where his graduate studies focused on categorization and best management practices in the use of biologicals and biostimulants for row crops. His current research focuses on nutrient use efficiency of corn and soybean systems with specializations in residue management and nitrogen retention systems.
Resources:
- Department of Crop Sciences – Crop Physiology at the University of Illinois
- Connor’s email: sible2@illinois.edu
- Getting the most out of biostimulants
- Role of Biologicals in Enhancing Nutrient Efficiency in Corn and Soybean
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Farmers are adding microbial nitrogen to their crop nutrition strategy to enhance overall plant and soil health. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Karsten Temme, co-founder of Pivot Bio, discuss the complexities of traditional nitrogen use, what is a microbe, application, research, challenges and the future of crop nutrition. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and Karsten discuss for following topics below:
- Complexities surrounding traditional methods of nitrogen
- What is a microbe
- Microbe application rates
- Microbes and conservation efforts
- Availability of microbial nitrogen
- Research on microbial nitrogen
- Economics and ROI
- Challenges this technology faces, regulatory constraints
- Future trends
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Karsten Temme founded Pivot Bio in 2010 with his friend and colleague, Alvin Tamsir, driven by a desire to create meaningful change and solve one of the planet’s biggest challenges. After completing his graduate research on enhancing the nitrogen-fixing potential of soil-borne microbes, he and Alvin focused on creating a microbial nitrogen to replace a portion of synthetic nitrogen. He earned his Bachelor's of Science and Master of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Iowa and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.
Resources on microbial nitrogen:
- How it works - Pivot Bio PROVEN 40
- 2023 Impact Report
- Customer stories: Straight from the farm
- Building better nitrogen: About the technology
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on July 17.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Karsten Temme, co-founder of Pivot Bio, share how microbial nitrogen products are changing how farmers grow crops and microbes are becoming a key player in a farmer’s crop nutrition strategy. We discuss the complexities of nitrogen use, basics of a microbe, research, challenges and the future of crop nutrition.
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Karsten Timme founded Pivot Bio in 2010 with his friend and colleague, Alvin Tamsir, driven by a desire to create meaningful change and solve one of the planet’s biggest challenges. After completing his graduate research on enhancing the nitrogen-fixing potential of soil-borne microbes, he and Alvin focused on creating a microbial nitrogen to replace a portion of synthetic nitrogen. He earned his Bachelor's of Science and Master of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Iowa and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.
Resources on microbial nitrogen:
- How it works - Pivot Bio PROVEN 40
- 2023 Impact Report
- Customer stories: Straight from the farm
- Building better nitrogen: About the technology
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Consumers are spending their disposable income on health and wellness items, which is a $350 billion industry, and there is a lot of opportunity for dairy. Paul Ziemnisky, executive vice president of global innovation partnerships for DMI, shares the four strategy areas, business development partnerships, challenges and future trends. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topic below with Paul:
- Four strategy areas to grow domestic sales
- More incremental sales
- More commercialized science
- More outside investment
- More trained workforce
- How dairy moves into new growth space
- Popular areas of health and wellness
- Timeline
- Collaboration between checkoffs and the Center for Dairy Research
- Challenges
- Future trends
Watch the Dairy Streamlet on YouTube.
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest, Paul Ziemnisky, Executive Vice President of Global Innovation Partnerships for DMI
- Senior brand marketing, innovation and general management executive with over 25 years of consumer package goods marketing, innovation and finance experience in a wide range of industries. Paul’s experience includes managing brands and leading innovation for well-known brands such as Kraft Natural Cheese, Velveeta, Tombstone, DiGiorno, Rust-Oleum, and First Alert. Paul has guided brands with revenue from $100M to over $1B, while launching more than $500M of new product platforms. Prior to joining Dairy Management, Paul served in senior-level positions at companies including Kraft Foods, Jarden Corporation, Rust-Oleum, and Oil-Dri Corporation. Paul has been with DMI for 8 years. In his current role, Paul is the Group EVP for DMI’s Innovation priority which includes domestic growth platforms, business development and channel partnership efforts with key players such as Domino’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, General Mills, Raising Cane’s and Amazon. Plus, DMI’s health and wellness research and product science and technology teams and efforts.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on June 26.
The health and wellness space is a $350 billion industry with a 50 percent dissatisfaction on products, which means a lot of opportunity for dairy. Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest, Paul Ziemnisky, executive vice president of global innovation partnerships for DMI, as they discuss the four strategy areas and future trends. Watch this episode on our YouTube channel here.
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest, Paul Ziemnisky, Executive Vice President of Global Innovation Partnerships for DMI
- Senior brand marketing, innovation and general management executive with over 25 years of consumer package goods marketing, innovation and finance experience in a wide range of industries. Paul’s experience includes managing brands and leading innovation for well-known brands such as Kraft Natural Cheese, Velveeta, Tombstone, DiGiorno, Rust-Oleum, and First Alert. Paul has guided brands with revenue from $100M to over $1B, while launching more than $500M of new product platforms. Prior to joining Dairy Management, Paul served in senior-level positions at companies including Kraft Foods, Jarden Corporation, Rust-Oleum, and Oil-Dri Corporation. Paul has been with DMI for 8 years. In his current role, Paul is the Group EVP for DMI’s Innovation priority which includes domestic growth platforms, business development and channel partnership efforts with key players such as Domino’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, General Mills, Raising Cane’s and Amazon. Plus, DMI’s health and wellness research and product science and technology teams and efforts.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Does milk price play a role in appraisal values? What other outside factors impact values of properties? Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Jade Kruschke, certified appraiser with Compeer Financial, as they discuss the basics of understanding appraisals and outside factors that impact property values.
Topics include:
- Role of an appraiser
- Three approaches to value
- Mistakes or misconceptions
- Frequency of appraisals
- Appraiser experiences and knowledge of agriculture
- What affects value of properties
- How milk price impacts appraised values
- Including the next generation
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest: Jade Kruschke, Certified Appraiser, Compeer Financial
- Jade graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a degree in Accounting and Management. She joined the Farm Credit System in 2016 and obtained her Wisconsin Certified General Appraiser license in 2019. She uses her knowledge and agricultural experience to assist clients with their valuation and real estate needs. Jade works primarily in Northwestern Wisconsin and specializes in dairy, grain, irrigated tracts, general and improved farms, recreational, residential and transitional properties. Jade lives in New Richmond, WI with her husband and son on the family farm.
Resource: www.compeer.com/appraisal
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on June 5.
We cover the basics of appraisals and what outside factors impact property values. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Jade Kruschke, certified appraiser with Compeer Financial, cover the role of an appraiser, common misconceptions, outside factors that impact property values and what Jade’s keeping an eye in the appraiser world.
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest: Jade Kruschke, Certified Appraiser, Compeer Financial
- Jade graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a degree in Accounting and Management. She joined the Farm Credit System in 2016 and obtained her Wisconsin Certified General Appraiser license in 2019. She uses her knowledge and agricultural experience to assist clients with their valuation and real estate needs. Jade works primarily in Northwestern Wisconsin and specializes in dairy, grain, irrigated tracts, general and improved farms, recreational, residential and transitional properties. Jade lives in New Richmond, WI with her husband and son on the family farm.
Resource: www.compeer.com/appraisal
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
We start with the basics and end with the specifics on managed rotational grazing. If you are just getting started with rotational grazing, the beginning will highlight environmental benefits, principles and practicalities, grazing for a variety of animals and common challenges. If you identify as an advanced grazer, then fast-forward to 27:29 in the podcast to jump into the specifics on economics, incentives, crop mixes and resources.
Our guests Luke Petersen, regenerative ag specialist with the Nature Conservancy’s North America Agriculture team, and Luke Wavrunek, dairy farmer and owner of Fairview Pastures in Wisconsin, share experiences and expertise with rotational grazing.
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests:
- Luke Petersen is a Regenerative Ag Specialist with The Nature Conservancy’s North America Agriculture team. He works on an array of programs aimed at accelerating the uptake of farming practices that simultaneously benefit farmers and nature, including by partnering closely with the US dairy industry to achieve environmental goals on dairies across the country. He has a background in regenerative grazing management, and is a 5th generation farmer who grazes a small beef herd in SW Michigan.
- Luke Wavrunek is a 5th generation dairy farmer and the owner of Fairview Pastures in Northeast Wisconsin. He started rotational grazing in 2014 and runs 200 acres in rotational grazing and has 195 cattle including milk cows, heifers and some beef cattle on pasture.
Resources for grazing:
- Dairy Feed in Focus program
- Farmers for Sustainable Food Climate-Smart incentive program
- NRCS grazing incentives: Contact your local USDA service center
- Your state’s University Extension, Wisconsin resource
- Farmer-led watershed groups or to start a group
- Group referenced in the episode: Rock River Regenerative Grazers
- Grassland 2.0
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on May 15.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and two guests involved in rotational grazing share the environmental benefits, economics, ROI, common challenges and resources.
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests:
- Luke Petersen is a Regenerative Ag Specialist with The Nature Conservancy’s North America Agriculture team. He works on an array of programs aimed at accelerating the uptake of farming practices that simultaneously benefit farmers and nature, including by partnering closely with the US dairy industry to achieve environmental goals on dairies across the country. He has a background in regenerative grazing management, and is a 5th generation farmer who grazes a small beef herd in SW Michigan.
- Luke Wavrunek is a 5th generation dairy farmer and the owner of Fairview Pastures in Northeast Wisconsin. He started rotational grazing in 2014 and runs 200 acres in rotational grazing and has 195 cattle including milk cows, heifers and some beef cattle on pasture.
Resources for grazing:
- Dairy Feed in Focus program
- Farmers for Sustainable Food Climate-Smart incentive program
- NRCS grazing incentives: Contact your local USDA service center
- Your state’s University Extension, Wisconsin resource
- Farmer-led watershed groups or to start a group
- Group referenced in the episode: Rock River Regenerative Grazers
- Grassland 2.0
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative is involved and keeping a close on the dairy markets and Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs) provision process. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests discuss the impact of the avian influenza found in dairy cattle, the building of new dairy processing plants, FMMO reform potential impacts, items to watch in the next 12 months and how Edge is positioning policy to offer dairy farmers protection outside of FMMOs.
Dairy Stream guests:
- Mike North, President of the Producer Division at Ever.Ag
- Dr. Marin Bozic, dairy economist on the Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative Board of Directors
- Tim Trotter, CEO of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative
Resources:
- Map of dairy processing plants
- Edge FMMO resource page
- FMMOs website
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Episode was recorded on April 24, 2024
In 2022, U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the investment of $3.1 billion for 141 projects through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. With billions of dollars being invested in climate-smart, are farmers participating and how can a farm identify which on-farm project is the best fit? Drew Kessler, senior scientist at Houston Engineering, shares what farmers should consider when engaging with a climate-smart program, time commitment, benefits, tools and unique ways farmers engage their communities on conservation efforts. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Drew:
- 1:45: Increased conservation efforts
- 2:45: What commodities Drew works with
- 3:22: What should farmers look for when engaging with a climate smart program
- 7:37: Time commitment to participate
- 10:15 What happens after 2028
- 11:26: Example of a farm’s involvement
- 13:11: What benefits do farmers receive from data collection
- 15:39: Tools and platforms
- 20:52: How to understand the data
- 25:12: Could a farm be penalize for sharing their data, data security
- 28:47: Watch-outs with joining groups
- 30:11: How farms share information with their communities
- 31:33: Future of on-farm sustainability programs
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Drew Kessler is the Senior Scientist at Houston Engineering. He leads Houston Engineering’s Environmental Service Sector. He has been working at Houston Engineering for over 10 years during which he’s grown the company’s connections to the food and dairy industry. Prior to joining Houston, Drew spent 10 years in academia focused on environmental research.
The Farmers for Sustainable Food (FSF) Climate-Smart Project is the culmination of years of proven on-farm, farmer-led sustainability work. We bring extensive experience with farm-level sustainability projects to facilitate locally focused initiatives that support targeted environmental concerns.
Our project stands out among the rest in three important ways:
- Farmer-driven: No requirement for farmers to implement any specific practices, individual farm groups determine the area of focus.
- Incentives: Stipends available up to $9,000 a year based on level of participation
- Hands-on support: Technical support at the farm level to help participants understand their scores and how to leverage their data into management decisions for positive environmental and financial outcomes.
Learn more here: farmersforsustainablefood.com/climate-smart/
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on April 24.
With billions of dollars being invested in climate-smart, are farmers participating and how can a farm identify which on-farm project is the best fit? Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Drew Kessler, senior scientist at Houston Engineering, as they discuss farmers involvement in Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, choosing the best program, examples of outcomes, watch outs and tools farms can use.
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest:
- Drew Kessler is the Senior Scientist at Houston Engineering. He leads Houston Engineering’s Environmental Service Sector. He has been working at Houston Engineering for over 10 years during which he’s grown the company’s connections to the food and dairy industry. Prior to joining Houston, Drew spent 10 years in academia focused on environmental research.
The Farmers for Sustainable Food (FSF) Climate-Smart Project is the culmination of years of proven on-farm, farmer-led sustainability work. We bring extensive experience with farm-level sustainability projects to facilitate locally focused initiatives that support targeted environmental concerns.
Our project stands out among the rest in three important ways:
- Farmer-driven: No requirement for farmers to implement any specific practices, individual farm groups determine the area of focus.
- Incentives: Stipends available up to $9,000 a year based on level of participation
- Hands-on support: Technical support at the farm level to help participants understand their scores and how to leverage their data into management decisions for positive environmental and financial outcomes.
Learn more here: farmersforsustainablefood.com/climate-smart/
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The popularity of UAVs are growing in precision agriculture and we cover the basics capabilities, economics and rules with Dr. Brian Luck, associate professor and extension specialist with UW-Madison. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topic below with Brian:
- 1:08: How are UAVs being used
- 4:33: Most popular UAV
- 6:31: Scouting crops
- 11:18: Interrupting data
- 16:20: What is remote sensing and thermal imagery
- 21:40: Challenges with UAVs
- 25:26: When to use UAVs
- 27:12: Economics
- 29:53: Rules of UAVs
- 36:03: Safety of UAVs
- 39:08: Data protection
- 43.40: Future trends of UAVs
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Brian Luck is an associate professor and extension specialist in Biological Systems Engineering in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison. Dr. Luck’s field of interest include machine management, variable rate technology, agricultural “big data” management and remote sensing.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on April 3.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAV are playing a role in precision agriculture. Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Dr. Brian Luck, associate professor and extension specialist at UW-Madison, as they discuss the most popular UAVs, scouting crops, challenges, economics and safety.
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Dr. Brian Luck is an associate professor and extension specialist in Biological Systems Engineering in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison. Dr. Luck’s field of interest include machine management, variable rate technology, agricultural “big data” management and remote sensing.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Recent bans and regulations, globally and nationally, on agriculture have caused negative impacts. Chief Strategy Officer at Kansas Farm Bureau Joel Leftwich paints the reality of the aftermath involving negative regulations on agriculture and how we should be more strategic in targeting the voter. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Joel:
- 1:40: Global examples of negative bans/regulations on agriculture
- 7:25: National examples
- 9:25: Hindsight, what could have been done differently
- 10:58: Strategic about which voter
- 13:43: Why the farmers voice is trusted
- 16:40: How to better engage voters on agricultural topics
- 20:21: Platform to use to engage voters
- 24:40: Topics to cover with voters
- 26:56: Situation like Prop12 happen again?
- 29:55: How to include engaging voters in your business model
- 33:21: How do agriculturalists stay in engaged on trends
Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode.
Joel will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 8-9 in Kansas City, MO. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1, learn more here.
About the guest
- Chief Strategy Officer Kansas Farm Bureau President U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund Joel Leftwich joined Kansas Farm Bureau in 2021 as the organization’s Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to joining Kansas Farm Bureau, Leftwich worked in Washington, D.C. for nearly twenty years with public and private sector experience in food and agriculture policy. Leftwich spent most of his time as staff to Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) serving in the personal office and then on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee as Majority Staff Director. He also worked for Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS) and the USDA during President George W. Bush’s administration. His private sector experience includes positions with global food and agriculture companies PepsiCo and DuPont. Additionally, he was a Managing Director for the Glover Park Group’s communications and government affairs consulting firm’s Food Team. GPG’s Food Team clients included international food, beverage, animal health, and innovative agriculture companies. As CSO for the Kansas Farm Bureau, Leftwich works with organizational leadership and members to develop and implement new programs and strategies to accomplish KFB’s mission. Examples of KFB’s new initiatives include: Engaged Kansas, a nonpartisan coalition dedicated to recruiting and training candidates for local public service; Rural Kansas Apprenticeship Program, where KFB serves as a federally Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary working with agricultural and rural employers to develop registered apprenticeships; and the U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund, a 501(c)4 organization focused on public education of the importance of keeping the U.S. food supply safe and affordable. Leftwich received his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Friends University and a master’s degree from Loyola University of Chicago in political science.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on March 13.
Past events, like Europe’s Farm to Fork policy and California’s Proposition 12, have negatively impacted the food supply chain. How can we learn from these events and better engage the voters? Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Joel Leftwich, Chief Strategy Officer at Kansas Farm Bureau, as they discuss the past situations that negatively impacted agriculture and how we can better engage with voters.
Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode.
Joel will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 8-9 in Kansas City, MO. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1, learn more here.
About the guest
- Chief Strategy Officer Kansas Farm Bureau President U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund Joel Leftwich joined Kansas Farm Bureau in 2021 as the organization’s Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to joining Kansas Farm Bureau, Leftwich worked in Washington, D.C. for nearly twenty years with public and private sector experience in food and agriculture policy. Leftwich spent most of his time as staff to Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) serving in the personal office and then on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee as Majority Staff Director. He also worked for Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS) and the USDA during President George W. Bush’s administration. His private sector experience includes positions with global food and agriculture companies PepsiCo and DuPont. Additionally, he was a Managing Director for the Glover Park Group’s communications and government affairs consulting firm’s Food Team. GPG’s Food Team clients included international food, beverage, animal health, and innovative agriculture companies. As CSO for the Kansas Farm Bureau, Leftwich works with organizational leadership and members to develop and implement new programs and strategies to accomplish KFB’s mission. Examples of KFB’s new initiatives include: Engaged Kansas, a nonpartisan coalition dedicated to recruiting and training candidates for local public service; Rural Kansas Apprenticeship Program, where KFB serves as a federally Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary working with agricultural and rural employers to develop registered apprenticeships; and the U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund, a 501(c)4 organization focused on public education of the importance of keeping the U.S. food supply safe and affordable. Leftwich received his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Friends University and a master’s degree from Loyola University of Chicago in political science.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
If you’re reading this, then you are obviously thinking about the future of farming. Join Scott Caine, president of Aimpoint Research, to discuss and learn about the Farmer of the Future 2.0, a new study from Aimpoint Research. We will cover psychographics, tangible and intangible items, key drivers of change and economic uncertainties for the future of agriculture. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topic below with Scott:
- 1:21: Farmer of the Future in 2018, why 2.0 now?
- 2:32: What is the farm gate
- 3:10: Tangible and intangible items
- 5:04: Generations involved in the study
- 6:40: What is psychographics
- 7:39: Psychographics for the farmer of the future
- 10:31: Audience segmentation
- 12:02: National security and food security
- 13:34: Preparing the next generation
- 16:32: Geopolitical and economic uncertainties
- 18:25: Five key drivers of change in agriculture
- 19:38: Uncertainties biggest impact on ag
- 21:06: Cybersecurity
- 23:11: Timeline of key drivers of change
- 25:08: Who is responsible for sharing the message
- 28:21: Future predictions
- 29:53 How to be a farmer of the future
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- As President of Aimpoint Research, Scott leads the organization in its mission to empower intelligence-driven organizations and give clients a competitive advantage. He's responsible for successfully achieving organizational goals including superior intelligence and operational excellence.
Scott is a tenured leader with more than 25 years of organizational leadership experience. He has served in organizations ranging from the United States Army, to small boutique data warehousing consulting firms and large enterprises with diverse roles including Marketing, Operation, Business Systems and Sales.
Through these experiences he has honed and gained a diverse set of skills including strategic and sector operations; marketing, marketing research and competitive intelligence; enterprise planning and organizational development; business modeling and strategy; product development and delivery; and strategic business sales.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on Feb. 21.
Are you prepared to be the farmer of the future? Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Scott Caine, president of Aimpoint Research, as they discuss geopolitical and economic uncertainties, five key drivers of change, future predictions and how to be a farmer of the future.
Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest: Scott Caine
- As President of Aimpoint Research, Scott leads the organization in its mission to empower intelligence-driven organizations and give clients a competitive advantage. He's responsible for successfully achieving organizational goals including superior intelligence and operational excellence.
Scott is a tenured leader with more than 25 years of organizational leadership experience. He has served in organizations ranging from the United States Army, to small boutique data warehousing consulting firms and large enterprises with diverse roles including Marketing, Operation, Business Systems and Sales.
Through these experiences he has honed and gained a diverse set of skills including strategic and sector operations; marketing, marketing research and competitive intelligence; enterprise planning and organizational development; business modeling and strategy; product development and delivery; and strategic business sales.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
It can be intimidating navigating risk management and understanding what is right for your business. We provide the basics of hedging to better understand the process, impacts from outside factors, common terms and more. Our guest Mike North, president of the producer division at Ever.Ag, shares hedging examples and breaks down the basics. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topic below with Mike:
- 1:15: Overview of hedging
- 5:36: Farm bill and risk management
- 9:51: Who is involved in the hedging process
- 12:36: License and reputable companies
- 14:00: Why do businesses hedge
- 14:38: Popularity of hedging
- 15:22: Common terms
- 19:53: Outside factors that impact hedging
- 22:41 Current events and risk management
- 28:00: Examples
- 34:05: How to get started
- 37:20: Future of hedging
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Mike has spent nearly 30 years working with both farmers and processors or the end users of agricultural commodities to address and manage their exposure to commodity price risk. Mike applies a comprehensive approach to identifying points of risk and developing an appropriate risk management plan. Mike is currently the President of the Producer Division at Ever.Ag.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on Jan. 31.
We are starting with basics on hedging to ensure predictability in your future. In this episode, we cover what is hedging, who is involved, common terms, recommendations on getting started and the future of it.
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Mike has spent nearly 30 years working with both farmers and processors or the end users of agricultural commodities to address and manage their exposure to commodity price risk. Mike applies a comprehensive approach to identifying points of risk and developing an appropriate risk management plan. Mike is currently the President of the Producer Division at Ever.Ag.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The development of digital tools has continued to see growth and now has some wondering how it should be monitored. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, Kip Tom, shares the impact of digital tools on agriculture, balance of regulation and policy, cybersecurity and a message to decision makers. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Kip:
- 1:18: Digital tools and the impact
- 3:30: Examples of digital tools
- 4:48: How digital tools are changing agriculture
- 6:24: Balance of digital and being monitored
- 7:42: Should policy or regulations be put in place
- 8:59: Example of over regulation
- 10:44: Negative realities of over regulation
- 12:50: Who should monitor digital tools
- 15:50: Compliance of digital tools
- 18:28: Cybersecurity and protecting data
- 19:32: Keeping up with the development of digital tools
- 20:28: Message to decisionmakers
- 22:27: Farmers are the problem solver
Special thanks to Connecterra for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Kip Tom is the chairman of Tom Farms and the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on Jan. 10.
"Government doesn't have the power to produce food but it does have the power to support those who do," is a quote from our Dairy Stream guest, Kip Tom, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture. Kip shares the impact of digital tools, balance of policy and innovation, cybersecurity and a message to decisionmakers.
Special thanks to Connecterra for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Kip Tom is the chairman of Tom Farms and the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
The 2023 growing season started off with headaches due to new challenges farmers haven’t experienced and thankfully mother nature gave most farmers a break for harvest. Two Wisconsin dairy farmers, Greg and John, dive into the growing season covering conservation practices, challenges, maximizing fertilizer, plans for 2024, go-to resources and what they would do with an unlimited budget and time. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Greg and John:
- 2:33: Conservation practices in place from the fall 2022
- 3:36: Challenges this spring
- 6:46: Had to plant corn deeper than normal
- 9:07: Maximizing nutrients in the field
- 13:00: Conservation practices in the summer
- 13:34: Canadian wildfire smoke impact on crops
- 16:55: What little conservation items make a big impact
- 19:46: Reflecting on the fall and harvest
- 23:31: Conservation plans for 2024
- 27:37: What conservation practices would you try with an unlimited budget
- 29:25: Go-to resource for learning something new
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Greg Friendshuh owns and operates Friendshuh Farms with his brother, Brian and son Nathan in Clear Lake, Wisconsin. The farm consists of 1250 cows, their young stock, and 3,500 acres of cropland. They implement no till, cover crops, augmented manure, low disturbance manure injection, variable rate fertilizer application and they love to plant green.
- John VandenBoom is part of the agronomy team for Holsum Dairies, which consist of 2 dairies and each dairy milks roughly 4,000 The farm operates around 5,000 acres of cropland consisting mostly of corn silage and alfalfa. It has become a major focus of the farm to implement low disturbance manure applications, manure applications on growing crops, and cover crops.
Learn more about the farmer-led watershed groups:
- Calumet County Ag Stewardship Alliance
- Western Wisconsin Conservation Council
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
No two years are the same and a lot can be learned from the 2023 growing season. Two Wisconsin dairy farmers, Greg and John, recap conservation practices tried, major challenges, goals for 2024 and what they would implement with an unlimited budget and time.
The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on Dec. 20.
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Greg Friendshuh owns and operates Friendshuh Farms with his brother, Brian and son Nathan in Clear Lake, Wisconsin. The farm consists of 1250 cows, their young stock, and 3,500 acres of cropland. They implement no till, cover crops, augmented manure, low disturbance manure injection, variable rate fertilizer application and they love to plant green.
- John VandenBoom is part of the agronomy team for Holsum Dairies, which consist of 2 dairies and each dairy milks roughly 4,000 The farm operates around 5,000 acres of cropland consisting mostly of corn silage and alfalfa. It has become a major focus of the farm to implement low disturbance manure applications, manure applications on growing crops, and cover crops.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” is a quote from this episode focused on artificial intelligence (AI). Two Wisconsin dairy farmers, Nathan Brandt and Mitch Breunig, share what they are tracking and how it has impacted the dairy farm. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Nathan and Mitch:
- 1:26: Technology on the farm
- 2:41: When the farm implemented AI
- 6:10: How AI is implemented
- 11:04: How all the platforms come together
- 13:25: What is being tracked with AI
- 16:57: Focus on lactating cows
- 18:08: Is it easy to understand
- 20:26: Identifying trends in data
- 23:19: Challenges with AI
- 25:40: Can AI be wrong?
- 28:13: Game-changer experiences with AI
- 32:26: AI helps with consistency
- 34:26: Future of AI
- 39:08: Educating youth
- 41:01: Concerns about the future of AI
- 41:50: What’s next for your AI journey
Special thanks to Connecterra for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Nathan Brandt is the Dairy Herd Manager at Four Cubs Farm where they milk 980 cows with 16 robots in a retrofit free stall. Nathan’s role is managing the cow-side of the operation and utilizing the data that AI helps sort on the dairy.
- Mitch Breunig is the owner of Mystic Valley Dairy where they milk 450 cows in a double 14 parallel parlor. Mitch’s manages the day to day and oversee the AI on the farm.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Two Wisconsin dairy farmers share experiences about how AI is keeping their dairy farms consistent through tracking routine items and the health of the cows. Nathan and Mitch share the implementation, comprehension, challenges, game-changer experiences and the future of AI.
Special thanks to Connecterra for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Nathan Brandt is the Dairy Herd Manager at Four Cubs Farm where they milk 980 cows with 16 Lely robots in a retrofit free stall. Nathan’s role is managing the cow-side of the operation and utilizing the data that AI helps sort on the dairy.
- Mitch Breunig is the owner of Mystic Valley Dairy where they milk 450 cows in a double 14 parallel parlor. Mitch’s manages the day to day on the farm and oversee the AI on the farm.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Early, often and transparent was a common theme in the conversation on succession planning and generational wealth. Jud Snyder and Brad Guse of BMO share insight on competing in the new normal, basic succession planning conversations, “killer D’s,” generational wealth process, liquidity, adding new family members and advice. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Jud and Brad:
- 1:55: What succession planning used to look like and what we are seeing now
- 3:19: Can your farm compete in the ‘new normal’
- 4:54: Basic succession planning conversations
- 7:15: Emotions involved in succession planning
- 8:46: Perfect time to exit
- 10:50: Ideal time to end the farm with no successor
- 13:20: Keep an eye on macroeconomics
- 14:01: Considerations when selling to a third party
- 15:25: Preparing for the unexpected, ‘Killer D’s’
- 18:15: Process of generational wealth and how it’s generated
- 20:36: The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubled the lifetime estate and gift tax exemption and set to expire Jan. 1, 2026, how does this impact succession planning
- 22.19: Who should be involved in succession planning
- 24:01: What is liquidity and why is it important
- 26:04: Considerations with marriage and new family members
- 27:14: Multiple siblings but only select few taking over the farm, what about the other non-farming children
- 29:54: When does life insurance play a role
- 32:10: How to keep the older generation involved
- 34:48: Final advice on succession planning
Special thanks to BMO for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Jud Snyder
Jud Snyder is Regional President of the Midwest with BMO Wealth Management and BMO’s Senior Executive for Southeast Wisconsin.
Jud oversees the strategic development and delivery of BMO Private Bank’s personal wealth management platform to high net worth individuals, families and organizations, including closely-held and family-owned businesses, endowments and foundations throughout the Midwest. Jud joined the Bank in 1994 and has over 28 years of experience in financial services.
Prior to taking his current role, he spent much of his career in Commercial Banking. He was responsible for leading the growth and development of M&I’s Equipment Finance Company. This included strategic and managerial responsibility for sales, operations, underwriting and equipment management capabilities within Equipment Finance. In 2010, he was named M&I’s Head of Specialized Industries. In this role he was responsible for Equipment Finance, Global Trade, Health Care, Dealer Finance, Agribusiness and Sponsor Finance. Following the BMO acquisition in 2011, he moved back into the head role at BMO Equipment Finance with the mandate to leverage the business across BMO and grow the business to scale.
Jud obtained his BA in Russian and Economics from UW Madison (’94). He serves on the Board of Directors for The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (Trustee), United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, Milwaukee World Festival, Froedtert Health Systems (Chair), and Teach for America Milwaukee. He was previously a Director and Chair of the Milwaukee Ballet (2012-2019) and a past Chairman and Officer of the ELFA (Equipment Leasing and Finance Association) (2010-2020).
Jud lives in River Hills, Wisconsin with his wife, Amy and their children. - Brad Guse
As an agricultural banking officer for BMO Commercial Bank - Marshfield, Brad Guse manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships made up of primarily dairy farm accounts. Guse has ten years of experience in the dairy nutrition field and over twenty - eight years of experience in agricultural banking. He was appointed by Wisconsin’s Governor to serve on the Dairy 2.0 task force as well as to serve on the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) board of directors.
He’s very involved in the Ag community serving as the school director and an instructor for the Wisconsin Bankers Association agricultural lending schools as well as serving on the American Bankers Association’s Ag and Rural Banking conference committee to name just a few.
Brad served 21 years in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, retiring in 2004 after his unit’s successful deployment to Afghanistan. Guse holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on Nov. 8.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talks with Jud Snyder and Brad Guse of BMO about competing in the new normal, succession planning conversations, perfect time to exit, process of generational wealth, importance of liquidity, future planning advice and more.
Special thanks to BMO for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Jud Snyder
Jud Snyder is Regional President of the Midwest with BMO Wealth Management and BMO’s Senior Executive for Southeast Wisconsin.
Jud oversees the strategic development and delivery of BMO Private Bank’s personal wealth management platform to high net worth individuals, families and organizations, including closely-held and family-owned businesses, endowments and foundations throughout the Midwest. Jud joined the Bank in 1994 and has over 28 years of experience in financial services.
Prior to taking his current role, he spent much of his career in Commercial Banking. He was responsible for leading the growth and development of M&I’s Equipment Finance Company. This included strategic and managerial responsibility for sales, operations, underwriting and equipment management capabilities within Equipment Finance. In 2010, he was named M&I’s Head of Specialized Industries. In this role he was responsible for Equipment Finance, Global Trade, Health Care, Dealer Finance, Agribusiness and Sponsor Finance. Following the BMO acquisition in 2011, he moved back into the head role at BMO Equipment Finance with the mandate to leverage the business across BMO and grow the business to scale.
Jud obtained his BA in Russian and Economics from UW Madison (’94). He serves on the Board of Directors for The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (Trustee), United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, Milwaukee World Festival, Froedtert Health Systems (Chair), and Teach for America Milwaukee. He was previously a Director and Chair of the Milwaukee Ballet (2012-2019) and a past Chairman and Officer of the ELFA (Equipment Leasing and Finance Association) (2010-2020).
Jud lives in River Hills, Wisconsin with his wife, Amy and their children. - Brad Guse
As an agricultural banking officer for BMO Commercial Bank - Marshfield, Brad Guse manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships made up of primarily dairy farm accounts. Guse has ten years of experience in the dairy nutrition field and over twenty - eight years of experience in agricultural banking. He was appointed by Wisconsin’s Governor to serve on the Dairy 2.0 task force as well as to serve on the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) board of directors.
He’s very involved in the Ag community serving as the school director and an instructor for the Wisconsin Bankers Association agricultural lending schools as well as serving on the American Bankers Association’s Ag and Rural Banking conference committee to name just a few.
Brad served 21 years in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, retiring in 2004 after his unit’s successful deployment to Afghanistan. Guse holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Innovative feed management strategies could be a part of your plan to reduce methane emissions on the farm. Lead Dairy Scientist Dr. Partha Ray of the Nature Conservancy shares about the 3-year study he is currently involved in to help explore feed management strategies, such as feed additives, to reduce methane in dairy cattle. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Dr. Ray:
- 2:02: What has been done with the study so far
- 4:23: Walk us through the study and what is being done
- 7:10: What is feed management
- 8:37: Feed management practices being used in the study
- 9:43: About feed additives
- 11:37: How feed additives are fed
- 13:15: Cost with feed additives
- 15:55: What types of feed rations reduce methane
- 20:40: Most interesting finding so far
- 23:40: Research keeping up with net zero goals
- 25:01: How a farm could start a feed management strategy
- 27:11: Balancing feed cost and methane reduction
- 29:35: How does feed management fit into net zero
- 33:18: How farms can participate in the study
- 36:55: Next 10 years of feed management
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Dr. Partha Ray, lead dairy scientist at The Nature Conservancy
Dr. Partha Ray is a dairy scientist and a veterinarian with over 10 years of experience working with dairy production stakeholders to develop on-farm and system level solutions to improve dairy production sustainability. Following a B.S. in Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry and a M.S. of Veterinary Science, Animal Nutrition in India, he received his Ph.D. in Animal Sciences, Dairy from Virginia Tech.
PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY
If you are a dairy farmer in Wisconsin or Michigan and would like to participate in this study focused on feed management strategies, please contact Alisha Staggs at alisha.staggs@TNC.ORG. Additional information on the study can be found here.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on October 18.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talks with Dr. Partha Ray, a dairy scientist and veterinarian, about a 3-year study being done to reduce methane emissions in dairy cattle. They talk about the study, feed management strategies and how it fits into the plan of being net zero.
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Dr. Partha Ray, lead dairy scientist at The Nature Conservancy
Dr. Partha Ray is a dairy scientist and a veterinarian with over 10 years of experience working with dairy production stakeholders to develop on-farm and system level solutions to improve dairy production sustainability. Following a B.S. in Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry and a M.S. of Veterinary Science, Animal Nutrition in India, he received his Ph.D. in Animal Sciences, Dairy from Virginia Tech.
PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY
If you are a dairy farmer in Wisconsin or Michigan and would like to participate in this study focused on feed management strategies, please contact Alisha Staggs at alisha.staggs@TNC.ORG. Additional information on the study can be found here.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Gen Z prioritizes purpose and social elements and the farmers voice carries a lot of value when sharing that message during media interviews. Experienced communication professional Liz Fitzsimmons of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin shares the impact of farmer media interviews and how to prepare for them. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Liz:
- 1:20: Impact of farmers doing media interviews
- 2:30: Content the public is most interested in
- 4:05: Image farms should be showcasing
- 6:19: What types of media are important to dairy
- 8:07: What types of media DFW focuses on
- 9:40: Social media presence
- 10:43: Showcasing dairy during the holidays
- 11:50: When is the best timeframe to do an interview
- 14:15: Building a relationship with local media
- 16:13: How to prepare for an interview
- 18:55: How to handle a difficult question
- 20:53: What to avoid during an interview
- 21:52: Know the media personality
- 25:05: Never off the record
- 26:01: How to end an interview
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Liz Fitzsimmons
Liz is an experienced communication professional who has worked on behalf of Wisconsin's dairy farmers for nearly three decades. During her tenure, Liz has worked in almost every aspect of marketing and promotion. She has extensive experience working directly with farmers, grassroots organizations and volunteers across the state in addition to event planning, video production and leading successful campaigns that use a blend of paid and earned media. If you're a national reporter or producer wanting to talk to a Wisconsin dairy farmer, Liz is your gal! She is an expert at media training and coordinating interviews that help tell the story of Wisconsin's dedicated dairy farmers for audiences and outlets of all sizes.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on September 27.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talks with Liz Fitzsimmons, an experienced communication professional, about the impact of media interviews, content the public is interested in, preparing for an interview, handling a difficult situation and more.
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Liz Fitzsimmons
Liz is an experienced communication professional who has worked on behalf of Wisconsin's dairy farmers for nearly three decades. During her tenure, Liz has worked in almost every aspect of marketing and promotion. She has extensive experience working directly with farmers, grassroots organizations and volunteers across the state in addition to event planning, video production and leading successful campaigns that use a blend of paid and earned media. If you're a national reporter or producer wanting to talk to a Wisconsin dairy farmer, Liz is your gal! She is an expert at media training and coordinating interviews that help tell the story of Wisconsin's dedicated dairy farmers for audiences and outlets of all sizes.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Check out the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.
Genetics in the dairy industry are making big strides. Project leaders Lauren Brey and Dr. Dan Weigel share about a collaborative project between Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Farmers for Sustainable Food, Zoetis, and 8 aligned farms, showed how focusing on genetic improvement correlates to not only lifetime profitability but reductions in methane intensity, antibiotic usage and feed use on the farm. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Lauren and Dan:
- 1:50: How the project got started
- 2:43: How the farms were selected
- 5:04: Dairy Wellness Profit Index and how it was used
- 7:55: Process of collecting and analyzing the data
- 9:40: The study had 43 percent reduction in antibiotic usage
- 13:38: The study had 23 percent reduction in the number of replacement heifers
- 15:00: The study had 15.8 metrics tons of methane reduced per 1,000-cow herd
- 16:48: The study had a decrease in feed used
- 19:52: If farms want to participate, what is the timeline and ROI
- 22:51: How does the research impact the future of sustainable food
- 25:00: What’s next for the future of research and genetics
Special thanks to Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Lauren Brey
Lauren is the director of strategic partnerships and sustainability for the Dairy Business Association (DBA) and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. In this role, she serves as managing director of Farmers for Sustainable Food (FSF) and directs their support of farmer-led conservation groups and sustainability projects. Brey is also responsible for fostering relationships with other organizations to bring more value and resources to the members of DBA and Edge. She previously served as the director of marketing and research and worked as a scientist for a cheese company prior to DBA, Edge and FSF. - Dr. Dan Weigel
Dan grew up in Iowa on the family farm (Weigeline Holsteins) and graduated from Iowa State University with a BS in Dairy Science. He received both his MS and PhD from Virginia Tech, with his dissertation focusing on the prediction of genetic merit for lifetime profitability in Holsteins. Before joining the R&D group of Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health) in 1995, Dr. Weigel served as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Guelph working on the implementation of Multiple Across Country Evaluations (MACE) for conformation traits of Holstein sires. Dr. Weigel’s current role with Zoetis is in Outcomes Research and he also remains active as a breeder of dairy cattle.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on September 6.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talks with project leaders Lauren Brey and Dr. Dan Weigel about a collaborative project focusing on how genetic improvement correlates to not only lifetime profitability but reductions in methane intensity, antibiotic usage and feed use on the farm.
Special thanks to Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Lauren Brey
Lauren is the director of strategic partnerships and sustainability for the Dairy Business Association (DBA) and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. In this role, she serves as managing director of Farmers for Sustainable Food (FSF) and directs their support of farmer-led conservation groups and sustainability projects. Brey is also responsible for fostering relationships with other organizations to bring more value and resources to the members of DBA and Edge. She previously served as the director of marketing and research and worked as a scientist for a cheese company prior to DBA, Edge and FSF. - Dr. Dan Weigel
Dan grew up in Iowa on the family farm (Weigeline Holsteins) and graduated from Iowa State University with a BS in Dairy Science. He received both his MS and PhD from Virginia Tech, with his dissertation focusing on the prediction of genetic merit for lifetime profitability in Holsteins. Before joining the R&D group of Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health) in 1995, Dr. Weigel served as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Guelph working on the implementation of Multiple Across Country Evaluations (MACE) for conformation traits of Holstein sires. Dr. Weigel’s current role with Zoetis is in Outcomes Research and he also remains active as a breeder of dairy cattle.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The dairy industry has done a decent job at innovating and the next step could include artificial intelligence. Former Microsoft Office employee and founder of Connecterra, Yasir Khokhar, shares what AI could look like on the farm, insight on ChatGPT and other applications, data security and AI regulations. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Yasir:
- 1:45: What does AI look like on the farm
- 3:56: Will the physical farm look different with AI
- 4:56: How ChatGPT or other AI applications fit into agriculture
- 7:20: How AI takes in outside factors like weather or markets
- 8:23: Where is the dairy industry at with implementing AI
- 9:55: U.S. dairy involvement in AI compared to Europe
- 11:12: How to integrate all data sources
- 12:30: Simplicity of AI for the user
- 13:50: Future careers in the dairy industry
- 16:15: Basic security for AI data
- 17:55: Who can help protect the data
- 19:20: Cybersecurity insurance
- 21:20: AI and regulations
- 23:09: What farmers should be sharing with policymakers on AI
- 24:14: Future of AI and how farmers can prepare themselves
- 26:01: Is agriculture inline with other industries using AI
Special thanks to Connecterra for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Meet Yasir Khokhar: Yasir Khokhar is a co-founder and CEO of Connecterra, the artificial intelligence company with a mission to empower the dairy industry to increase productivity while reducing impact on the planet. Yasir holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and an executive MBA. He launched two start-ups before joining Microsoft’s Dubai team. In his ten-year tenure, Yasir led the transformation of Microsoft Office into a cloud business for the Middle East before transferring to the Netherlands to lead the Microsoft Office business unit for Western Europe. Yasir co-founded Connecterra in 2014 with an idea on how use A.I. to help solve dairy's biggest challenges. Under his leadership, Connecterra has grown from that early idea to winning the Startup of the Year at the 2015 Web Summit to a global company. Yasir has built teams in the United States and Europe and has architected commercial deals with some of the biggest brands in the industry. In his down time, he occasionally writes a few lines of code.
Check out Yasir's presentation at the annual Dairy Strong conference in 2023.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the Aug. 16 episode.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talks with former Microsoft Office employee and founder of Connecterra, Yasir Khokhar, about what AI could look like on the farm, insight on ChatGPT, data security and AI regulations.
Special thanks to Connecterra for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Meet Yasir Khokhar: Yasir Khokhar is a co-founder and CEO of Connecterra, the artificial intelligence company with a mission to empower the dairy industry to increase productivity while reducing impact on the planet. Yasir holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and an executive MBA. He launched two start-ups before joining Microsoft’s Dubai team. In his ten-year tenure, Yasir led the transformation of Microsoft Office into a cloud business for the Middle East before transferring to the Netherlands to lead the Microsoft Office business unit for Western Europe. Yasir co-founded Connecterra in 2014 with an idea on how use A.I. to help solve dairy's biggest challenges. Under his leadership, Connecterra has grown from that early idea to winning the Startup of the Year at the 2015 Web Summit to a global company. Yasir has built teams in the United States and Europe and has architected commercial deals with some of the biggest brands in the industry. In his down time, he occasionally writes a few lines of code.
Check out Yasir's presentation at the annual Dairy Strong conference in 2023.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Learning how to speak Spanish can help build relationships and take your farm to the next level. Spanish instructor Katie Dotterer and dairy farmer Walt Moore share the impact and how to get started with learning Spanish. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Katie and Walt:
- 2:03: Impact of learning Spanish
- 5:02: Vulnerability of learning Spanish
- 6:33: Learning Spanish and turnover rate
- 7:40: Encouraging non-Spanish speaking employees to learn Spanish
- 9:25: Important to bring a fluent Spanish speaker to the farm
- 13:33: Cultures and traditions of Spanish speakers
- 16:40: Embracing the Spanish culture on your farm
- 18:35: Spanish resources in the community
- 23:42: Mindset with learning Spanish
- 26:35: Challenges with learning Spanish
- 28:30: How long does it take to learn Spanish
- 31:30: How to continue learning and practicing Spanish
- 34:35: Dialects and slang of the Spanish language
- 36:27: Encouraging Spanish-speakers to learn English
- 39:45: Advice for learning Spanish
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
-
Meet Katie Dotterer: A life-long advocate for agriculture and education, Katie enjoys finding ways to infuse the two together. Her love for agriculture and the Spanish language developed through her upbringing as part of the third generation on her family’s dairy farm in central PA. Katie has degrees in Business Management and Marketing, Secondary Education, and Spanish, and is certified in ESL: English as a Second Language. Recognizing a need to bridge an industry wide communication gap, she developed online Spanish Courses tailored specifically to agriculture, through her educational and advocacy business, AgvoKate (a play on her name & advocating for agriculture). Additionally, she rarely turns down an opportunity to advocate and engage with the 98% of the population who are removed from agriculture. She has done this through on-farm tours (in-person and virtual) when she co-owned and operated a dairy farm as a first-generation farmer, public speaking engagements, news segments and through her social media platforms. When she’s not teaching or advocating, Katie loves traveling, dancing, playing piano and guitar, history, palm trees, dark chocolate and tea! Learn more about Katie’s online Spanish courses here or email her at katiedotterer@agvokate.com.
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Walt Moore: Walt is President and General Manager of Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. The family farm has been in operation over 113 years and 5 generations. Walt is in partnership with his wife Ellen. Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. milks 1050 cows with a 31,000-pound herd average (producing in excess of 3.6 million gallons of milk annually), raises 880 replacement young stock, 100 Wagyu crosses, farms 1700 acres of corn for silage and grain, alfalfa, soybeans and Triticale. Walmoore employs 15 full time and several part-time people. Walt is also the General Partner of Moore Family Farm LP which was formed as a land holding company. Additionally, Walt and Ellen with partners Duane and Marilyn Hershey started Moocho Milk Transportation Inc. in 2006 to haul their own milk. Walt and Ellen along with Son Jake and his wife own Moore Meats LLC a premium American Wagyu farm to fork beef company. Walt has traveled to other states and China helping to educate other producers on Best Management Practices. Walt also serves on several committees including the Chester County Conservation District Board, London Grove Friends Finance Committee, American Dairy Coalition currently serving as President and On the Center for Dairy Excellence Board currently serving as President. He also served on the PDMP board as the Vice-President and President. Walt also enjoys spending time with his family, attending PSU football games, hunting, boating and traveling.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the July 26 episode.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Spanish instructor Katie Dotterer and dairy farmer Walt Moore about the impact of speaking Spanish and how to get started with learning the language.
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Meet Katie Dotterer: A life-long advocate for agriculture and education, Katie enjoys finding ways to infuse the two together. Her love for agriculture and the Spanish language developed through her upbringing as part of the third generation on her family’s dairy farm in central PA. Katie has degrees in Business Management and Marketing, Secondary Education, and Spanish, and is certified in ESL: English as a Second Language. Recognizing a need to bridge an industry wide communication gap, she developed online Spanish Courses tailored specifically to agriculture, through her educational and advocacy business, AgvoKate (a play on her name & advocating for agriculture). Additionally, she rarely turns down an opportunity to advocate and engage with the 98% of the population who are removed from agriculture. She has done this through on-farm tours (in-person and virtual) when she co-owned and operated a dairy farm as a first-generation farmer, public speaking engagements, news segments and through her social media platforms. When she’s not teaching or advocating, Katie loves traveling, dancing, playing piano and guitar, history, palm trees, dark chocolate and tea! Learn more about Katie’s online Spanish courses here or email her at katiedotterer@agvokate.com.
- Walt Moore: Walt is President and General Manager of Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. The family farm has been in operation over 113 years and 5 generations. Walt is in partnership with his wife Ellen. Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. milks 1050 cows with a 31,000-pound herd average (producing in excess of 3.6 million gallons of milk annually), raises 880 replacement young stock, 100 Wagyu crosses, farms 1700 acres of corn for silage and grain, alfalfa, soybeans and Triticale. Walmoore employs 15 full time and several part-time people. Walt is also the General Partner of Moore Family Farm LP which was formed as a land holding company. Additionally, Walt and Ellen with partners Duane and Marilyn Hershey started Moocho Milk Transportation Inc. in 2006 to haul their own milk. Walt and Ellen along with Son Jake and his wife own Moore Meats LLC a premium American Wagyu farm to fork beef company. Walt has traveled to other states and China helping to educate other producers on Best Management Practices. Walt also serves on several committees including the Chester County Conservation District Board, London Grove Friends Finance Committee, American Dairy Coalition currently serving as President and On the Center for Dairy Excellence Board currently serving as President. He also served on the PDMP board as the Vice-President and President. Walt also enjoys spending time with his family, attending PSU football games, hunting, boating and traveling.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
In the fourth and final part of the Workable Workforce Series, we cover general HR management from a legal standpoint. Employment Law Attorney Troy Thompson of Axley Brynelson Law Firm shares insight on farm employment policies, avoiding claims in the hiring process, worker compensation, strategies for dealing with an underperforming employee and terminating employment. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Troy:
- 1:25: Four categories of farm employment policies
- 6:15: Displaying employment HR items
- 7:42: Helping farm managers and supervisors be successful with HR items
- 12:20: Common HR mistakes
- 20:53: Avoid employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims
- 26:35: Documentation of claims
- 26:04: Protecting your farm from unfair competition
- 30:47: How to stay organized with HR matters and foreign labor
- 32:38: HR management with seasonal workers
- 35:16: Worker compensation claims
- 40:21: Reasonable accommodations or medical leave of absence
- 43:54: Handling underperforming employees
- 46:08: Professionally terminating an employee
- 47:44: Disputing unemployment claims
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Troy Thompson is a management-side employment attorney with Axley Brynelson Law Firm in Madison, Wisconsin, where he also serves as the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group Leader. Axley is one of Wisconsin’s historic full service law firms [founded in 1885] with extensive experience representing businesses in the dairy industry including: (1) closely held family businesses, (2) agricultural cooperatives, (3) food manufacturers and packagers, and (4) international dairy equipment and robotics manufacturers. Troy is a 1994 graduate of UW-Madison and a 1998 graduate of Marquette Law School. He grew up in a small farming community in south-central Wisconsin [City of Waterloo; Jefferson County] and paid his way through school by working for several agri-businesses. Today, he represents his clients in a broad range of labor and employment, risk avoidance, and business litigation matters.
Dairy Stream has dedicated four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.
May 3: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and Onboarding Talent | LISTEN HERE
May 24: Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement | LISTEN HERE
June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling | LISTEN HERE
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on July 5.
In the fourth and final part of the series, Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Employment Law Attorney Troy Thompson about general HR management, worker compensation, discipline, leave of absence and termination.
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Troy Thompson is a management-side employment attorney with Axley Brynelson Law Firm in Madison, Wisconsin, where he also serves as the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group Leader. Axley is one of Wisconsin’s historic full service law firms [founded in 1885] with extensive experience representing businesses in the dairy industry including: (1) closely held family businesses, (2) agricultural cooperatives, (3) food manufacturers and packagers, and (4) international dairy equipment and robotics manufacturers. Troy is a 1994 graduate of UW-Madison and a 1998 graduate of Marquette Law School. He grew up in a small farming community in south-central Wisconsin [City of Waterloo; Jefferson County] and paid his way through school by working for several agri-businesses. Today, he represents his clients in a broad range of labor and employment, risk avoidance, and business litigation matters.
Dairy Stream has dedicated four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.
May 3: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and Onboarding Talent | LISTEN HERE
May 24: Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement | LISTEN HERE
June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling | LISTEN HERE
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
In the third part of the Workable Workforce Series, we cover coaching and counseling employees. HR professional Michelle Gubser and dairy farmer Christine Bender share experiences, recommendations and tips for coaching all types of employees (entry-level to manger), handling poor performance versus bad behavior and scenarios on handling difficult situations. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Michelle and Christine:
- 1:52: Difference between coaching and counseling
- 3:26: Christine shares her perspective of coaching and counseling
- 6:05: What coaching should look like with for an entry-level to manager position
- 9:58: Coaching environment
- 14:41: Address a common problem with the whole team
- 17:00: Poor performance versus bad behavior
- 21:12: Professional way to talk about performance
- 22:31: How employees can share concerns about issues
- 25:40: Employee feedback, audits
- 29:05: Resources for coaching and counseling employees
- 33:25: How to handle the constant-problem employee
- 36:50: How to handle a late employee
- 40:03: How to handle an employee that calls in sick that isn’t sick
- 42:25: How to handle an employee that keeps breaking items
- 45:39: How to handle an employee that isn’t making progress
- 48:37: How to handle a challenge with a family member on the farm
- 51:23: How to handle a common problem with the whole group
Special thanks to Syngenta for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Christine Bender was born and raised on her family’s dairy farm, McFarlandale Dairy LLC. in Watertown, Wisconsin. She graduated from UW-Madison in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science and Life Sciences Communication. Following graduation she worked for CP Feeds as a dairy nutritionist for about three and a half years before returning home full-time to the family farm. McFarlandale Dairy LLC is currently home to about 1,100 cows and 15 full-time employees. Christine currently serves as the herd manager, overseeing the health of all animals at the farm as well managing all the employees.
- Michelle Gubser has over 20 years of experience in human resources and leadership. She currently serves as the Chief Talent Officer at ProVision Partners Cooperative in Marshfield, WI. In this role, she leads the cooperative’s talent strategies and is responsible for creating and building high-performing teams. Michelle has an undergraduate degree in Human Resources from the University of Northwestern - St. Paul and is currently pursuing an MBA in Agribusiness at North Dakota State University.
Dairy Stream has dedicated four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.
May 3: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and Onboarding Talent | LISTEN HERE
May 24: Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement | LISTEN HERE
July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on June 14.
In this third part of the series, Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with HR professional Michelle Gubser and dairy farmer Christine Bender about coaching and counseling new and long-term employees.
Special thanks to Syngenta for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Christine Bender was born and raised on her family’s dairy farm, McFarlandale Dairy LLC. in Watertown, Wisconsin. She graduated from UW-Madison in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science and Life Sciences Communication. Following graduation she worked for CP Feeds as a dairy nutritionist for about three and a half years before returning home full-time to the family farm. McFarlandale Dairy LLC is currently home to about 1,100 cows and 15 full-time employees. Christine currently serves as the herd manager, overseeing the health of all animals at the farm as well managing all the employees.
- Michelle Gubser has over 20 years of experience in human resources and leadership. She currently serves as the Chief Talent Officer at ProVision Partners Cooperative in Marshfield, WI. In this role, she leads the cooperative’s talent strategies and is responsible for creating and building high-performing teams. Michelle has an undergraduate degree in Human Resources from the University of Northwestern - St. Paul and is currently pursuing an MBA in Agribusiness at North Dakota State University.
Dairy Stream has dedicated four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.
May 3: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and Onboarding Talent | LISTEN HERE
May 24: Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement | LISTEN HERE
June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling
July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
In the second part of the Workable Workforce Series, we cover retention and engagement with employees. HR professional Joni Booth and dairy farmer Sandy Larson share experiences, recommendations and tips on retaining employees, incentives, retention interviews and keeping all level of employees engaged. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Joni and Sandy:
- 1:12: Importance of retaining employees and how to do it
- 4:43: Putting employees in the right role
- 6:41: How Sandy retains employees on her farm
- 8:38: Do incentives work
- 12:35: Retention interviews
- 18:53: Retention interviews by groups
- 20:41: Community factors for employees
- 24:44: Keeping employees engaged
- 27:40: Confidential feedback
- 29:14: How Sandy keeps employees engaged
- 32:04: Engagement for short versus long term employees
- 33:35: Making employees feel a part of the team
- 36:06: Do incentives or benefits keep employees engaged
- 38:57: Resources to keep employees engaged
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Joni Booth is on a mission to help create a better world of work. Formally trained as a financial analyst, she grew a passion for helping organizations optimize their human capital to achieve their business objectives. Throughout her career, she has worked with various global organizations across different industries, providing solutions that improve employee engagement, increase productivity, and drive overall organizational performance. Her expertise includes talent acquisition and management, performance management, employee experience, and workforce planning.
- Sandy Larson is the 5th generation to lead Larson Acres, her family-owned dairy in Evansville, Wis. Sandy works hard on employee engagement and management, business administration, and public relations. She is a member of the Board of Directors for ALCIVIA, National FARM Farmer Advisory Council, and active member of the Rock County dairy organizations. Sandy is the founder and advisor to the Rock County Ag Ambassador program, which employees a part-time person to advocate on behalf of agriculture in the county. Additionally, Sandy is an active advocate for dairy within the community and through social media outlets.
Dairy Stream has dedicated four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.
May 3: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and Onboarding Talent | LISTEN HERE
June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling
July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on May 24.
In this second part of the series, Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with HR professional Joni Booth and dairy farmer Sandy Larson about retaining employees and keeping them engaged. They dive into retention ideas and resources, what engagement looks like for short- and long-term employees and incentives.
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Joni Booth is on a mission to help create a better world of work. Formally trained as a financial analyst, she grew a passion for helping organizations optimize their human capital to achieve their business objectives. Throughout her career, she has worked with various global organizations across different industries, providing solutions that improve employee engagement, increase productivity, and drive overall organizational performance. Her expertise includes talent acquisition and management, performance management, employee experience, and workforce planning.
- Sandy Larson is the 5th generation to lead Larson Acres, her family-owned dairy in Evansville, Wis. Sandy works hard on employee engagement and management, business administration, and public relations. She is a member of the Board of Directors for ALCIVIA, National FARM Farmer Advisory Council, and active member of the Rock County dairy organizations. Sandy is the founder and advisor to the Rock County Ag Ambassador program, which employees a part-time person to advocate on behalf of agriculture in the county. Additionally, Sandy is an active advocate for dairy within the community and through social media outlets.
Dairy Stream has dedicated four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.
May 3: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and Onboarding Talent | LISTEN HERE
June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling
July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Finding and sustaining a workable workforce is a challenge. It starts with recruiting and onboarding. HR professional Lori Culler and dairy farmer Laura Finger share experiences, recommendations and tips for recruiting, selecting and onboarding employees. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Lori and Laura:
- 1:38: Where should farms start with sourcing and recruiting talent
- 3:44: Share the reality of the job
- 5:23: Best place to post a job
- 6:33: How Laura recruits for her farm
- 8:49: How to assess the talent pool
- 9:56: What to share about pay and benefits
- 13:46: How to select the best candidate
- 18:26: Ensuring the farm and candidates expectations are met
- 24:04: What is an effective onboarding plan
- 25:43: Making the handbook ‘fun’
- 27:00: How to build a positive employee culture
- 28:00: First week is critical, don’t forget about 30, 60, 90 day check-ins
- 31:22: How to check-in with new employees
- 32:34: Biggest mistake with onboarding
- 33:35: Ensuring all the backgrounds and cultures of employees are thriving
- 36:58: The future of recruiting and onboarding
Special thanks to Syngenta for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Lori Culler is the founder of AgHires, an online job board and recruiting firm dedicated to the Agriculture, Horticulture, and Food Production industry. Lori grew up on her family's 3rd generation potato and grain farm operating today across four states. After graduating from the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, she began working in recruiting and management consulting. While hiring for her family’s operation, she quickly realized the lack of resources in the industry to find and attract talent which inspired her to launch AgHires.
- Laura Finger and her husband Phil are owner operators of Finger Family Farm in Oconto Wisconsin. They are the 5th generation on their dairy that milks 540 cows, raises all their own replacements and farms 1800 acres. Laura has a Dairy Science Degree from Iowa State University and uses both cow knowledge and evolved people skills to lead a team of 20 employees with a variety of backgrounds ranging from local people, high schoolers, retirees and migrant labor. Her main jobs are to raise calves and kids, manage the parlor and anything involving their team of people on the farm.
Dairy Stream has dedicated the next four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.
- May 24: Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement
- June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling
- July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on May 3.
Dairy Stream has dedicated the next four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.
In this first part of the series, Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with HR professional Lori Culler and dairy farmer Laura Finger about the most critical step with developing your workforce. They cover how to recruit, select and onboard new employees.
Special thanks to Syngenta for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Lori Culler is the founder of AgHires, an online job board and recruiting firm dedicated to the Agriculture, Horticulture, and Food Production industry. Lori grew up on her family's 3rd generation potato and grain farm operating today across four states. After graduating from the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, she began working in recruiting and management consulting. While hiring for her family’s operation, she quickly realized the lack of resources in the industry to find and attract talent which inspired her to launch AgHires.
- Laura Finger and her husband Phil are owner operators of Finger Family Farm in Oconto Wisconsin. They are the 5th generation on their dairy that milks 540 cows, raises all their own replacements and farms 1800 acres. Laura has a Dairy Science Degree from Iowa State University and uses both cow knowledge and evolved people skills to lead a team of 20 employees with a variety of backgrounds ranging from local people, high schoolers, retirees and migrant labor. Her main jobs are to raise calves and kids, manage the parlor and anything involving their team of people on the farm.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Dairy processing is a competitive industry and Wisconsin is home to a world-class facility – the Center for Dairy Research – driving the development of new products to meet consumer demands, both domestically and abroad. Ken Heiman, owner of Nasonville Dairy, and John Jaeggi, coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program and coordinator of the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR), share processor challenges, how CDR can help and the future of dairy processing. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Ken and John:
- 1:55: Past challenges at Nasonville Dairy
- 4:15: How CDR supported Nasonville Dairy
- 5:53: Number of projects that CDR works on
- 6:45: What has been the most common challenge
- 7:47: CDR support during the pandemic
- 10:15: CDR support in a timely manner
- 11:24: Does the manufactures and supplier provide adequate support
- 13:46: Challenges with exports and regulation
- 17:26: Importance of dairy competitions
- 22:28: How to ask CDR for help
- 23:25: Wisconsin processors get priority, international support
- 25:26: How dairy farmers ask CDR for support
- 26:56: Do dairy processors pay for CDR support
- 27:33: CDR confidential assistance
- 29:45: Future challenges in dairy processing
- 33:08: Ken perspective on future challenges
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Ken Heiman is a Master Cheesemaker who owns Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield, Wisconsin, is an encyclopedia of all things dairy – from cheese’s ancient roots in Egyptian tombs and Greek mythology to the exact time it takes his plant to turn a tanker load of milk into feta. Also, a true Wisconsinite who got his cheesemaker’s license before his driver’s license.
- John Jaeggi is the coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program at John is responsible for the coordination and execution of trials and application extensions. In addition, John lectures and conducts lab sessions for numerous CDR and company contracted short courses. John has a B.S. in Business and Economics. He is a third generation licensed Wisconsin Cheesemaker with over 45 years of experience in the industry. He has also been a technical judge in many contests including the United States and World Championship Cheese Contest.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the April 12 episode.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Ken Heiman, owner of Nasonville Dairy, and John Jaeggi, coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program and coordinator of the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR), about processor challenges, how CDR can help and the future of dairy processing and research.
Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guests
- Ken Heiman is a Master Cheesemaker who owns Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield, Wisconsin, is an encyclopedia of all things dairy – from cheese’s ancient roots in Egyptian tombs and Greek mythology to the exact time it takes his plant to turn a tanker load of milk into feta. Also, a true Wisconsinite who got his cheesemaker’s license before his driver’s license.
- John Jaeggi is the coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program at CDR, John is responsible for the coordination and execution of trials and application extensions. In addition John lectures and conducts lab sessions for numerous CDR and company contracted short courses. John has a B.S. in Business and Economics. He is a third generation licensed Wisconsin Cheesemaker with over 45 years of experience in the industry. He has also been a technical judge in many contests including the United States and World Championship Cheese Contest.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Food system outsiders are paving a path and it could be taking agriculture in the wrong direction. Ray Starling, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research shares the realities of the food system outsider problem and how we can protect our future. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Ray:
- 1:39: Farmer vs food system outsider problem
- 5:42: Ah-ha moment and why be so public about this topic
- 8:37: Cultural trends impacting the problem
- 11:48: How the problem impacts public policy
- 13:38: How outsiders are leveraging the legal system
- 18:07: When’s the right time to act
- 24:40: Is this a worldwide problem
- 26:16: Importance of exports
- 27:36: What part of agriculture is the most vulnerable to the problem
- 30:50: How can we bridge the gap between farmers vs food system outsiders
- 34:42: What is the process to fix the problem
- 40:18: How to safeguard the future of agriculture
- 42:00: How to protect animal agriculture from a national and international standpoint
- 42:56: How much time do we have to turn this problem around
Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode.
Ray will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 4-5 in Arlington, VA. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1 at bit.ly/AAA23Summit.
About the guest
Ray Starling is an attorney, public policy professional, law professor, ag system thought leader, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture, and farm kid from Autryville, North Carolina with a tremendous passion for the agriculture industry. With almost three decades of experience in navigating how public policy impacts farmers and agribusiness leaders, Ray has seen a lot, but readily admits we are in the midst of a new era of outside influence in agriculture.
In his role as Executive Advisor for Aimpoint Research, Ray Starling serves as invaluable resource on public policy and legal developments that have the potential to impact the agri-food value chain. He continues to serve as general counsel for the NC Chamber of Commerce and president of the NC Chamber Legal Institute as well. The NC Chamber is the leading business advocacy organization in North Carolina. Its core business is to work in the legislative, regulatory, and political arenas to proactively drive positive change, ensuring that North Carolina is one of the best places in the world to do business. That work paid off recently when North Carolina was named by CNBC as “America’s Top State for Business,” including agribusiness.
Prior to joining the NC Chamber team, Ray served as the Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue where he coordinated execution of the Secretary's policy agenda for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the time, the agency employed over 100,000 public servants, and received a budget of over $160 billion annually. Ray focused on regulatory and deregulatory initiatives and acted as a point of contact for stakeholders throughout agriculture and rural communities.
He has also served as the principal agriculture advisor to the President of the United States at the White House, as a staff member of the National Economic Council. Ray has served as chief of staff, lead agriculture advisor, and chief counsel for U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, and was general counsel to Tillis when Tillis was Speaker of the House in the North Carolina legislature. Early in his career, Ray was general counsel to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, serving alongside the state’s beloved elected Commissioner of Agriculture, Steven Troxler.
Licensed to practice law in North Carolina, Ray has private practice experience and has taught agricultural and food law for several years. He has a bachelor's degree in agricultural education from North Carolina State University (magna cum laude) and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (with honors). He grew up on a Century Farm in southeastern North Carolina and credits that experience as having more to do with his career path than any other influence or opportunity. His parents continue to farm as does his eldest brother. Ray was a National FFA Officer and is a former 4-H member. He has received numerous honors and awards during his career, including being selected for a Marshall Memorial Fellowship, the flagship leadership development program of the German Marshall Fund.
He has spoken to hundreds of audiences across the United States, and is known for his folksy storytelling style, and perhaps for his southern accent, all combined with insightful information that drives audience members to think about how we navigate the turbulent future of agriculture.
Ray resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife, Dr. Tina Starling, and daughter, Victoria.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on March 22.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Ray Starling, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research about the food system outsider problem and how we can protect the future of agriculture.
Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode.
Ray will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 4-5 in Arlington, VA. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1 at bit.ly/AAA23Summit.
About the guest
Ray Starling is an attorney, public policy professional, law professor, ag system thought leader, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and farm kid from North Carolina. With almost three decades of experience in navigating how public policy impacts farmers and agribusiness leaders, Ray has seen a lot, but readily admits we are in the midst of a new era of outside influence in agriculture. He is currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and also an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have recently made headlines and there has been some focus on the dairy community. Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation, shares the basics of PFAS, her experiences working with contaminated dairies and future legislation. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Courtney:
- 1:36: PFAS and the original intention
- 4:21: Where are PFAS commonly found
- 5:15: Clean-up of PFAS contaminated areas
- 6:17: How a farm can get in contact with PFAS
- 7:52: Testing for PFAS
- 10:46: PFAS testing in Maine, Michigan and New Mexico
- 11:45: Should the focus be more on PFOA and PFOS
- 12:50: Who should be most worried about PFAS on the food supply chain
- 15:05: Courtney’s experience with dairy farms impacted by PFAS
- 16:25: PFAS contamination, now what
- 18:00: Media narrative with PFAS contamination
- 19:30: How widespread is PFAS
- 20:57: What actions are being taken to regulate PFAS
- 24:36: If a farm experiences a PFAS contamination tomorrow, what does a farm do?
- 25:31: Research support to understand PFAS
- 26:33: Wisconsin receiving PFAS funding, what will it be used for?
- 27:47: How can all industries work together now on PFAS
- 29:30: PFAS in the next farm bill
- 30:39: What is still unknown about PFAS
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
Courtney Briggs serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Senior Director of Government Affairs. Her issue portfolio encompasses Clean Water Act and conservation issues. Courtney’s work focuses on specific issues such as Waters of the United States, nutrient reduction strategies and NRCS conservation compliance. Courtney came to the American Farm Bureau Federation in November 2021. Prior to joining AFBF she served as Senior Federal Legislative Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For over a decade, Courtney directed the federal lobbying on environment, transportation and land use policies. Courtney currently serves as Chair of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, a multi-industry coalition that focuses on Clean Water Act issues. Prior to joining NAHB, she spent 5 years on Capitol Hill working for Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Courtney grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and graduated from Villanova University with a degree in political science. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two young children.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the March 1 episode.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation, about the basics of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), contaminations on dairy farms, implications and future legislation.
Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest
- Courtney Briggs serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Senior Director of Government Affairs. Her issue portfolio encompasses Clean Water Act and conservation issues. Courtney’s work focuses on specific issues such as Waters of the United States, nutrient reduction strategies and NRCS conservation compliance. Courtney came to the American Farm Bureau Federation in November 2021. Prior to joining AFBF she served as Senior Federal Legislative Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For over a decade, Courtney directed the federal lobbying on environment, transportation and land use policies. Courtney currently serves as Chair of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, a multi-industry coalition that focuses on Clean Water Act issues. Prior to joining NAHB, she spent 5 years on Capitol Hill working for Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Courtney grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and graduated from Villanova University with a degree in political science. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two young children.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
We are fortunate to have a cutting-edge dairy reporting system in the United States through the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Statistician Greg Bussler and Associate Professor Chuck Nicholson dissect the NASS dairy reports and the role it plays with understanding dairy markets. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Greg and Chuck:
- 1:23: Overview of the National Agricultural Statistics Service and how it generates dairy reports
- 3:48: How dairy farmers are randomly selected
- 4:08: Handling NASS surveys in other states and regions
- 6:20: Reviewing and analyzing NASS reports
- 8:13: How the reports are used to determine dairy markets
- 11:02: How other countries do dairy reporting
- 13:10: Overcoming the challenge of poor dairy reporting in other countries
- 16:38: How policymakers utilize NASS dairy reports
- 17:29: Role of the U.S. Ag Census, response rate
- 20:52: NASS data helps understand the dairy supply chain, keeping up with innovation
- 24:17: How NASS stays up-to-date with the industry
- 26:25: Data from NASS to keep an eye on
- 26:35: What trends should dairy be tracking outside of agriculture
Special thanks to BMO Harris Bank this episode.
About the guests
- Greg Bussler is the Wisconsin Statistician for the National Agricultural Statistics Service. He grew up on a hog and crop farm in Minnesota. Greg enjoys working with numbers and has been with NASS for over 33 years.
- Chuck Nicholson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. His position is funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub and focuses on the analysis of dairy markets, policy and supply chains. Chuck teaches undergraduate courses on food systems and supply chains.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the Feb. 8 episode.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Greg Bussler and Chuck Nicholson about how the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) generates dairy reports, the most anticipated, analyzing reports to determine dairy trends and what data to keep an eye on.
Special thanks to BMO Harris Bank this episode.
About the guests
- Greg Bussler is the Wisconsin Statistician for the National Agricultural Statistics Service. He grew up on a hog and crop farm in Minnesota. Greg enjoys working with numbers and has been with NASS for over 33 years.
- Chuck Nicholson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. His position is funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub and focuses on the analysis of dairy markets, policy and supply chains. Chuck teaches undergraduate courses on food systems and supply chains.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
Forecasting the future is no small task. In this episode of Dairy Stream, Iowa dairy farmer Christina Zuiderveen shares how the dairy community can prepare for the next ten years of dairy. New Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Christina:
- 3:12: What was happening with Christina and her farm ten years ago in 2013
- 4:59: What issues will be top of mind from 2023 to 2033
- 11:13: What are the top concerns that we need to start working on right now
- 12:21: What have you automated and what are your plan for automation
- 14:08: What will relationships look like in the next ten years
- 15:52: How should a farm and/or processor communicate about expansion goals
- 17:20: What opportunities do you see in the next ten years
- 21:27: How can farms prepare for challenges and opportunities
- 22:40: How can dairy businesses better support farms
- 25:43: How can we have a better relationship with our policymakers
- 26:35: What trends should dairy be tracking outside of agriculture
- 29:20: What advice do you have for dairymen and women to be successful
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest, Christina Zuiderveen
Christina grew up on dairy farms in both California and Michigan. She moved to Iowa in 2012 with her husband, Nate. They milk 2,700 at their home farm, Black Soil Dairy, in Iowa and also work with her brother, Tim den Dulk, at two sites in South Dakota, Dakota Plains and Mount Hope. With all three sites, they milk about 15,000 cows. Christina has served on the Central Plains Dairy Association board and currently serving on the Iowa State Dairy Association Board and school board of their Christian School. Christina also had the privilege of testifying before the Senate Ag Subcommittee on milk price reform. Along with being a farmer and wife, she is also a mother of three children.
Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 2023 here. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you and you’ like to learn more, we encourage you to listen to the Jan. 18 episode.
Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza asks three questions to dairy farmer, Christina Zuiderveen, about her top concerns for the next ten years in dairy, how farmers should prepare and advice to be successful.
Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
About the guest, Christina Zuiderveen
Christina grew up on dairy farms in both California and Michigan. She moved to Iowa in 2012 with her husband, Nate. They milk 2,700 at their home farm, Black Soil Dairy, in Iowa and also work with her brother, Tim den Dulk, at two sites in South Dakota, Dakota Plains and Mount Hope. With all three sites, they milk about 15,000 cows. Christina has served on the Central Plains Dairy Association board and currently serving on the Iowa State Dairy Association Board and school board of their Christian School. Christina also had the privilege of testifying before the Senate Ag Subcommittee on milk price reform. Along with being a farmer and wife, she is also a mother of three children.
Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.
The first part of this episode was released on Dec. 28 and was a reflection of Dairy Stream and Mike Austin's time as a farm broadcaster and podcast host. This episode dives into listener feedback and the 2023 Dairy Stream focus.
This episode covers:
- 1:41: Feedback from Dairy Stream listeners
- 5:27: Dairy Stream focus for 2023
- 8:48: Mike's perspective on topics Dairy Stream should focus on
- 13:27: Mike's closing comments and final signoff
Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration.This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Dairy Stream reflects on its almost three year anniversary and Mike Austin shares insight from his over 40 year farm broadcasting to podcasting experiences. You also hear from the new Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza.
This episode covers:
- 2:30: Mike shares where agriculture was 40 years ago to today
- 11:02: Joanna shares where agriculture and podcasting was 3 years ago to now
- 17:20: Top Dairy Stream episodes
- 27:14: What Mike has learned from being a farm broadcaster to podcast host
Part 2 will cover Dairy Stream listener feedback and the 2023 focus.
Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration.This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The Dairy Feed in Focus program offers a menu approach for all size farms to improve conservation efforts. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Ricardo Costa, agricultural strategy manager at The Nature Conservancy, Mercedes Talvitie, farm sustainability analyst at Foremost Farms USA and Derek Jacobs, farm manager and one of the owners of Jacobs Hillview Dairy in Hilbert, Wisconsin about the program. They discuss efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through conservation practices, feed additives, targeted fertilization and the economic benefits of the program. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
TO JOIN AND LEARN MORE, CONTACT:
- Interested farmers that ship to Foremost Farms in Wisconsin or Michigan Milk Producers Association in Michigan, contact Ricardo Costa at Ricardo.costa@tnc.org
- Processors interested in learning more and bringing the project to their area can contact us at soil@tnc.org
- Learn more at www.nature.org/workinglands
Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
There are opportunities and optimism in the future of dairy beverages. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with John Lucey, director at the Center for Dairy Research, about 'craft milk,' shelf-stable and value-added products and exporting dairy beverages. He shares the opportunities dairy has in creating functional products and improving packaging. Thank you to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Across eight states, dairy farms are participating in the Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration Project to determine dairy farms' greenhouse gas footprint. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talked with Mara Cloutier, a Ph.D in soil science and biogeochemistry with the Soil Health Institute, and Lee Kinnard, dairy farmer of Kinnard Farms in Casco, Wis. They discussed carbon associated with cover crops, reduced tillage, different manure-based products and how soil health practices are practical on all-sized dairies. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, discount registration ends Nov. 1. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Policy decisions made today impact the future of Wisconsin agriculture. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin visited with Jason Stein, research director at the Wisconsin Policy Forum, about the rural roads and the transportation budget, workforce development, taxes, broadband and key themes in the next state budget. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, discount registration ends Nov. 1. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Deer Run Dairy in Kewaunee County takes a holistic approach to sustainability focusing on no-till, cover crops, methane reduction and more. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Duane Ducat, owner of Deer Run Dairy, and Lauren Brey, managing director of Farmers for Sustainable Food about Deer Run Dairy being recognized as one of four Outstanding Dairy Farms with a U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award. The farm was specifically highlighted for its involvement and progress in a three-year sustainability project and eye-opening experiences on the dairy. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Encourage your community to discover dairy by joining the Adopt a Cow program for free! Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Karen Doster, director of youth and school programs at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, and Heather Jauquet, dairy farmer at Synergy Dairy. They discuss the logistics of the program, commitment of the farms involved and curriculum takeaways. Thank you to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsorship this episode.
Learn more and register for the Adopt a Cow program by Sept. 15, here. Farmers that are interested in participating in the program, contact Karen at kdoster@wisconsindairy.org.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
With lingering memories of record-large milk check deductions, seemingly every group tied to dairy is now exploring options for milk pricing reform. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Mitch Davis of Davis Family Dairies, a member of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative’s board of directors who served on a multi-state task force about milk pricing reform, and Dr. Marin Bozic, a nationally recognized dairy economist who serves as an adviser to the Edge board. They went in-depth on Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative's priorities and contracting principles. Thank you to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Is it time for a change or updates? Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Richard Franta, capital sales specialist at DeLaval, about where to start when considering automation, what systems provide the best ROI and how to prepare for your transition. Thank you to DeLaval for sponsoring this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
We are providing our listeners with an additional episode to introduce Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative's milk pricing reform priorities. Hear from Tim Trotter, CEO of Edge; Mitch Davis of Davis Family Dairies; and economist Dr. Marin Bozic. View the full list of milk pricing reform priorities here.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) continues to be a priority as farmers figure out how to monetize more sustainable farming practices and better integrate with the food supply chain. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Sam Miller, managing director of agriculture at BMO Harris Bank, about the future focus areas of the food value chain, rising costs, ESG and preparing for the future. Thank you to BMO Harris Bank for sponsorship this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Discovery Farms has been gathering on-farm data for years. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Amber Radatz, agricultural water quality program manager for UW-Extension, about the past and current on-farm projects, key research findings and future trends. Thank you to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsorship this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Dr. Mitch Hockett, technical and sales service manager at STgenetics, about the impact genetics can have on a farm's future. They discuss crossbreeding programs, ROI and the future of dairy genetics. Thank you to STgenetics for sponsoring this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
A data monitor system could take your farm operation to the next level. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Michael Goeldi, customer success team member at smaXtec, about data monitoring systems for cows, bolus technology, the role of artificial intelligence, improving management processes and saving money. Thank you to smaXtec for sponsoring this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Our final episode in the three-part series on Success in Succession Planning covers getting organized, financial consulting and legal support. In this episode, we talk with George Twohig, attorney at Twohig, Rietbrock, Schneider and Halback Law, and Gordon Speirs of Shiloh Dairy about the difference between estates plans, trust and wills, updating LLCS, mediation, beneficiaries, martial agreements and long-term care. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Tune in to our second episode in a three-part series on Success in Succession Planning covering getting organized, financial consulting and legal support. In this episode, we talk with Eric Gullicksrud, vice president of tax and accounting at Compeer Financial, and Kari Gribble of Tri-Fecta Farms about their experiences in succession planning, cash-flow and debt analysis, taxes, gift planning, social security and more. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Succession planning is not an event; it needs to be a journey. Join Dairy Stream host Mike Austin in our Success in Succession Planning series covering getting organized, financial consulting and legal support. In this episode, we talk with Steve Bodart, senior dairy consultant with Compeer Financial, and Jamie Witcpalek of Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy about their experiences in succession planning, key players and professionals to have involved, common challenges and what tools are available. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
What you prepare for today could save the future of your farm. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Casey Kinler, director of membership and marketing with the Animal Agriculture Alliance, about on-farm basic security measures, cybersecurity, a crisis communication plan and more. We tested Casey on farm security scenarios and what farmers should do next. Thank you to Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode.
This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
**Register here for the 2022 Stakeholders Summit on May 11-12.
Understanding rumen microbes could play a role in accomplishing farm goals. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Dr. Brooke Anderson, microbiome scientist with Native Microbials, about how rumen microbes are analyzed, the role they can play in lowering feed costs and their potential for improving a farm’s environmental footprint. Thank you to Native Microbials for sponsoring this episode. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
*Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference on Jan. 19-20 here.
As requested by our listeners, we dove into the topic of milk classes, components and the impact it has on your milk check. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Dr. Chris Wolf, professor of applied economics and management at Cornell University, about understanding milk classes and components, how consumer trends and exports have impacted it and the impact on your risk management plans. Thank you to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Farmers will be a key player in improving our climate. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Rick Clark, a 5th generation farmer from Williamsport, Indiana, about how farmers can reduce their carbon footprint by using conservation practices, how carbon should be measured and how to reduce input cost. He also offers advice on how to overcome challenges. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Want to learn more about Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)? Dairy Stream host Mike Austin dissects this topic with Tim Baye, professor of business development, energy finance and state energy specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They define commonly used terms like carbon footprint, carbon intensity (CI), carbon labeling and more. The conversation wraps-up with the future of RNG projects and the importance of advocacy on this topic. Thank you to Cargill for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
We want you to be prepared for the unexpected. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Mark Santas, president of Alongi Santas Moss Insurance Agency, about insurance policies for buildings and machinery. Santas goes in-depth about a range of topics from weather damage, customer operator coverage and what should be on your checklist. Thank you to Hastings Mutual Insurance for sponsoring this episode. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
According to the USDA, feed represents the largest variable input cost of production, accounting for 51 percent of total production costs. Farmers have felt the impact of rising feed costs. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Jocelyn Johnson, a research scientist at STgenetics, about the actual feed saved, environmental impact, potential challenges and changes to your genetic plan. Thank you to STgenetics for sponsoring this episode. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
GoodSport™ launched a sports drink that is 97 percent dairy and it aims to compete nationally against leading brands. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Michelle McBride, founder & CEO of GoodSport Nutrition, and KJ Burrington, formerly retired coordinator of dairy ingredient, cultured products and beverages at the Center for Dairy Research, about the process of developing the product and what the future holds for dairy-based sports beverages. Thank you to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 could create a year-round variant of the H-2A visa program for workers in livestock agriculture. This would be important for dairy farmers, who don’t have a year-round visa option now. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Brandon Davis, attorney at Phelps in New Orleans, Louisiana, about the requirements of H-2A, impact it has on the agricultural community and future possibilities. This episode is sponsored by Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Online grocery shopping has been on the rise and COVID-19 has accelerated that trend. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Paul Zieminsky, executive vice president of global innovation partnerships and Beau Hayden, vice president of insights: sales & trust at Dairy Management Inc., about dairy's relationship with Amazon Fresh and the future of dairy sales online. Thank you to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Dairy Stream dissects a first-of-its-kind framework that outlines a project-based approach to developing a farm-level sustainability project. Our host, Mike Austin, talks with Lauren Brey, managing director of Farmer for Sustainable Food, and Doug Thomas, senior project manager at Houston Engineering, the experts behind the national award-winning framework. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
*View the award-winning framework here: A Framework for Farm-Level Sustainability Projects
Are you prepared to be a farmer of the future? Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Sam Miller, managing director of agriculture at BMO Harris Bank, about inflationary pressures and ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing targets farmers should have on their radar. Thank you to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Heat stress in animal productivity has cost the U.S. beef and dairy industries an estimated $1.2 billion every year. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Tim Thompson, senior dairy specialist at Provimi, about implementing proper air movement, hydration and feed ration into a heat stress program. Thank you to Provimi, for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The manure from dairy farms and their digesters are poised to play a big role in the future of renewable energy. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Brian Dolski, chief financial officer at Pagel’s Family Businesses, and Greg Steele, senior dairy lending specialist at Compeer Financial about the business structure, common challenges and economics of RNG projects. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
*Link to a helpful resource from Newtrient
Manure can be complex for farmers, but with proper management the benefits can be profitable. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Dr. Jamie Patton, soil scientist with the nutrient and pest management program at UW-Madison, on understanding the basic terms associated with manure, new technologies and techniques, steps to better manure management and the economic value of dairy manure. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
*Link to the Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast tool
As requested from our listeners, Dairy Stream dove into the topic of Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs) and Producer Price Differentials (PPDs). Mike Austin talks with Dr. Marin Bozic, assistant professor in dairy foods marketing economics at the University of Minnesota, about the usefulness of FMMOs, the causes of negative PPDs and how to solve issues related to pricing in the future. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Cheeselandia is bringing together cheese enthusiasts that have a love for Wisconsin cheese. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Suzanne Fanning, senior vice president of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and chief marketing officer of Wisconsin Cheese to discuss the members of Cheeselandia, how cheese processors are involved and how a dairy farmer can engage with the group. Thank you to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Women are getting more involved in the dairy community and are finding themselves in leadership roles more often. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin spoke with three accomplished women about the value of leadership and advice they had for other women to get involved. Amy Penterman of Dutch Dairy, Heidi Fischer of Fischer-Clark Dairy Farm and Jamie Witcpalek of Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy talked in-depth about their challenges over the years and seizing the leadership opportunity when it arises. Thank you to Cargill for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
It was an honor to host the voice of agriculture. Dairy Stream's Mike Austin talks with farm broadcast legend Orion Samuelson about his over 60 years of broadcasting experience. Orion shares his favorite stories, gives advice, reminiscences on memories and shares future plans. Thank you to Cargill for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Science is showing that farmers across Wisconsin have been improving soil health and water quality through their involvement in a growing number of farmer-led watershed conservation groups. With its latest data in hand, the Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance (LASA) in southwestern Wisconsin shares the secrets of its success. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with conservation specialist Dana Christel at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, dairy farmer and LASA President Jim Winn and agronomist Ryan Temperly at Ross Soil Service. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Twin Birch Dairy in Skaneateles, New York, in the Owasco watershed did a study that found the water exiting the farm was actually cleaner than the water entering the farm. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Dirk Young, owner of Twin Birch Dairy, and Peter Rogers, board member of the Owasco Watershed Lake Association, about the study, sustainability practices used on the farm and more. Thank you to the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The Dairy Business Association has kept a close eye on the election and what the results might mean for the dairy community going into 2021. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with John Holevoet, DBA's director of government affairs, about the dairy-friendly candidate endorsement process, changes in the Senate and Assembly and opportunities ahead. Thank you to Michael Best & Friedrich for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Leprino Foods Co. in Greeley, Colorado, one of the winners of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award, approaches sustainability in a variety of ways, from natural gas turbines, a wastewater treatment system, LED lights and more. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with the associate director of environment and global responsibility, Adam Wylie, about the challenges and successes their plant has experienced. Thank you to the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
If you are confused about what’s on your milk check, you’re not alone. Our listeners have requested we cover this topic. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Mike North, principal at Ever. Ag, about the areas to focus on a milk check; premiums, components, producer price differentials (PPDs) and more. Thank you to Agri-King for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Cover crops are making a difference to improve soil health and water quality. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Jim Isermann, Illinois and Wisconsin field manager of the Soil Health Partnership, and Ken Rosenow, owner of Cedar Home Farms about the cover crop benefits, recommendations for beginners, challenges and more. Thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Farmers in the Turkey Hill Clean Water Partnership are getting a premium on their milk check for implementing sustainability practices. Dairy Steam host Mike Austin talks to Lindsay Reames, director of sustainability and external relations for the Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, and Jenna Mitchell, Pennsylvania state director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, about the innovative group, which is a U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award winner. Thank you to the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
An exciting research project recently launched through the Dairy Innovation Hub analyzes the costs and benefits of manure management regulations for dairy farm economic viability and soil and water sustainability. The goal of this project is to analyze how and under what circumstances manure regulations improves water quality. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks to experts Dr. Jeremy Foltz, professor in the department of agricultural and applied economics at UW-Madison and Dr. Marin Skidmore, post-doc in the Nelson Institute for environmental studies at UW-Madison. Thanks to Agri-King for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
One of the 2020 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award winners is proof that organizations from different sectors can work together to improve complex sustainability challenges. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Ryan Flaherty, director of business partnerships at Sustainable Conservation, Richie Mayo, farm manager at De Jager Farms and Domonic Rossini, agronomic relationship manager at Netafim USA. They discuss the dip irrigation process, regulatory landscape, crop benefits and more. Thank you to the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. *Here is a link to the document referenced in the podcast.
Threemile Canyon Farms in Boardman, Oregon, one of the winners of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award, approaches sustainability in a variety of ways, from a closed-loop system, a methane digester that produces renewable natural gas, feeding produce byproducts and more. They also had a lot of success with their internship program. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with general manager, Marty Myers, about how it all works together. Thank you to the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Based on recommendations from a water quality task force, the Wisconsin state Assembly in February 2020 passed a $10 million package of bills aimed at curbing water contamination, increasing well testing and bolstering conservation efforts. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Reps. Todd Novak and Katrina Shankland, who led the task force, about what has been accomplished so far, what steps might be needed and the stalled legislation’s prospects. Thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
COVID-19 has impacted the dairy customer of the future and normalized online grocery shopping. Dairy continues to be in the cart. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Chad Vincent, CEO of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, about their marketing strategy towards customers, restaurants and grocery stores, advice for the dairy community to engage with the customer of the future and how to get involved. Thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Confused by Producer Price Differentials (PPDs)? Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talked with Mark Stephenson, who is the director of dairy policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, about the Federal Milk Marketing Order, Producer Price Differentials (PPDs) and what they are and how they are calculated, what causes a negative PPD, the fluctuations in milk prices and the future outlook for milk checks. Stephenson also co-wrote this document to help make sense of your milk price during COVID-19. Thanks to Agri-King for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Farmer-led conservation groups have been growing in popularity as a way for farmers to expand conservation practices and document their progress in water quality and soil health. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Rachel Rushmann, Producer-led Program manager at Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; Steve Richter, director of agriculture strategies at The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin; and Lauren Brey, director of strategic partnerships and sustainability for the Dairy Strong Sustainability Alliance, who together created the Producer-led Group Roadmap: Finding Success in Farmer-Led Watershed Organizations, a new resource to guide farmers in their efforts. Thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this podcast. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Fewer lawmakers today have a farming background even though agriculture remains an all-important part of our communities and country. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Wisconsin state Senator Howard Marklein and state Representative Dave Considine about their experiences on the farm and now at the Capitol. They encourage farmers to make their voices heard and they offer advice for farmers interested in running for office. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Like other owners of essential businesses, dairy farmers are taking extra precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure their employees are healthy and safe. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Wisconsin dairy farmer Amy Penterman and dairy consultant Elsie Gonzalez about on-farm communication, safety and resources to help navigate this unusual situation. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
As executive director of the Wisconsin Farm Service Agency, Sandy Chalmers is in the thick of helping farmers apply for direct payments through the federal Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Chalmers talks with Dairy Stream host Mike Austin about dairy farm eligibility requirements, how livestock and crops figure into the formulas, and the role of local FSA offices. The podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Global markets have played an increasingly important role in the price our dairy farmers are paid for their milk. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Tom Vilsack, president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, about the work of his organization, the importance of trade relationships and how dairy exports have fared during the global health crisis. Thank you to STgenetics for sponsoring this podcast. The podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
The Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin, one of the nation’s premiere dairy research centers, plays an integral role in keeping the dairy economy healthy and dairy customers happy. This work hasn’t stopped during COVID-19. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with the center’s director, John Lucey, about the latest innovations and the future. Thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. The podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on farmers and the food supply chain that keep our country fed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been working to make sure no farmers are left behind in this crisis and families are able to put food on their tables. Host Mike Austin talks with Greg Ibach, USDA’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, who describes the steps the agency has taken so far and what farmers can expect going forward. Thank you to Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative for sponsoring this podcast. DBA and Edge co-produce Dairy Stream. Email us feedback at podcast@dairyforward.com.
Studies show that environmentally friendly products are important to American consumers when they shop, and one in three consumers say they will pay more for products that promote conservation. Rosy-Lane Holsteins in Watertown, Wis., one of the latest winners of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award, approaches sustainability in a wide variety of ways, from genetics and employee training to energy efficiency and innovative field work. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin hears from two of Rosy-Lane’s owners, Lloyd Holterman and Jordan Matthews, about how it all works together. Thank you to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. Dairy Stream is co-produced by Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and Dairy Business Association.
Dairy farmers are reeling from the devastating effects of the pandemic. Federal help is on the way but it’s complicated. Host Mike Austin talks with Aaron Stauffacher, associate director of government affairs for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, who tries to simplify the USDA’s assistance programs, and Executive Director Tim Trotter explains Edge’s role. Thank you to Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative for sponsoring this podcast. Email us feedback at podcast@dairyforward.com.
Katie Burgess, director of risk management at Blimling and Associates, walks Dairy Stream host Mike Austin through the dynamics of lost dairy markets, the forecast for May and June milk checks, what might lie ahead for exports, and market risk tools for farmers. Thank you to the Dairy Business Association for sponsoring this podcast.
The collapse of the food service market due to the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging the dairy community like never before. Suddenly without new buyers, farmers and processors have more milk than can immediately be used. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Tom Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management Inc., about the national group’s efforts to support processors, get dairy products to people who need food during the crisis, and to prepare to further capitalize on overseas markets when trade bounces back. Thank you to Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative for sponsoring this podcast.
Farmers and dairy processors are navigating unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin interviews John Umhoefer, executive director of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association. John explains the impact on the supply chain, including milk disposal, and the need of federal support. Thank you to Dairy Business Association for sponsoring this podcast.
The dairy supply chain is feeling the effects of the unprecedented COVID-19 public health emergency. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin interviews University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mark Stephenson, an expert on dairy markets and policy. Mark explains the impact on milk price, world markets, buying trends, risk management, borrowing and more. Thank you to Zoetis for sponsoring this podcast. Email us feedback at podcast@dairyforward.com.
Understanding dairy markets and diving into risk management can be intimidating. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin dissects this topic with Mike North of Vault Ag. North shares the necessary farmer mindset, what to look for in an adviser and the future of risk management strategies. Looking forward, North sees some of the key issues from 2019 lingering into 2020. Weather, trade deals and much more will affect the market. Thank you to our sponsor FeedTyme.
With the recent signing of the law to implement USMCA, the spotlight on trade is hotter than ever. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin chats with Washington, D.C.-based consultant Michael Torrey of Michael Torrey Associates about the agricultural impact of the agreement, key trading partners and bilateral opportunities in Africa, Asia and the European Union. The two also discuss the fall election, how we might have even fewer lawmakers who understand agriculture and the importance of connecting with your representatives. Thank you to our sponsor STgenetics.
Dairy brings joy to our life through delicious dairy products, farmer interactions and community impact. Over 40-year farm broadcaster veteran Mike Austin will promise you quality and fresh content focused on dairy markets, sustainability and policy trends impacting the dairy community. Dairy lovers, connoisseurs and enthusiast will crave this content. Get a taste of Dairy Stream! Send us feedback at podcast@dairyforward.com.