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.

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. 

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.

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:

1. Farmer-driven: No requirement for farmers to implement any specific practices, individual farm groups determine the area of focus.
2. Incentives: Stipends available up to $9,000 a year based on level of participation
3. 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:

1. Farmer-driven: No requirement for farmers to implement any specific practices, individual farm groups determine the area of focus.
2. Incentives: Stipends available up to $9,000 a year based on level of participation
3. 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. 

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 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 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 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.

• 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 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.

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.