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Dairy Stream

Dairy Stream focuses on policy, sustainability, market trends, new technology and farmer involvement. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

Latest Episode

Why you should install a wind turbine on your farm

This episode provides a unique spin on wind power and why it might be a good fit for your farm. EWT is the number one selling wind turbine in its one Mega Watt class and has 20 years of presence in the U.S. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Brett Pingree, discuss the following topics:  What is distributed wind and its importance Wind power potential on a dairy farm Wind resource in the U.S. How wind works with other renewable energy sources on the farm ROI of wind energy Incentives and grants Challenges with implantation Operation and maintenance cost Regulatory challenges Ownership and financing options Key steps to implement wind power on your farm Special thanks to EWT for sponsoring this episode. About the guest An industry veteran, Brett Pingree has worked in renewable energy for 20 years with the majority of it being in distributed renewables, largely distributed wind. Brett has years of developing commercial and industrial solar PV as well as developing distributed energy storage projects across the US. Brett has lived in Europe and developed, or attempted to develop, projects in nearly all of the Western European countries. But his renewable energy experience started in the Arctic regions of Alaska where he has spent 20 years developing projects that displace diesel fuel for the indigenous communities. Brett re-joined EWT in 2021 as Commercial Director of the North American market after successfully developing C&I solar projects in America for the previous four years. Previous to developing PV solar projects, Brett was Head of Business Development for EWT. Brett began his career in renewables with Northern Power Systems in 2004 and has held various senior roles in Commercial Executive leadership and Business Development at Endurance Windpower, Dynapower, and EWT over the years. Brett holds an Executive Leadership Certificate from the Wallace E. Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College (2005) as well as a BS in Environmental Science (1991) from the University of Vermont.  Resources Distributed Wind Market Report: 2022 Edition Contact us - EWT  Distributed Wind for Farmers Environmental Law and Policy Center Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

February 5 • 49m 17s

Episodes

Why you should install a wind turbine on your farm cover art

Why you should install a wind turbine on your farm

This episode provides a unique spin on wind power and why it might be a good fit for your farm. EWT is the number one selling wind turbine in its one Mega Watt class and has 20 years of presence in the U.S. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest, Brett Pingree, discuss the following topics:  What is distributed wind and its importance Wind power potential on a dairy farm Wind resource in the U.S. How wind works with other renewable energy sources on the farm ROI of wind energy Incentives and grants Challenges with implantation Operation and maintenance cost Regulatory challenges Ownership and financing options Key steps to implement wind power on your farm Special thanks to EWT for sponsoring this episode. About the guest An industry veteran, Brett Pingree has worked in renewable energy for 20 years with the majority of it being in distributed renewables, largely distributed wind. Brett has years of developing commercial and industrial solar PV as well as developing distributed energy storage projects across the US. Brett has lived in Europe and developed, or attempted to develop, projects in nearly all of the Western European countries. But his renewable energy experience started in the Arctic regions of Alaska where he has spent 20 years developing projects that displace diesel fuel for the indigenous communities. Brett re-joined EWT in 2021 as Commercial Director of the North American market after successfully developing C&I solar projects in America for the previous four years. Previous to developing PV solar projects, Brett was Head of Business Development for EWT. Brett began his career in renewables with Northern Power Systems in 2004 and has held various senior roles in Commercial Executive leadership and Business Development at Endurance Windpower, Dynapower, and EWT over the years. Brett holds an Executive Leadership Certificate from the Wallace E. Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College (2005) as well as a BS in Environmental Science (1991) from the University of Vermont.  Resources Distributed Wind Market Report: 2022 Edition Contact us - EWT  Distributed Wind for Farmers Environmental Law and Policy Center Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

February 5 • 49m 17s
Dairy Streamlet: Why you should install a wind turbine on your farm cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Why you should install a wind turbine on your farm

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Feb. 5. You’ll be blown away by the potential of wind power on your dairy farm. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and EWT expert Brett Pingree discuss the potential of distributed wind, ROI, incentives and grants, challenges and key steps to get started. Special thanks to EWT for sponsoring this episode. About the guest An industry veteran, Brett Pingree has worked in renewable energy for 20 years with the majority of it being in distributed renewables, largely distributed wind. Brett has years of developing commercial and industrial solar PV as well as developing distributed energy storage projects across the US. Brett has lived in Europe and developed, or attempted to develop, projects in nearly all of the Western European countries. But his renewable energy experience started in the Arctic regions of Alaska where he has spent 20 years developing projects that displace diesel fuel for the indigenous communities. Brett re-joined EWT in 2021 as Commercial Director of the North American market after successfully developing C&I solar projects in America for the previous four years. Previous to developing PV solar projects, Brett was Head of Business Development for EWT. Brett began his career in renewables with Northern Power Systems in 2004 and has held various senior roles in Commercial Executive leadership and Business Development at Endurance Windpower, Dynapower, and EWT over the years. Brett holds an Executive Leadership Certificate from the Wallace E. Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College (2005) as well as a BS in Environmental Science (1991) from the University of Vermont.  Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

February 3 • 6m 34s
Importance of Magnesium cover art

Importance of Magnesium

Did you know not all magnesium is created equal and it's important to know where it is sourced. This episode is unique as we will get perspectives from three guests including a dairy herd manager, researcher and sales professional about the importance of magnesium and research to prove it. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza, Dr. Silva del Rio, Sean and Jeff discuss the following topics:  Importance of Magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and recognizing deficiencies How Mg is absorbed How much Mg to feed Difference Mg options Research on Mg Understanding where minerals are sourced Special thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this episode. About the guests: Dr. Noelia. Silva del Rio serves as the Dairy Herd Health Specialist at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Her research interests includes a wide range of topics, such as transition cow and calf health, dairy herd sustainability, and animal welfare.   Sean Mangieri is the Director of Sales at GLC Minerals and works closely with the company’s animal nutrition team.    Jeff Evenson is the dairy manager at Woldt Farms in Brillion Wisconsin and has been employed at the farm for 17 years. They milk 1,650 cows and farm 4,000 acres  Resources: Mg research from GLC Minerals Multesium Dr. Goff’s field test  Woldt Farm's story  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org. Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

January 15 • 32m 46.9s
Dairy Streamlet: Importance of Magnesium cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Importance of Magnesium

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Jan. 15. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza connects with a researcher, GLC Minerals expert and dairy herd manager, to discuss the importance of magnesium in dairy cattle including spotting deficiencies, ration, importance of sourcing high-quality magnesium and more. Special thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this episode. About the guests: Dr. Noelia. Silva del Rio serves as the Dairy Herd Health Specialist at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Her research interests includes a wide range of topics, such as transition cow and calf health, dairy herd sustainability, and animal welfare.   Sean Mangieri is the Director of Sales at GLC Minerals and works closely with the company’s animal nutrition team.    Jeff Evenson is the dairy manager at Woldt Farms in Brillion Wisconsin and has been employed at the farm for 17 years. They milk 1,650 cows and farm 4,000 acres  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org. Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

January 13 • 13m 20.7s
2025 Policy and Dairy Market Outlook cover art

2025 Policy and Dairy Market Outlook

There is uncertainty as we head into 2025 and our guests, Mike North and Dr. Marin Bozic, share optimism and tools to help navigate the year ahead. Mike and Marin will be presenting on this topic at the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza, Mike and Marin discuss the following topics:   What to expect from the new administration Momentum of the farm bill Federal Milk Marketing Orders Tariffs Avian influenza in dairy cattle Opportunities and challenges with increased cheese processing  Milk prices What to watch for in the first 6 months Check out and attend the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. About the guests: Mike North has spent nearly 30 years working with both producers and processors or the end users of agricultural commodities to address and manage their exposure to commodity price risk. Mike is currently the president of the producer division at Ever.Ag.   Marin Bozic has nearly 20 years of experience in the dairy industry. He serves as a dairy economist on the Edge Board of Directors.    dairystrong.org. Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship. This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

January 1 • 40m
Dairy Streamlet: 2025 Policy and Dairy Market Outlook cover art

Dairy Streamlet: 2025 Policy and Dairy Market Outlook

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Jan. 1. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza connects with two 2025 Dairy Strong presenters, Mike North and Dr. Marin Bozic, to discuss their Dairy Strong presentation and outlook on the dairy markets in 2025. They cover what to expect from the new administration, farm bill, tariffs, avian influenza in dairy cattle, milk price and more. Check out and attend the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. About the guests: Mike North has spent nearly 30 years working with both producers and processors or the end users of agricultural commodities to address and manage their exposure to commodity price risk. Mike is currently the president of the producer division at Ever.Ag.   Marin Bozic has nearly 20 years of experience in the dairy industry. He serves as a dairy economist on the Edge Board of Directors.    Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

December 30 • 11m 41s
Food is medicine: The ability of cheese to lower hypertension cover art

Food is medicine: The ability of cheese to lower hypertension

Dairy has the potential to boost your mood, reduce anxiety and stimulate the immune system. Today, we will focus on how cheese has the ability to lower hypertension. Our guest today was awarded a grant from the Dairy Innovation Hub to support the Center for Dairy Research’s work to develop cheese manufacturing and aging methods to increase the amount of the bioactive peptides in cheese that have antihypertensive properties. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Rodrigo A. Ibáñez, associate scientists at the Center for Dairy Research, discuss the following topics:   What are bioactive peptides Nutritional properties of cheese Bioactive peptides and the impact on lower hypertension Ethnicity and the role on the human body CDR’s research on testing bioactive peptides Challenges within the research What’s next for the study Food is medicine conversation Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Rodrigo A. Ibáñez holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from University College Cork – National University of Ireland. He currently works as an Associate Scientist in the Cheese Research Group at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying topics related to cheese defects, impact of cheese components in human health and use of dairy ingredients to improve cheese quality. Additionally, Rodrigo supports teaching activities in CDR short courses, including those offered in Spanish.  Resources: Dairy Pipeline (see page 8) Enhancing the Bioactive Peptide Profile of Cheese presentation About the Dairy Innovation Hub This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

December 25 • 40m 41.7s
Dairy Streamlet: Food is medicine: The ability of cheese to lower hypertension cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Food is medicine: The ability of cheese to lower hypertension

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Dec. 25. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Rodrigo A. Ibáñez, associate scientists at the Center for Dairy Research, discuss a grant from the Dairy Innovation Hub to support the Center for Dairy Research’s work to develop cheese manufacturing and aging methods to increase the amount of the bioactive peptides in cheese that have antihypertensive properties. Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Rodrigo A. Ibáñez holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from University College Cork – National University of Ireland. He currently works as an Associate Scientist in the Cheese Research Group at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying topics related to cheese defects, impact of cheese components in human health and use of dairy ingredients to improve cheese quality. Additionally, Rodrigo supports teaching activities in CDR short courses, including those offered in Spanish.  Resources: Dairy Pipeline (see page 8) Enhancing the Bioactive Peptide Profile of Cheese presentation About the Dairy Innovation Hub This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

December 23 • 7m 42.9s
How We Got Here:  Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin cover art

How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin

Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Ken Verhasselt, owner of Verhasselt Farms, and Don Adams of BMO discuss early influences, improvements to be better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future for the farm and dairy industry. This three-part series is sponsored by BMO. About the guests: Ken Verhasselt is the owner of Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin where they milk 4,000 cows and farm 5,000 acres.   Don Adams of BMO manages a portfolio of production agricultural relationships that focus mainly on dairy, and has just shy of 40 years of experience in the banking industry, with 37 of those years being with BMO.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

December 11 • 25m 34.3s
Dairy Streamlet: How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin cover art

Dairy Streamlet: How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin

Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Dec. 11. This three-part series is sponsored by BMO. About the guests: Ken Verhasselt is the owner of Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin where they milk 4,000 cows and farm 5,000 acres.   Don Adams of BMO manages a portfolio of production agricultural relationships that focus mainly on dairy, and has just shy of 40 years of experience in the banking industry, with 37 of those years being with BMO.    This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

December 9 • 6m 37.5s
How We Got Here:  Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin cover art

How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

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.

November 20 • 31m
Dairy Streamlet: How We Got Here:  Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin cover art

Dairy Streamlet: How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

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.

November 18 • 7m 18.7s
How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin cover art

How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin

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.

October 30 • 39m 18.7s
Dairy Streamlet: How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin cover art

Dairy Streamlet: How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin

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.

October 28 • 10m 26.4s
Resource for nutrient management: SnapPlus Manure Application Realtime Tracker (SMART) cover art

Resource for nutrient management: SnapPlus Manure Application Realtime Tracker (SMART)

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.

October 9 • 35m 53.9s
Dairy Streamlet: Resource for nutrient management: SnapPlus Manure Application Realtime Tracker (SMART) cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Resource for nutrient management: SnapPlus Manure Application Realtime Tracker (SMART)

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.

October 7 • 9m 31.8s
Examining the relationship between producers and processors cover art

Examining the relationship between producers and processors

Our topic today can take years to establish and requires continuous involvement from both parties. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Bill Oppriecht of Compeer Financial examine the relationship between a dairy producer and processor and identify how to better understand each other’s needs, challenges, collaboration areas, growing pains and how to best communicate. Joanna and Bill discuss the following topics: How dairy processor and producer relationships have evolved Better understand each other’s needs Understand challenges Who should be involved Collaboration areas Disconnects in the dairy chain Growing pains Advice for improving the relationship Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Bill Oppriecht is a senior dairy lending specialist at Compeer Financial. He has been part of the Farm Credit System for more than 11 years, with the last six years focusing specifically on dairy operations. Bill grew up on a small dairy farm and uses that background to help support dairy producers in southern Wisconsin. Bill graduated from University of Wisconsin-Platteville, double majoring in ag business and animal science with a dairy emphasis.  He is a member of Dairy Business Association, Professional Dairy Producers, Farm Bureau and the Wisconsin Holstein Association. Bill resides in southwestern Wisconsin with his wife, Heidi, and two sons, Alex and Evan.   Resources: Bill’s contact information Oppriecht@compeer.com Sustainability in dairy processing: A changing landscape Examining processor relationships This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

September 18 • 29m 38.2s
Dairy Streamlet: Examining the relationship between producers and processors cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Examining the relationship between producers and processors

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Sept. 18. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Bill Oppriecht of Compeer Financial examine the relationship between a dairy producer and processor and identify how to better understand each other’s needs, challenges, collaboration areas, growing pains and how to best communicate. Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Bill Oppriecht is a senior dairy lending specialist at Compeer Financial. He has been part of the Farm Credit System for more than 11 years, with the last six years focusing specifically on dairy operations. Bill grew up on a small dairy farm and uses that background to help support dairy producers in southern Wisconsin. Bill graduated from University of Wisconsin-Platteville, double majoring in ag business and animal science with a dairy emphasis.  He is a member of Dairy Business Association, Professional Dairy Producers, Farm Bureau and the Wisconsin Holstein Association. Bill resides in southwestern Wisconsin with his wife, Heidi, and two sons, Alex and Evan.   Resources: Bill’s contact information Oppriecht@compeer.com Sustainability in dairy processing: A changing landscape Examining processor relationships This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

September 16 • 5m 40s
Save money through a farm energy assessment cover art

Save money through a farm energy assessment

Focus on Energy helped over 600 Wisconsin dairy operations save $3.8 million on utility bills through operational improvements. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Jessica Mlsna, lead agriculture energy advisor at Focus on Energy, discuss the five assessment areas, time commitment and financial incentives. If you’re not from Wisconsin, contact your local utility and see what is offered. Joanna and Jessica discuss the following topics: First assessment lighting Second assessment variable frequency drives Third assessment fans Fourth assessment dairy operation equipment Fifth assessment heating equipment General maintenance best practices Time commitment and what to expect Financial support Special thanks to Focus on Energy for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Jessica Mlsna is the Lead Agriculture Energy Advisor at FOCUS ON ENERGY®, serving customers in Southwest and Central Wisconsin. She holds a Bachelor's in Animal Science from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and a Master's in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University. With over nine years of experience in the energy efficiency field, Jessica is also a Certified Energy Manager accredited by the Association of Energy Engineers.  Resources: Must have a Focus on Energy participating electric or natural gas utility provider: https://focusonenergy.com/about/participating-utilities  Agribusiness propane offering: Offered in partnership with Wisconsin’s Office of Energy Innovation.  Electric provider must participate in Focus on Energy.  Must use propane to fuel incentivized equipment.  Visit focusonenergy.com/business/propane for full details.  Energy Best Practices guide: Download a free copy at https://focusonenergy.com/business/ee-best-practice-guides  https://focusonenergy.com/business/agribusiness Contact Focus on Energy at 800.762.7077 or visit https://focusonenergy.com/  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

August 28 • 26m 34s
Dairy Streamlet: Save money through a farm energy assessment cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Save money through a farm energy assessment

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Aug. 28. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Jessica Mlsna, lead agriculture energy advisor at Focus on Energy talk through the five assessment areas: Lighting, variable frequency drives, fans, dairy operation equipment and heating equipment. Focus on Energy helped over 600 Wisconsin dairy operations save $3.8 million on utility bills through operational improvements! Special thanks to Focus on Energy for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Jessica Mlsna is the Lead Agriculture Energy Advisor at FOCUS ON ENERGY®, serving customers in Southwest and Central Wisconsin. She holds a Bachelor's in Animal Science from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and a Master's in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University. With over nine years of experience in the energy efficiency field, Jessica is also a Certified Energy Manager accredited by the Association of Energy Engineers.  Resources: Must have a Focus on Energy participating electric or natural gas utility provider: https://focusonenergy.com/about/participating-utilities  Agribusiness propane offering: Offered in partnership with Wisconsin’s Office of Energy Innovation.  Electric provider must participate in Focus on Energy.  Must use propane to fuel incentivized equipment.  Visit focusonenergy.com/business/propane for full details.  Energy Best Practices guide: Download a free copy at https://focusonenergy.com/business/ee-best-practice-guides  https://focusonenergy.com/business/agribusiness Contact Focus on Energy at 800.762.7077 or visit https://focusonenergy.com/      This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

August 26 • 5m 35s
Understanding biologicals and biostimulants cover art

Understanding biologicals and biostimulants

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.

August 7 • 37m 53.8s
Dairy Streamlet: Understanding biologicals and biostimulants cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Understanding biologicals and biostimulants

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.

August 5 • 7m 6.7s
How microbes are shaping the future of crop nutrition cover art

How microbes are shaping the future of crop nutrition

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.

July 17 • 24m 40.2s
Dairy Streamlet: How microbes are shaping the future of crop nutrition cover art

Dairy Streamlet: How microbes are shaping the future of crop nutrition

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.

July 15 • 6m 22.4s
Opportunities for dairy in the health and wellness space cover art

Opportunities for dairy in the health and wellness space

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.

June 26 • 53m 28.6s
Dairy Streamlet: Opportunities for dairy in the health and wellness space cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Opportunities for dairy in the health and wellness space

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.

June 24 • 14m 54.1s
Understanding the basics of appraisals cover art

Understanding the basics of appraisals

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.

June 5 • 30m 58.5s
Dairy Streamlet: Understanding the basics of appraisals cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Understanding the basics of appraisals

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.

June 3 • 11m 26.9s
Basics to advance: Benefits of rotational grazing cover art

Basics to advance: Benefits of rotational grazing

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.

May 15 • 59m 42.8s
Dairy Streamlet: Basics to advance: Benefits of rotational grazing cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Basics to advance: Benefits of rotational grazing

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.

May 13 • 12m 32.8s
Dairy market update and the potential impacts on FMMOs cover art

Dairy market update and the potential impacts on FMMOs

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

April 26 • 40m 42.2s
Understanding Climate Smart programs and how to get involved cover art

Understanding Climate Smart programs and how to get involved

In 2022, U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the investment of $3.1 billion for 141 projects through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. With billions of dollars being invested in climate-smart, are farmers participating and how can a farm identify which on-farm project is the best fit? Drew Kessler, senior scientist at Houston Engineering, shares what farmers should consider when engaging with a climate-smart program, time commitment, benefits, tools and unique ways farmers engage their communities on conservation efforts. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Drew: 1:45: Increased conservation efforts 2:45: What commodities Drew works with 3:22: What should farmers look for when engaging with a climate smart program 7:37: Time commitment to participate 10:15 What happens after 2028 11:26: Example of a farm’s involvement 13:11: What benefits do farmers receive from data collection 15:39: Tools and platforms 20:52: How to understand the data 25:12: Could a farm be penalize for sharing their data, data security 28:47: Watch-outs with joining groups 30:11: How farms share information with their communities 31:33: Future of on-farm sustainability programs Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Drew Kessler is the Senior Scientist at Houston Engineering. He leads Houston Engineering’s Environmental Service Sector. He has been working at Houston Engineering for over 10 years during which he’s grown the company’s connections to the food and dairy industry. Prior to joining Houston, Drew spent 10 years in academia focused on environmental research. The Farmers for Sustainable Food (FSF) Climate-Smart Project is the culmination of years of proven on-farm, farmer-led sustainability work. We bring extensive experience with farm-level sustainability projects to facilitate locally focused initiatives that support targeted environmental concerns. Our project stands out among the rest in three important ways: Farmer-driven: No requirement for farmers to implement any specific practices, individual farm groups determine the area of focus. Incentives: Stipends available up to $9,000 a year based on level of participation Hands-on support: Technical support at the farm level to help participants understand their scores and how to leverage their data into management decisions for positive environmental and financial outcomes. Learn more here: farmersforsustainablefood.com/climate-smart/

April 24 • 33m 21.5s
Dairy Streamlet: Understanding Climate Smart programs and how to get involved cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Understanding Climate Smart programs and how to get involved

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on April 24. With billions of dollars being invested in climate-smart, are farmers participating and how can a farm identify which on-farm project is the best fit? Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Drew Kessler, senior scientist at Houston Engineering, as they discuss farmers involvement in Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, choosing the best program, examples of outcomes, watch outs and tools farms can use. Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Drew Kessler is the Senior Scientist at Houston Engineering. He leads Houston Engineering’s Environmental Service Sector. He has been working at Houston Engineering for over 10 years during which he’s grown the company’s connections to the food and dairy industry. Prior to joining Houston, Drew spent 10 years in academia focused on environmental research. The Farmers for Sustainable Food (FSF) Climate-Smart Project is the culmination of years of proven on-farm, farmer-led sustainability work. We bring extensive experience with farm-level sustainability projects to facilitate locally focused initiatives that support targeted environmental concerns. Our project stands out among the rest in three important ways: Farmer-driven: No requirement for farmers to implement any specific practices, individual farm groups determine the area of focus. Incentives: Stipends available up to $9,000 a year based on level of participation Hands-on support: Technical support at the farm level to help participants understand their scores and how to leverage their data into management decisions for positive environmental and financial outcomes. Learn more here: farmersforsustainablefood.com/climate-smart/ This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

April 22 • 7m 31.4s
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Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in precision agriculture

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.

April 3 • 46m 44.7s
Dairy Streamlet: Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in precision agriculture cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in precision agriculture

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.

April 1 • 7m 23.1s
"Instability occurs when you mess with the food supply chain" cover art

"Instability occurs when you mess with the food supply chain"

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.

March 13 • 36m 16.6s
Dairy Streamlet: "Instability occurs when you mess with the food supply chain" cover art

Dairy Streamlet: "Instability occurs when you mess with the food supply chain"

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.

March 11 • 8m 7.4s
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Farmer of the Future 2.0

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.

February 21 • 32m 49.5s
Dairy Streamlet: Farmer of the Future 2.0 cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Farmer of the Future 2.0

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.

February 19 • 3m 51.8s
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Hedging 101

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.

January 31 • 40m 1.5s
Dairy Streamlet: Hedging 101 cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Hedging 101

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.

January 29 • 7m 5.4s
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Message to decision-makers: Oversight on digital technology tools

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.

January 10 • 24m 26.4s
Dairy Streamlet: Message to decision-makers: Oversight on digital technology tools cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Message to decision-makers: Oversight on digital technology tools

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.

January 8 • 6m 22.5s
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Two farmers recap the growing season

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.

December 20 • 32m 4.6s
Dairy Streamlet: Two farmers recap the growing season cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Two farmers recap the growing season

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.

December 18 • 4m 54.4s
Farmer experience using artificial intelligence (AI) on the farm cover art

Farmer experience using artificial intelligence (AI) on the farm

“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.

November 29 • 44m 34.5s
Dairy Streamlet: Farmer experience using artificial intelligence (AI) on the farm cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Farmer experience using artificial intelligence (AI) on the farm

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.

November 27 • 12m 56.4s
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Succession planning and creating generational wealth

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.

November 8 • 37m 28s
Dairy Streamlet: Succession planning and creating generational wealth cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Succession planning and creating generational wealth

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.

November 6 • 7m 13.5s
Feed management strategies to reduce methane emissions cover art

Feed management strategies to reduce methane emissions

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.

October 18 • 39m 3.3s
Dairy Streamlet: Feed management strategies to reduce methane emissions cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Feed management strategies to reduce methane emissions

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.

October 16 • 11m 3.1s
Building trust with the media and consumers cover art

Building trust with the media and consumers

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.

September 27 • 29m 2s
Dairy Streamlet: Building trust with the media and consumers cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Building trust with the media and consumers

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.

September 25 • 5m 33.6s
Genomic study proves profitability, methane reduction cover art

Genomic study proves profitability, methane reduction

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.

September 6 • 28m 5.2s
Dairy Streamlet: Genomic study proves profitability, methane reduction cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Genomic study proves profitability, methane reduction

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.

September 4 • 5m 57.5s
Artificial intelligence (AI) on the dairy farm cover art

Artificial intelligence (AI) on the dairy farm

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.

August 16 • 27m 37.2s
Dairy Streamlet: Artificial intelligence (AI) on the dairy farm cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Artificial intelligence (AI) on the dairy farm

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.

August 14 • 4m 9.8s
Learning Spanish and impact on your farm cover art

Learning Spanish and impact on your farm

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.

July 26 • 42m 34.4s
Dairy Streamlet: Learning Spanish and impact on your farm cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Learning Spanish and impact on your farm

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.

July 24 • 6m 27.8s
Workable Workforce Series: HR management and legal matters cover art

Workable Workforce Series: HR management and legal matters

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.

July 5 • 51m 11.2s
Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: HR management and legal matters cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: HR management and legal matters

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.

July 3 • 9m 55s
Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling cover art

Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling

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.

June 14 • 55m 25.2s
Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling

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.

June 12 • 13m
Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement cover art

Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement

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.

May 24 • 41m 56.6s
Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: Engagement and Retention cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: Engagement and Retention

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on May 24.  In this second part of the series, Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with HR professional Joni Booth and dairy farmer Sandy Larson about retaining employees and keeping them engaged. They dive into retention ideas and resources, what engagement looks like for short- and long-term employees and incentives. Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Joni Booth is on a mission to help create a better world of work. Formally trained as a financial analyst, she grew a passion for helping organizations optimize their human capital to achieve their business objectives. Throughout her career, she has worked with various global organizations across different industries, providing solutions that improve employee engagement, increase productivity, and drive overall organizational performance. Her expertise includes talent acquisition and management, performance management, employee experience, and workforce planning.  Sandy Larson is the 5th generation to lead Larson Acres, her family-owned dairy in Evansville, Wis.  Sandy works hard on employee engagement and management, business administration, and public relations.  She is a member of the Board of Directors for ALCIVIA, National FARM Farmer Advisory Council, and active member of the Rock County dairy organizations.  Sandy is the founder and advisor to the Rock County Ag Ambassador program, which employees a part-time person to advocate on behalf of agriculture in the county.   Additionally, Sandy is an active advocate for dairy within the community and through social media outlets.  Dairy Stream has dedicated four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial. May 3: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and Onboarding Talent | LISTEN HERE June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

May 22 • 6m 46.4s
Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and onboarding talent cover art

Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and onboarding talent

Finding and sustaining a workable workforce is a challenge. It starts with recruiting and onboarding. HR professional Lori Culler and dairy farmer Laura Finger share experiences, recommendations and tips for recruiting, selecting and onboarding employees. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Lori and Laura: 1:38: Where should farms start with sourcing and recruiting talent   3:44: Share the reality of the job   5:23: Best place to post a job 6:33: How Laura recruits for her farm  8:49: How to assess the talent pool 9:56: What to share about pay and benefits   13:46: How to select the best candidate 18:26: Ensuring the farm and candidates expectations are met   24:04: What is an effective onboarding plan    25:43: Making the handbook ‘fun’ 27:00: How to build a positive employee culture 28:00: First week is critical, don’t forget about 30, 60, 90 day check-ins     31:22: How to check-in with new employees   32:34: Biggest mistake with onboarding 33:35: Ensuring all the backgrounds and cultures of employees are thriving 36:58: The future of recruiting and onboarding   Special thanks to Syngenta for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Lori Culler is the founder of AgHires, an online job board and recruiting firm dedicated to the Agriculture, Horticulture, and Food Production industry. Lori grew up on her family's 3rd generation potato and grain farm operating today across four states. After graduating from the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, she began working in recruiting and management consulting. While hiring for her family’s operation, she quickly realized the lack of resources in the industry to find and attract talent which inspired her to launch AgHires.  Laura Finger and her husband Phil are owner operators of Finger Family Farm in Oconto Wisconsin.  They are the 5th generation on their dairy that milks 540 cows, raises all their own replacements and farms 1800 acres.  Laura has a Dairy Science Degree from Iowa State University and uses both cow knowledge and evolved people skills to lead a team of 20 employees with a variety of backgrounds ranging from local people, high schoolers, retirees and migrant labor.  Her main jobs are to raise calves and kids, manage the parlor and anything involving their team of people on the farm.  Syngenta and Compeer Financial. May 24: Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement  June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

May 3 • 41m 40.2s
Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and onboarding talent cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and onboarding talent

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on May 3.  Dairy Stream has dedicated the next four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial. In this first part of the series, Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with HR professional Lori Culler and dairy farmer Laura Finger about the most critical step with developing your workforce. They cover how to recruit, select and onboard new employees. Special thanks to Syngenta for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Lori Culler is the founder of AgHires, an online job board and recruiting firm dedicated to the Agriculture, Horticulture, and Food Production industry. Lori grew up on her family's 3rd generation potato and grain farm operating today across four states. After graduating from the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, she began working in recruiting and management consulting. While hiring for her family’s operation, she quickly realized the lack of resources in the industry to find and attract talent which inspired her to launch AgHires.  Laura Finger and her husband Phil are owner operators of Finger Family Farm in Oconto Wisconsin.  They are the 5th generation on their dairy that milks 540 cows, raises all their own replacements and farms 1800 acres.  Laura has a Dairy Science Degree from Iowa State University and uses both cow knowledge and evolved people skills to lead a team of 20 employees with a variety of backgrounds ranging from local people, high schoolers, retirees and migrant labor.  Her main jobs are to raise calves and kids, manage the parlor and anything involving their team of people on the farm.  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.

May 1 • 4m 48.3s
The future of dairy processing cover art

The future of dairy processing

Dairy processing is a competitive industry and Wisconsin is home to a world-class facility – the Center for Dairy Research – driving the development of new products to meet consumer demands, both domestically and abroad. Ken Heiman, owner of Nasonville Dairy, and John Jaeggi, coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program and coordinator of the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR), share processor challenges, how CDR can help and the future of dairy processing. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Ken and John: 1:55: Past challenges at Nasonville Dairy 4:15: How CDR supported Nasonville Dairy 5:53: Number of projects that CDR works on 6:45: What has been the most common challenge 7:47: CDR support during the pandemic 10:15: CDR support in a timely manner 11:24: Does the manufactures and supplier provide adequate support 13:46: Challenges with exports and regulation 17:26: Importance of dairy competitions 22:28: How to ask CDR for help 23:25: Wisconsin processors get priority, international support 25:26: How dairy farmers ask CDR for support 26:56: Do dairy processors pay for CDR support 27:33: CDR confidential assistance 29:45: Future challenges in dairy processing 33:08: Ken perspective on future challenges Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Ken Heiman is a Master Cheesemaker who owns Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield, Wisconsin, is an encyclopedia of all things dairy – from cheese’s ancient roots in Egyptian tombs and Greek mythology to the exact time it takes his plant to turn a tanker load of milk into feta. Also, a true Wisconsinite who got his cheesemaker’s license before his driver’s license. John Jaeggi is the coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program at John is responsible for the coordination and execution of trials and application extensions. In addition, John lectures and conducts lab sessions for numerous CDR and company contracted short courses. John has a B.S. in Business and Economics. He is a third generation licensed Wisconsin Cheesemaker with over 45 years of experience in the industry. He has also been a technical judge in many contests including the United States and World Championship Cheese Contest. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

April 12 • 38m 56.4s
Dairy Streamlet: The future of dairy processing cover art

Dairy Streamlet: The future of dairy processing

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the April 12 episode.  Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Ken Heiman, owner of Nasonville Dairy, and John Jaeggi, coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program and coordinator of the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR), about processor challenges, how CDR can help and the future of dairy processing and research. Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Ken Heiman is a Master Cheesemaker who owns Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield, Wisconsin, is an encyclopedia of all things dairy – from cheese’s ancient roots in Egyptian tombs and Greek mythology to the exact time it takes his plant to turn a tanker load of milk into feta. Also, a true Wisconsinite who got his cheesemaker’s license before his driver’s license. John Jaeggi is the coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program at CDR, John is responsible for the coordination and execution of trials and application extensions. In addition John lectures and conducts lab sessions for numerous CDR and company contracted short courses. John has a B.S. in Business and Economics. He is a third generation licensed Wisconsin Cheesemaker with over 45 years of experience in the industry. He has also been a technical judge in many contests including the United States and World Championship Cheese Contest.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

April 10 • 6m 24.4s
Farmers versus Foodies: Who will call the shots for agriculture cover art

Farmers versus Foodies: Who will call the shots for agriculture

Food system outsiders are paving a path and it could be taking agriculture in the wrong direction. Ray Starling, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research shares the realities of the food system outsider problem and how we can protect our future. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Ray: 1:39: Farmer vs food system outsider problem 5:42: Ah-ha moment and why be so public about this topic 8:37: Cultural trends impacting the problem 11:48: How the problem impacts public policy      13:38: How outsiders are leveraging the legal system 18:07: When’s the right time to act 24:40: Is this a worldwide problem 26:16: Importance of exports   27:36: What part of agriculture is the most vulnerable to the problem   30:50: How can we bridge the gap between farmers vs food system outsiders 34:42: What is the process to fix the problem 40:18: How to safeguard the future of agriculture    42:00: How to protect animal agriculture from a national and international standpoint 42:56: How much time do we have to turn this problem around Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode. Ray will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 4-5 in Arlington, VA. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1 at bit.ly/AAA23Summit. About the guest Ray Starling is an attorney, public policy professional, law professor, ag system thought leader, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture, and farm kid from Autryville, North Carolina with a tremendous passion for the agriculture industry.  With almost three decades of experience in navigating how public policy impacts farmers and agribusiness leaders, Ray has seen a lot, but readily admits we are in the midst of a new era of outside influence in agriculture.    In his role as Executive Advisor for Aimpoint Research, Ray Starling serves as invaluable resource on public policy and legal developments that have the potential to impact the agri-food value chain.  He continues to serve as general counsel for the NC Chamber of Commerce and president of the NC Chamber Legal Institute as well.  The NC Chamber is the leading business advocacy organization in North Carolina. Its core business is to work in the legislative, regulatory, and political arenas to proactively drive positive change, ensuring that North Carolina is one of the best places in the world to do business.  That work paid off recently when North Carolina was named by CNBC as “America’s Top State for Business,” including agribusiness.    Prior to joining the NC Chamber team, Ray served as the Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue where he coordinated execution of the Secretary's policy agenda for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the time, the agency employed over 100,000 public servants, and received a budget of over $160 billion annually.  Ray focused on regulatory and deregulatory initiatives and acted as a point of contact for stakeholders throughout agriculture and rural communities.   He has also served as the principal agriculture advisor to the President of the United States at the White House, as a staff member of the National Economic Council.  Ray has served as chief of staff, lead agriculture advisor, and chief counsel for U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, and was general counsel to Tillis when Tillis was Speaker of the House in the North Carolina legislature. Early in his career, Ray was general counsel to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, serving alongside the state’s beloved elected Commissioner of Agriculture, Steven Troxler.  Licensed to practice law in North Carolina, Ray has private practice experience and has taught agricultural and food law for several years. He has a bachelor's degree in agricultural education from North Carolina State University (magna cum laude) and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (with honors). He grew up on a Century Farm in southeastern North Carolina and credits that experience as having more to do with his career path than any other influence or opportunity. His parents continue to farm as does his eldest brother. Ray was a National FFA Officer and is a former 4-H member. He has received numerous honors and awards during his career, including being selected for a Marshall Memorial Fellowship, the flagship leadership development program of the German Marshall Fund.    He has spoken to hundreds of audiences across the United States, and is known for his folksy storytelling style, and perhaps for his southern accent, all combined with insightful information that drives audience members to think about how we navigate the turbulent future of agriculture.    Ray resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife, Dr. Tina Starling, and daughter, Victoria.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

March 22 • 44m 46.4s
Dairy Streamlet: Farmers versus Foodies: Who will call the shots for agriculture cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Farmers versus Foodies: Who will call the shots for agriculture

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on March 22.  Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Ray Starling, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research about the food system outsider problem and how we can protect the future of agriculture.   Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode. Ray will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 4-5 in Arlington, VA. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1 at bit.ly/AAA23Summit. About the guest Ray Starling is an attorney, public policy professional, law professor, ag system thought leader, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and farm kid from North Carolina. With almost three decades of experience in navigating how public policy impacts farmers and agribusiness leaders, Ray has seen a lot, but readily admits we are in the midst of a new era of outside influence in agriculture. He is currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and also an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research.   This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

March 20 • 7m 4.8s
PFAS contamination and possible implications for dairy cover art

PFAS contamination and possible implications for dairy

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have recently made headlines and there has been some focus on the dairy community. Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation, shares the basics of PFAS, her experiences working with contaminated dairies and future legislation. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Courtney: 1:36: PFAS and the original intention 4:21: Where are PFAS commonly found 5:15: Clean-up of PFAS contaminated areas 6:17: How a farm can get in contact with PFAS    7:52: Testing for PFAS  10:46: PFAS testing in Maine, Michigan and New Mexico 11:45: Should the focus be more on PFOA and PFOS 12:50: Who should be most worried about PFAS on the food supply chain 15:05: Courtney’s experience with dairy farms impacted by PFAS 16:25: PFAS contamination, now what 18:00: Media narrative with PFAS contamination 19:30: How widespread is PFAS   20:57: What actions are being taken to regulate PFAS 24:36: If a farm experiences a PFAS contamination tomorrow, what does a farm do? 25:31: Research support to understand PFAS 26:33: Wisconsin receiving PFAS funding, what will it be used for? 27:47: How can all industries work together now on PFAS 29:30: PFAS in the next farm bill 30:39: What is still unknown about PFAS Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest Courtney Briggs serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Senior Director of Government Affairs. Her issue portfolio encompasses Clean Water Act and conservation issues. Courtney’s work focuses on specific issues such as Waters of the United States, nutrient reduction strategies and NRCS conservation compliance. Courtney came to the American Farm Bureau Federation in November 2021. Prior to joining AFBF she served as Senior Federal Legislative Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For over a decade, Courtney directed the federal lobbying on environment, transportation and land use policies. Courtney currently serves as Chair of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, a multi-industry coalition that focuses on Clean Water Act issues. Prior to joining NAHB, she spent 5 years on Capitol Hill working for Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Courtney grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and graduated from Villanova University with a degree in political science. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two young children.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

March 1 • 32m 41.6s
Dairy Streamlet: PFAS contamination and possible implications for dairy cover art

Dairy Streamlet: PFAS contamination and possible implications for dairy

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the March 1 episode.  Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation, about the basics of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), contaminations on dairy farms, implications and future legislation. Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest Courtney Briggs serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Senior Director of Government Affairs. Her issue portfolio encompasses Clean Water Act and conservation issues. Courtney’s work focuses on specific issues such as Waters of the United States, nutrient reduction strategies and NRCS conservation compliance. Courtney came to the American Farm Bureau Federation in November 2021. Prior to joining AFBF she served as Senior Federal Legislative Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For over a decade, Courtney directed the federal lobbying on environment, transportation and land use policies. Courtney currently serves as Chair of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, a multi-industry coalition that focuses on Clean Water Act issues. Prior to joining NAHB, she spent 5 years on Capitol Hill working for Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Courtney grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and graduated from Villanova University with a degree in political science. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two young children. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

February 27 • 6m 13.2s
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How USDA generates dairy reports and its impact on dairy markets

We are fortunate to have a cutting-edge dairy reporting system in the United States through the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).  Statistician Greg Bussler and Associate Professor Chuck Nicholson dissect the NASS dairy reports and the role it plays with understanding dairy markets. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Greg and Chuck: 1:23: Overview of the National Agricultural Statistics Service and how it generates dairy reports 3:48: How dairy farmers are randomly selected    4:08: Handling NASS surveys in other states and regions 6:20: Reviewing and analyzing NASS reports 8:13: How the reports are used to determine dairy markets 11:02: How other countries do dairy reporting 13:10: Overcoming the challenge of poor dairy reporting in other countries 16:38: How policymakers utilize NASS dairy reports 17:29: Role of the U.S. Ag Census, response rate 20:52: NASS data helps understand the dairy supply chain, keeping up with innovation 24:17: How NASS stays up-to-date with the industry 26:25: Data from NASS to keep an eye on 26:35: What trends should dairy be tracking outside of agriculture Special thanks to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Greg Bussler is the Wisconsin Statistician for the National Agricultural Statistics Service. He grew up on a hog and crop farm in Minnesota. Greg enjoys working with numbers and has been with NASS for over 33 years.   Chuck Nicholson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. His position is funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub and focuses on the analysis of dairy markets, policy and supply chains. Chuck teaches undergraduate courses on food systems and supply chains.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

February 8 • 29m 56.4s
Dairy Streamlet: How USDA generates dairy reports and its impact on dairy markets cover art

Dairy Streamlet: How USDA generates dairy reports and its impact on dairy markets

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the Feb. 8 episode.  Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Greg Bussler and Chuck Nicholson about how the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) generates dairy reports, the most anticipated, analyzing reports to determine dairy trends and what data to keep an eye on. Special thanks to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Greg Bussler is the Wisconsin Statistician for the National Agricultural Statistics Service. He grew up on a hog and crop farm in Minnesota. Greg enjoys working with numbers and has been with NASS for over 33 years.   Chuck Nicholson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. His position is funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub and focuses on the analysis of dairy markets, policy and supply chains. Chuck teaches undergraduate courses on food systems and supply chains.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

February 6 • 6m 0.7s
Preparing for the next 10 years in dairy cover art

Preparing for the next 10 years in dairy

Forecasting the future is no small task. In this episode of Dairy Stream, Iowa dairy farmer Christina Zuiderveen shares how the dairy community can prepare for the next ten years of dairy. New Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Christina: 3:12: What was happening with Christina and her farm ten years ago in 2013 4:59: What issues will be top of mind from 2023 to 2033 11:13: What are the top concerns that we need to start working on right now 12:21: What have you automated and what are your plan for automation 14:08: What will relationships look like in the next ten years 15:52: How should a farm and/or processor communicate about expansion goals 17:20: What opportunities do you see in the next ten years 21:27: How can farms prepare for challenges and opportunities 22:40: How can dairy businesses better support farms 25:43: How can we have a better relationship with our policymakers 26:35: What trends should dairy be tracking outside of agriculture 29:20: What advice do you have for dairymen and women to be successful Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. About the guest, Christina Zuiderveen Christina grew up on dairy farms in both California and Michigan. She moved to Iowa in 2012 with her husband, Nate.  They milk 2,700 at their home farm, Black Soil Dairy, in Iowa and also work with her brother, Tim den Dulk, at two sites in South Dakota, Dakota Plains and Mount Hope. With all three sites, they milk about 15,000 cows. Christina has served on the Central Plains Dairy Association board and currently serving on the Iowa State Dairy Association Board and school board of their Christian School. Christina also had the privilege of testifying before the Senate Ag Subcommittee on milk price reform. Along with being a farmer and wife, she is also a mother of three children. Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 2023 here. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

January 18 • 31m 51s
Dairy Streamlet: Preparing for the next 10 years in dairy cover art

Dairy Streamlet: Preparing for the next 10 years in dairy

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you and you’ like to learn more, we encourage you to listen to the Jan. 18 episode.  Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza asks three questions to dairy farmer, Christina Zuiderveen, about her top concerns for the next ten years in dairy, how farmers should prepare and advice to be successful. Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. About the guest, Christina Zuiderveen Christina grew up on dairy farms in both California and Michigan. She moved to Iowa in 2012 with her husband, Nate.  They milk 2,700 at their home farm, Black Soil Dairy, in Iowa and also work with her brother, Tim den Dulk, at two sites in South Dakota, Dakota Plains and Mount Hope. With all three sites, they milk about 15,000 cows. Christina has served on the Central Plains Dairy Association board and currently serving on the Iowa State Dairy Association Board and school board of their Christian School. Christina also had the privilege of testifying before the Senate Ag Subcommittee on milk price reform. Along with being a farmer and wife, she is also a mother of three children. Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

January 16 • 4m 48.5s
Part 2:  Looking back with an eye on the future cover art

Part 2: Looking back with an eye on the future

The first part of this episode was released on Dec. 28 and was a reflection of Dairy Stream and Mike Austin's time as a farm broadcaster and podcast host. This episode dives into listener feedback and the 2023 Dairy Stream focus. This episode covers: 1:41: Feedback from Dairy Stream listeners 5:27: Dairy Stream focus for 2023  8:48: Mike's perspective on topics Dairy Stream should focus on  13:27: Mike's closing comments and final signoff  Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

January 4 • 17m 46.3s
Part 1: Looking back with an eye on the future cover art

Part 1: Looking back with an eye on the future

Dairy Stream reflects on its almost three year anniversary and Mike Austin shares insight from his over 40 year farm broadcasting to podcasting experiences. You also hear from the new Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza.  This episode covers: 2:30: Mike shares where agriculture was 40 years ago to today 11:02: Joanna shares where agriculture and podcasting was 3 years ago to now   17:20: Top Dairy Stream episodes  27:14: What Mike has learned from being a farm broadcaster to podcast host Part 2 will cover Dairy Stream listener feedback and the 2023 focus. Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

December 28 • 36m 20.7s
Dairy Feed in Focus: A menu approach to improve your farm cover art

Dairy Feed in Focus: A menu approach to improve your farm

The Dairy Feed in Focus program offers a menu approach for all size farms to improve conservation efforts. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Ricardo Costa, agricultural strategy manager at The Nature Conservancy, Mercedes Talvitie, farm sustainability analyst at Foremost Farms USA and Derek Jacobs, farm manager and one of the owners of Jacobs Hillview Dairy in Hilbert, Wisconsin about the program. They discuss efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through conservation practices, feed additives, targeted fertilization and the economic benefits of the program. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.  TO JOIN AND LEARN MORE, CONTACT: Interested farmers that ship to Foremost Farms in Wisconsin or Michigan Milk Producers Association in Michigan, contact Ricardo Costa at Ricardo.costa@tnc.org Processors interested in learning more and bringing the project to their area can contact us at soil@tnc.org Learn more at www.nature.org/workinglands  Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.

December 7 • 35m 31.1s
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