209 | Dairy Farming from Iowa to New Zealand with Jan Winke
International Women in Dairy Series: Jan Winke
In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, host Peggy Coffeen sits down with Jan Winke, a dairy farmer and professional with Nedap, who moved from Iowa to New Zealand 17 years ago. She discusses her family’s transition from struggling on a small farm in Iowa to today being proud owners of their own dairy farm in New Zealand.
Jan shares her compelling journey of relocating with her husband Chad and young family halfway around the world to take advantage of better opportunities in the dairy industry.
Jan also touches upon the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated industry, the differences in dairy farming practices between the US and New Zealand, and the importance of establishing work-life boundaries.
Tune in to this inspiring conversation about resilience, adaptation, and the pursuit of dreams in unfamiliar territory.
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00:00 Introduction to the International Women in Dairy Series
01:07 Meet Jan Winke: From Iowa to New Zealand
02:23 The Big Move: Challenges and Opportunities
06:28 Navigating the New Zealand Dairy Industry
12:26 Differences Between US and New Zealand Dairy Farming
20:46 Overcoming Gender Barriers in the Dairy Industry
28:06 Presenting Our Business: A Team Effort
29:03 Milestones in Our Farming Journey
30:19 Learning to Code for Work
31:29 Reflecting on Our Progress
32:44 Implementing Effective Farming Processes
35:05 Balancing Work, Family, and Personal Growth
49:31 Encouraging Youth in Dairy Farming
53:23 Final Thoughts and Reflections
