326 | Farm Forward: Lessons in Leadership from Tommy Oesch of Swisslane Farms
In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we wrap up our preview of the Farm Forward Conference with part two of a conversation with Michigan dairyman, Tommy Oesch about farm transition mistakes and building an advisory team. Tommy describes a costly error of trying to manage dairy nutrition himself, learning to hire and listen to the right consultants, and updating who “sits at the table” as the business evolves. He outlines Swiss Lane’s aggressive growth plan from 5,000 cows to 10,000 by 2032, explains adopting EOS quarterly strategy meetings, and shares leadership lessons on accountability, communication, employee reviews, and putting the right people in the right roles. He advises older generations to allow mistakes and the next generation to push succession planning forward, noting it requires time, money, and persistence.
Join us for the Farm Forward ConferenceFriday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI
Register Here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260474594709165
00:00 Farm Forward Invite
01:27 Costly Nutrition Lesson
05:19 Building Advisor Team
08:52 Aggressive Growth Vision
10:47 Who Sits at Table
12:58 EOS Outside Expertise
15:05 Evolving Vet Role
16:13 Leadership Growing Pains
19:42 Accountability Processes
23:33 Advice Both Generations
25:29 Patience With Equity
27:05 No One Size Fits All
29:07 Conference Details Wrap
