321 | From Mexico to Managing a Dairy | Rosario Ibarra on Leadership, Motherhood & Mentorship
She dreamed of being a CEO in heels ... now she does it in coveralls.
In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen interviews Rosario Ibarra of Grotegut Dairy in Newton, Wisconsin, a third-generation farm milking 3,600 cows. Rosario remarks on her journey from Mexico, once dreaming of being a corporate CEO, to studying agronomy, joining an international internship that brought her to Wisconsin, and pivotal mentors along the way. She describes returning to Mexico, moving to the U.S. on a visa, marrying her husband, and helping lead his family’s farm through major losses and transition while balancing motherhood and management. The conversation highlights self-belief, mentorship, delegation, supporting the workforce and leading teams with gratitude, compassion, and a low-stress culture focused on animal care and food production.
This episode is brought to you by Zoetis. As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is dedicated to helping producers achieve healthy animals, healthy dairies and healthy food through their world-class portfolio. For more information, visit DairyWellness.com.
00:39 Podcast Welcome
01:11 Zoetis Women Farmers
01:33 Inside Grotegut Dairy
04:04 From Mexico to Cows
05:12 Choosing Agronomy
07:04 Wisconsin Internship
08:33 Mentor Deb Reinhart
10:24 Back to Wisconsin
12:19 Manager and New Mom
13:45 Learning to Delegate
15:28 Believing in Yourself
17:26 Advice and Networks
19:53 Inspired by the Team
21:05 Leading With Care
22:01 Building A Stress-Free Team
24:10 Cornerstone Confidence Shift
26:37 Next Steps And Giving Back
28:55 Helping Team Members Feel at Home
32:14 Belonging Between Two Homes
34:25 Boards And Representation
36:52 Advice To Young Women
38:36 Gratitude And Closing
