Podcasts about edge dairy farmer cooperative

Farmers in the Upper Midwest are utilizing actionable data to make informed decisions about the conservation practices implemented on their farms. Results from the first year of a five-year effort through the Farmers for Sustainable Food Climate-Smart Program showed that these sustainable farming practices are achieving positive environmental outcomes. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Drew Kessler and Michael Crinion, discuss the following topics:  Using actionable data to make informed conservation decisions How the conservation efforts are analyzed What conservations practices are the most popular Conservation efforts making economic sense Most impressive part of the program Challenges Resources Data becoming a currency What next in the space of data-driven sustainability efforts Special thanks to Farmers for Sustainable Food for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Drew Kessler — a seasoned Scientist and Principal at Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI)—is a leading expert in water resources management and agricultural sustainability. With nearly two decades of experience, including a decade at HEI, Drew has dedicated his career to bridging the gap between environmental science and agricultural practices. His expertise in water quality, wildlife ecology, and TMDL processes has made him a valuable asset to farmers, food supply chains, and policymakers alike. Drew's ability to translate complex scientific information into actionable insights has fostered collaboration and positive outcomes for agricultural working lands.  Michael Crinion — a rural entrepreneur with extensive knowledge of dairy, beef, sheep, and poultry enterprises, as well as experience in implementing ISOs and HACCP protocols. Having grown up on a farm in Ireland, Crinion moved to Brookings, SD, in 2004 to extend his farming operations. He serves as the Managing Partner of Ash Grove Dairy, a 2,100-cow cross-ventilated dairy operation in Lake Benton, MN, and is the CEO of BioHydrogen LLC, which transforms waste streams into a sustainable and renewable hydrogen energy. In addition to his role as a Board Member with Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Crinion is the 2024 Chair of U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action.  Resources Farmers for Sustainable Food Climate-Smart Program Farmers for Sustainable Food Resources Press release on year-one results Contact Farmers for Sustainable Food staff 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. 

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. 26. A dairy farmer and scientist share the about the actionable data and results from the first year of a five-year effort through the Farmers for Sustainable Food Climate-Smart Program. The results showed that these sustainable farming practices are achieving positive environmental outcomes. Special thanks to Farmers for Sustainable Food for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Drew Kessler is a seasoned Scientist and Principal at Houston Engineering, Inc. (HEI)—is a leading expert in water resources management and agricultural sustainability. With nearly two decades of experience, Drew has dedicated his career to bridging the gap between environmental science and agricultural practices.  Michael Crinion is a Board Member for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and rural entrepreneur with extensive knowledge of dairy, beef, sheep, and poultry enterprises.  He serves as the Managing Partner of Ash Grove Dairy, where they milk 2,100-cow in Minnesota, and he is the CEO of BioHydrogen LLC, which transforms waste streams into a sustainable and renewable hydrogen energy.    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. 

Join us as Tim Trotter, CEO of the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, shares how he is keeping an eye on the value farmers receive for their conservation efforts.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA's report on the “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Join Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza and Tim Trotter, CEO of the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, as they discuss key themes that emerged from the recent Dairy Strong conference, including current challenges and opportunities for farmers. USFRA conducted a panel discussion at the conference focused on the potential for agriculture to reduce emissions. The panel featured USFRA Chair Michael Crinion, CEO Kevin Burkum, Dr. Chuck Rice of Kansas State University and Josh Luth of Schreiber Foods.    To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA's report on the “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

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.

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.  

Karen Bohnert of Farm Journal's MILK helps us provide coverage of Milk Business Conference 2024 happening now in Las Vegas, Nevada. Our guest is Lucas Sjostrom, managing director of Minnesota Milk at Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. Then we have a special dairy Farmer Forum with Greg Moes of Goodwin, South Dakota and Grant Grintstead of Fon du Lac, Wisconsin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Day Two of of coverage of NAFB's Trade Talk featuring conversations with Ron Geis and Drake Edwards of Corteva Agriscience, Michael Torrey and Tim Trotter of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, and Charles Barron – chief marketing officer and co-founder of Farmers Business Network (FBN).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Dennis Hawkins, owner of Solhawk Dairy, and Paul Salm of BMO discuss early influences, improvements to be better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future for the farm and dairy industry. This three-part series is sponsored by BMO. About the guests: Dennis Hawkins is the owner of Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls where they milk 2,200 cows and farm 3,100 acres.   Paul Salm of BMO manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships, including dairy, row crop, grain merchandising and potato customers and has over 30 years of experience in the banking industry.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 15-16 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to hear from inspiring speakers and experts on policy, sustainability and the future of dairy. This year's event kicks-off with the return of Tailgate on the Tundra at Lambeau, followed by a jammed pack day of breakout sessions, and networking opportunities and concludes with an evening celebrating award winners and DBA's 25th Anniversary! Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

Dairy Stream and BMO are proud to present the “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. 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.

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.

Brownfield's Larry Lee visted with Karen Gefvert, of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, and Micheal Torrey, of Torrey Advisory Group, at the 2024 World Dairy Expo. Topics dicussed include legislative priorities for Edge Dairy Farmers Cooperative, as well as disaster aid and updating the farm bill.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

As our guest predicts in this episode, “biologicals and biostimulants aren't going away anytime soon.” Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and Dr. Connor Sible, postdoctoral research associate with the crop physiology lab in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, explains the basics with understanding biologicals and biostimulants. This episode is split into two parts with the first part covering biologicals and the second part covering biostimulants. We discuss the following topics below: Basic definition How it works What to do before adding a product Challenges How it fits into a farm input plan Other management practices to get the full economic benefit Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Dr. Connor Sible is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Crop Physiology Lab in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois. Originally from northern Illinois, he received his degrees in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois where his graduate studies focused on categorization and best management practices in the use of biologicals and biostimulants for row crops. His current research focuses on nutrient use efficiency of corn and soybean systems with specializations in residue management and nitrogen retention systems.  Resources: Department of Crop Sciences – Crop Physiology at the University of Illinois Connor's email: sible2@illinois.edu Getting the most out of biostimulants Role of Biologicals in Enhancing Nutrient Efficiency in Corn and Soybean This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Aug. 7. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Dr. Connor Sible with the University of Illinois dive into the basics of understanding biologicals and biostimulants. We discuss the differences between them, prior management practices before implementation, challenges, additional practices needed to get the full economic benefit and the future of this technology. Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Dr. Connor Sible is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Crop Physiology Lab in the Department of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois. Originally from northern Illinois, he received his degrees in Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois where his graduate studies focused on categorization and best management practices in the use of biologicals and biostimulants for row crops. His current research focuses on nutrient use efficiency of corn and soybean systems with specializations in residue management and nitrogen retention systems.  Resources: Department of Crop Sciences – Crop Physiology at the University of Illinois Connor's email: sible2@illinois.edu Getting the most out of biostimulants Role of Biologicals in Enhancing Nutrient Efficiency in Corn and Soybean This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Farmers are adding microbial nitrogen to their crop nutrition strategy to enhance overall plant and soil health. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Karsten Temme, co-founder of Pivot Bio, discuss the complexities of traditional nitrogen use, what is a microbe, application, research, challenges and the future of crop nutrition. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and Karsten discuss for following topics below: Complexities surrounding traditional methods of nitrogen  What is a microbe Microbe application rates  Microbes and conservation efforts  Availability of microbial nitrogen  Research on microbial nitrogen Economics and ROI Challenges this technology faces, regulatory constraints  Future trends  Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Karsten Temme founded Pivot Bio in 2010 with his friend and colleague, Alvin Tamsir, driven by a desire to create meaningful change and solve one of the planet's biggest challenges. After completing his graduate research on enhancing the nitrogen-fixing potential of soil-borne microbes, he and Alvin focused on creating a microbial nitrogen to replace a portion of synthetic nitrogen. He earned his Bachelor's of Science and Master of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Iowa and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.  Resources on microbial nitrogen: How it works - Pivot Bio PROVEN 40 2023 Impact Report  Customer stories: Straight from the farm  Building better nitrogen: About the technology This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on July 17. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Karsten Temme, co-founder of Pivot Bio, share how microbial nitrogen products are changing how farmers grow crops and microbes are becoming a key player in a farmer's crop nutrition strategy. We discuss the complexities of nitrogen use, basics of a microbe, research, challenges and the future of crop nutrition.   Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Karsten Timme founded Pivot Bio in 2010 with his friend and colleague, Alvin Tamsir, driven by a desire to create meaningful change and solve one of the planet's biggest challenges. After completing his graduate research on enhancing the nitrogen-fixing potential of soil-borne microbes, he and Alvin focused on creating a microbial nitrogen to replace a portion of synthetic nitrogen. He earned his Bachelor's of Science and Master of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Iowa and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.  Resources on microbial nitrogen: How it works - Pivot Bio PROVEN 40 2023 Impact Report  Customer stories: Straight from the farm  Building better nitrogen: About the technology This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative is launching an innovative program to simplify the permitting process for farmers. The Maestro program assists farmers in orchestrating the many steps and processes of obtaining and maintaining a permit. Tim Trotter Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative CEO says this initiative was shaped by the voices of their members and is designed to simplify compliance and empower farmers to focus on what they do best: nurturing their land and livestock.  “The permitting process can be a quite complicated and challenging endeavor,” he said. “We aim to change that for dairy farmers. By serving as the project manager, our team works to ensure farmers have the insight and assistance needed to streamline the permitting process.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumers are spending their disposable income on health and wellness items, which is a $350 billion industry, and there is a lot of opportunity for dairy. Paul Ziemnisky, executive vice president of global innovation partnerships for DMI, shares the four strategy areas, business development partnerships, challenges and future trends. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topic below with Paul: Four strategy areas to grow domestic sales More incremental sales More commercialized science More outside investment More trained workforce How dairy moves into new growth space Popular areas of health and wellness Timeline Collaboration between checkoffs and the Center for Dairy Research Challenges Future trends Watch the Dairy Streamlet on YouTube.  Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest, Paul Ziemnisky, Executive Vice President of Global Innovation Partnerships for DMI   Senior brand marketing, innovation and general management executive with over 25 years of consumer package goods marketing, innovation and finance experience in a wide range of industries.  Paul's experience includes managing brands and leading innovation for well-known brands such as Kraft Natural Cheese, Velveeta, Tombstone, DiGiorno, Rust-Oleum, and First Alert.  Paul has guided brands with revenue from $100M to over $1B, while launching more than $500M of new product platforms.  Prior to joining Dairy Management, Paul served in senior-level positions at companies including Kraft Foods, Jarden Corporation, Rust-Oleum, and Oil-Dri Corporation. Paul has been with DMI for 8 years.  In his current role, Paul is the Group EVP for DMI's Innovation priority which includes domestic growth platforms, business development and channel partnership efforts with key players such as Domino's, McDonald's, Taco Bell, General Mills, Raising Cane's and Amazon.  Plus, DMI's health and wellness research and product science and technology teams and efforts.   This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on June 26. The health and wellness space is a $350 billion industry with a 50 percent dissatisfaction on products, which means a lot of opportunity for dairy. Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest, Paul Ziemnisky, executive vice president of global innovation partnerships for DMI, as they discuss the four strategy areas and future trends.  Watch this episode on our YouTube channel here.  Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest, Paul Ziemnisky, Executive Vice President of Global Innovation Partnerships for DMI   Senior brand marketing, innovation and general management executive with over 25 years of consumer package goods marketing, innovation and finance experience in a wide range of industries.  Paul's experience includes managing brands and leading innovation for well-known brands such as Kraft Natural Cheese, Velveeta, Tombstone, DiGiorno, Rust-Oleum, and First Alert.  Paul has guided brands with revenue from $100M to over $1B, while launching more than $500M of new product platforms.  Prior to joining Dairy Management, Paul served in senior-level positions at companies including Kraft Foods, Jarden Corporation, Rust-Oleum, and Oil-Dri Corporation. Paul has been with DMI for 8 years.  In his current role, Paul is the Group EVP for DMI's Innovation priority which includes domestic growth platforms, business development and channel partnership efforts with key players such as Domino's, McDonald's, Taco Bell, General Mills, Raising Cane's and Amazon.  Plus, DMI's health and wellness research and product science and technology teams and efforts.   This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Does milk price play a role in appraisal values? What other outside factors impact values of properties? Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Jade Kruschke, certified appraiser with Compeer Financial, as they discuss the basics of understanding appraisals and outside factors that impact property values. Topics include: Role of an appraiser Three approaches to value Mistakes or misconceptions Frequency of appraisals Appraiser experiences and knowledge of agriculture What affects value of properties How milk price impacts appraised values Including the next generation Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Jade Kruschke, Certified Appraiser, Compeer Financial Jade graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a degree in Accounting and Management. She joined the Farm Credit System in 2016 and obtained her Wisconsin Certified General Appraiser license in 2019. She uses her knowledge and agricultural experience to assist clients with their valuation and real estate needs. Jade works primarily in Northwestern Wisconsin and specializes in dairy, grain, irrigated tracts, general and improved farms, recreational, residential and transitional properties. Jade lives in New Richmond, WI with her husband and son on the family farm.  Resource: www.compeer.com/appraisal  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on June 5. We cover the basics of appraisals and what outside factors impact property values. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Jade Kruschke, certified appraiser with Compeer Financial, cover the role of an appraiser, common misconceptions, outside factors that impact property values and what Jade's keeping an eye in the appraiser world. Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Jade Kruschke, Certified Appraiser, Compeer Financial Jade graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a degree in Accounting and Management. She joined the Farm Credit System in 2016 and obtained her Wisconsin Certified General Appraiser license in 2019. She uses her knowledge and agricultural experience to assist clients with their valuation and real estate needs. Jade works primarily in Northwestern Wisconsin and specializes in dairy, grain, irrigated tracts, general and improved farms, recreational, residential and transitional properties. Jade lives in New Richmond, WI with her husband and son on the family farm.  Resource: www.compeer.com/appraisal  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

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. 

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  

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. 

The popularity of UAVs are growing in precision agriculture and we cover the basics capabilities, economics and rules with Dr. Brian Luck, associate professor and extension specialist with UW-Madison. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topic below with Brian: 1:08: How are UAVs being used 4:33: Most popular UAV 6:31: Scouting crops 11:18: Interrupting data      16:20: What is remote sensing and thermal imagery 21:40: Challenges with UAVs 25:26: When to use UAVs 27:12: Economics 29:53: Rules of UAVs 36:03: Safety of UAVs 39:08: Data protection 43.40: Future trends of UAVs Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest Brian Luck is an associate professor and extension specialist in Biological Systems Engineering in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison. Dr. Luck's field of interest include machine management, variable rate technology, agricultural “big data” management and remote sensing.   This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on April 3. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAV are playing a role in precision agriculture. Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Dr. Brian Luck, associate professor and extension specialist at UW-Madison, as they discuss the most popular UAVs, scouting crops, challenges, economics and safety. Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest Dr. Brian Luck is an associate professor and extension specialist in Biological Systems Engineering in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW-Madison. Dr. Luck's field of interest include machine management, variable rate technology, agricultural “big data” management and remote sensing.   This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Recent bans and regulations, globally and nationally, on agriculture have caused negative impacts. Chief Strategy Officer at Kansas Farm Bureau Joel Leftwich paints the reality of the aftermath involving negative regulations on agriculture and how we should be more strategic in targeting the voter. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Joel: 1:40: Global examples of negative bans/regulations on agriculture 7:25: National examples 9:25: Hindsight, what could have been done differently 10:58: Strategic about which voter 13:43: Why the farmers voice is trusted 16:40: How to better engage voters on agricultural topics 20:21: Platform to use to engage voters 24:40: Topics to cover with voters 26:56: Situation like Prop12 happen again? 29:55: How to include engaging voters in your business model 33:21: How do agriculturalists stay in engaged on trends Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode. Joel will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 8-9 in Kansas City, MO. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1, learn more here. About the guest Chief Strategy Officer Kansas Farm Bureau President U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund Joel Leftwich joined Kansas Farm Bureau in 2021 as the organization's Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to joining Kansas Farm Bureau, Leftwich worked in Washington, D.C. for nearly twenty years with public and private sector experience in food and agriculture policy. Leftwich spent most of his time as staff to Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) serving in the personal office and then on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee as Majority Staff Director. He also worked for Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS) and the USDA during President George W. Bush's administration. His private sector experience includes positions with global food and agriculture companies PepsiCo and DuPont. Additionally, he was a Managing Director for the Glover Park Group's communications and government affairs consulting firm's Food Team. GPG's Food Team clients included international food, beverage, animal health, and innovative agriculture companies. As CSO for the Kansas Farm Bureau, Leftwich works with organizational leadership and members to develop and implement new programs and strategies to accomplish KFB's mission. Examples of KFB's new initiatives include: Engaged Kansas, a nonpartisan coalition dedicated to recruiting and training candidates for local public service; Rural Kansas Apprenticeship Program, where KFB serves as a federally Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary working with agricultural and rural employers to develop registered apprenticeships; and the U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund, a 501(c)4 organization focused on public education of the importance of keeping the U.S. food supply safe and affordable. Leftwich received his bachelor's degree in political science and history from Friends University and a master's degree from Loyola University of Chicago in political science.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on March 13. Past events, like Europe's Farm to Fork policy and California's Proposition 12, have negatively impacted the food supply chain. How can we learn from these events and better engage the voters? Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Joel Leftwich, Chief Strategy Officer at Kansas Farm Bureau, as they discuss the past situations that negatively impacted agriculture and how we can better engage with voters.  Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode. Joel will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 8-9 in Kansas City, MO. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1, learn more here. About the guest Chief Strategy Officer Kansas Farm Bureau President U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund Joel Leftwich joined Kansas Farm Bureau in 2021 as the organization's Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to joining Kansas Farm Bureau, Leftwich worked in Washington, D.C. for nearly twenty years with public and private sector experience in food and agriculture policy. Leftwich spent most of his time as staff to Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) serving in the personal office and then on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee as Majority Staff Director. He also worked for Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS) and the USDA during President George W. Bush's administration. His private sector experience includes positions with global food and agriculture companies PepsiCo and DuPont. Additionally, he was a Managing Director for the Glover Park Group's communications and government affairs consulting firm's Food Team. GPG's Food Team clients included international food, beverage, animal health, and innovative agriculture companies. As CSO for the Kansas Farm Bureau, Leftwich works with organizational leadership and members to develop and implement new programs and strategies to accomplish KFB's mission. Examples of KFB's new initiatives include: Engaged Kansas, a nonpartisan coalition dedicated to recruiting and training candidates for local public service; Rural Kansas Apprenticeship Program, where KFB serves as a federally Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary working with agricultural and rural employers to develop registered apprenticeships; and the U.S. Agriculture Partnership Fund, a 501(c)4 organization focused on public education of the importance of keeping the U.S. food supply safe and affordable. Leftwich received his bachelor's degree in political science and history from Friends University and a master's degree from Loyola University of Chicago in political science.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

If you're reading this, then you are obviously thinking about the future of farming. Join Scott Caine, president of Aimpoint Research, to discuss and learn about the Farmer of the Future 2.0, a new study from Aimpoint Research.  We will cover psychographics, tangible and intangible items, key drivers of change and economic uncertainties for the future of agriculture. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topic below with Scott: 1:21: Farmer of the Future in 2018, why 2.0 now?  2:32: What is the farm gate  3:10: Tangible and intangible items 5:04: Generations involved in the study    6:40: What is psychographics 7:39: Psychographics for the farmer of the future 10:31: Audience segmentation 12:02: National security and food security 13:34: Preparing the next generation 16:32: Geopolitical and economic uncertainties 18:25: Five key drivers of change in agriculture 19:38: Uncertainties biggest impact on ag 21:06: Cybersecurity 23:11: Timeline of key drivers of change 25:08: Who is responsible for sharing the message 28:21: Future predictions 29:53 How to be a farmer of the future    Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode. About the guest As President of Aimpoint Research, Scott leads the organization in its mission to empower intelligence-driven organizations and give clients a competitive advantage. He's responsible for successfully achieving organizational goals including superior intelligence and operational excellence.  Scott is a tenured leader with more than 25 years of organizational leadership experience. He has served in organizations ranging from the United States Army, to small boutique data warehousing consulting firms and large enterprises with diverse roles including Marketing, Operation, Business Systems and Sales.  Through these experiences he has honed and gained a diverse set of skills including strategic and sector operations; marketing, marketing research and competitive intelligence; enterprise planning and organizational development; business modeling and strategy; product development and delivery; and strategic business sales.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on Feb. 21. Are you prepared to be the farmer of the future? Join Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guest Scott Caine, president of Aimpoint Research, as they discuss geopolitical and economic uncertainties, five key drivers of change, future predictions and how to be a farmer of the future.  Special thanks to Pivot Bio for sponsoring this episode. About the guest: Scott Caine As President of Aimpoint Research, Scott leads the organization in its mission to empower intelligence-driven organizations and give clients a competitive advantage. He's responsible for successfully achieving organizational goals including superior intelligence and operational excellence.  Scott is a tenured leader with more than 25 years of organizational leadership experience. He has served in organizations ranging from the United States Army, to small boutique data warehousing consulting firms and large enterprises with diverse roles including Marketing, Operation, Business Systems and Sales. Through these experiences he has honed and gained a diverse set of skills including strategic and sector operations; marketing, marketing research and competitive intelligence; enterprise planning and organizational development; business modeling and strategy; product development and delivery; and strategic business sales.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

It can be intimidating navigating risk management and understanding what is right for your business. We provide the basics of hedging to better understand the process, impacts from outside factors, common terms and more. Our guest Mike North, president of the producer division at Ever.Ag, shares hedging examples and breaks down the basics. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topic below with Mike: 1:15: Overview of hedging  5:36: Farm bill and risk management   9:51: Who is involved in the hedging process 12:36: License and reputable companies   14:00: Why do businesses hedge 14:38: Popularity of hedging 15:22: Common terms 19:53: Outside factors that impact hedging 22:41 Current events and risk management 28:00: Examples  34:05: How to get started 37:20: Future of hedging Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. About the guest Mike has spent nearly 30 years working with both farmers and processors or the end users of agricultural commodities to address and manage their exposure to commodity price risk. Mike applies a comprehensive approach to identifying points of risk and developing an appropriate risk management plan. Mike is currently the President of the Producer Division at Ever.Ag.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

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. 

Kicking off a Tuesday morning, Jill Welke introduces us to Brad Olson, the new president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. Olson says he brings a "look from the outside" after only having been a WFBF member since 2022. He does have tenure as a town and county board member. He's passionate about moving agriculture forward and is preparing for Ag Day at the Capitol, where he anticipates renewable energy, milk prices, and health care to dominate the conversation. Wisconsin is in a winter weather advisory today. Ag meteorologist Stu Muck has the details. In dairy news, every drop of milk produced in the U.S. is priced based on what's called the Federal Milk Marketing Orders. Now for the first time in decades, the dairy industry and USDA are looking at revising these complex rules. One problem that's been revealed is that the dairy farmers directly impacted by those orders may not even have a voice in accepting or denying the verdict, explains Lucas Sjostrom with Minnesota Milk and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. This week marks the 11th week that USDA has been gathering testimony. Sjostrom says no one is sure when they'll conclude the process. Kiel High School makes sure that every student in after-school activities gets access to chocolate milk. Charitee Seebecker has the story. Finally, John Heinberg joins us live before speaking at the 2024 Agriculture Outlook Forum. Grain is the name of the game today. He says corn is drawing concern as China moves more of its business to South America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“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.

Joanna Guza talked with Tim Trotter, CEO of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, about the FMMO hearing process, priorities, regional changes and when the FMMO hearings will be complete. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Wisconsin dairy farmers share experiences about how AI is keeping their dairy farms consistent through tracking routine items and the health of the cows. Nathan and Mitch share the implementation, comprehension, challenges, game-changer experiences and the future of AI. Special thanks to Connecterra for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Nathan Brandt is the Dairy Herd Manager at Four Cubs Farm where they milk 980 cows with 16 Lely robots in a retrofit free stall. Nathan's role is managing the cow-side of the operation and utilizing the data that AI helps sort on the dairy.    Mitch Breunig is the owner of Mystic Valley Dairy where they milk 450 cows in a double 14 parallel parlor. Mitch's manages the day to day on the farm and oversee the AI on the farm.   This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

Early, often and transparent was a common theme in the conversation on succession planning and generational wealth. Jud Snyder and Brad Guse of BMO share insight on competing in the new normal, basic succession planning conversations, “killer D's,” generational wealth process, liquidity, adding new family members and advice. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Jud and Brad: 1:55: What succession planning used to look like and what we are seeing now 3:19: Can your farm compete in the ‘new normal' 4:54: Basic succession planning conversations 7:15: Emotions involved in succession planning 8:46: Perfect time to exit 10:50: Ideal time to end the farm with no successor 13:20: Keep an eye on macroeconomics    14:01: Considerations when selling to a third party 15:25: Preparing for the unexpected, ‘Killer D's' 18:15: Process of generational wealth and how it's generated 20:36: The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubled the lifetime estate and gift tax exemption and set to expire Jan. 1, 2026, how does this impact succession planning 22.19: Who should be involved in succession planning 24:01: What is liquidity and why is it important 26:04:  Considerations with marriage and new family members 27:14: Multiple siblings but only select few taking over the farm, what about the other non-farming children 29:54: When does life insurance play a role 32:10: How to keep the older generation involved 34:48: Final advice on succession planning Special thanks to BMO for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Jud Snyder Jud Snyder is Regional President of the Midwest with BMO Wealth Management and BMO's Senior Executive for Southeast Wisconsin.  Jud oversees the strategic development and delivery of BMO Private Bank's personal wealth management platform to high net worth individuals, families and organizations, including closely-held and family-owned businesses, endowments and foundations throughout the Midwest. Jud joined the Bank in 1994 and has over 28 years of experience in financial services.  Prior to taking his current role, he spent much of his career in Commercial Banking. He was responsible for leading the growth and development of M&I's Equipment Finance Company. This included strategic and managerial responsibility for sales, operations, underwriting and equipment management capabilities within Equipment Finance. In 2010, he was named M&I's Head of Specialized Industries. In this role he was responsible for Equipment Finance, Global Trade, Health Care, Dealer Finance, Agribusiness and Sponsor Finance. Following the BMO acquisition in 2011, he moved back into the head role at BMO Equipment Finance with the mandate to leverage the business across BMO and grow the business to scale.  Jud obtained his BA in Russian and Economics from UW Madison ('94). He serves on the Board of Directors for The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (Trustee), United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, Milwaukee World Festival, Froedtert Health Systems (Chair), and Teach for America Milwaukee. He was previously a Director and Chair of the Milwaukee Ballet (2012-2019) and a past Chairman and Officer of the ELFA (Equipment Leasing and Finance Association) (2010-2020).  Jud lives in River Hills, Wisconsin with his wife, Amy and their children.  Brad Guse As an agricultural banking officer for BMO Commercial Bank - Marshfield, Brad Guse manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships made up of primarily dairy farm accounts. Guse has ten years of experience in the dairy nutrition field and over twenty - eight years of experience in agricultural banking. He was appointed by Wisconsin's Governor to serve on the Dairy 2.0 task force as well as to serve on the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) board of directors. He's very involved in the Ag community serving as the school director and an instructor for the Wisconsin Bankers Association agricultural lending schools as well as serving on the American Bankers Association's Ag and Rural Banking conference committee to name just a few. Brad served 21 years in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, retiring in 2004 after his unit's successful deployment to Afghanistan. Guse holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on Nov. 8. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talks with Jud Snyder and Brad Guse of BMO about competing in the new normal, succession planning conversations, perfect time to exit, process of generational wealth, importance of liquidity, future planning advice and more. Special thanks to BMO for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Jud Snyder Jud Snyder is Regional President of the Midwest with BMO Wealth Management and BMO's Senior Executive for Southeast Wisconsin.  Jud oversees the strategic development and delivery of BMO Private Bank's personal wealth management platform to high net worth individuals, families and organizations, including closely-held and family-owned businesses, endowments and foundations throughout the Midwest. Jud joined the Bank in 1994 and has over 28 years of experience in financial services.  Prior to taking his current role, he spent much of his career in Commercial Banking. He was responsible for leading the growth and development of M&I's Equipment Finance Company. This included strategic and managerial responsibility for sales, operations, underwriting and equipment management capabilities within Equipment Finance. In 2010, he was named M&I's Head of Specialized Industries. In this role he was responsible for Equipment Finance, Global Trade, Health Care, Dealer Finance, Agribusiness and Sponsor Finance. Following the BMO acquisition in 2011, he moved back into the head role at BMO Equipment Finance with the mandate to leverage the business across BMO and grow the business to scale.  Jud obtained his BA in Russian and Economics from UW Madison ('94). He serves on the Board of Directors for The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (Trustee), United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, Milwaukee World Festival, Froedtert Health Systems (Chair), and Teach for America Milwaukee. He was previously a Director and Chair of the Milwaukee Ballet (2012-2019) and a past Chairman and Officer of the ELFA (Equipment Leasing and Finance Association) (2010-2020).  Jud lives in River Hills, Wisconsin with his wife, Amy and their children.  Brad Guse As an agricultural banking officer for BMO Commercial Bank - Marshfield, Brad Guse manages a portfolio of diverse production agricultural relationships made up of primarily dairy farm accounts. Guse has ten years of experience in the dairy nutrition field and over twenty - eight years of experience in agricultural banking. He was appointed by Wisconsin's Governor to serve on the Dairy 2.0 task force as well as to serve on the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) board of directors. He's very involved in the Ag community serving as the school director and an instructor for the Wisconsin Bankers Association agricultural lending schools as well as serving on the American Bankers Association's Ag and Rural Banking conference committee to name just a few. Brad served 21 years in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, retiring in 2004 after his unit's successful deployment to Afghanistan. Guse holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative will get up to $50 million from the USDA for the initiative through USDA's new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. The initiative aims to help farmers implement sustainability projects that reduce their carbon footprint, document the improvements and demonstrate value in the supply chain. Edge is spearheading the project ― Farmer-led Climate Smart Commodities Initiative: Building Success from the Ground Up ― involving 14 partners and dozens of supporting entities. The initiative goes beyond dairy to involve other commodities. The initiative will build off a first-of-its-kind framework for farm-level sustainability projects, which helps farmers determine what climate-smart production practices are most effective for their farms and provides tools to document the environmental and financial effects, explains Lauren Brey, director of sustainability at Edge.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

Who should farmers be connected with to help bridge the gap between processors and brands?  We're joined by CEO of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Tim Trotter, as we discuss the ins and outs of the important relationships and connections that farmers need to successfully market their products. Does a relationship with processors and brands improve a farmer's future success?  And why act now?Learn about these topics and more now!

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.    

If you get 100 dairy farmers in a room, will they all agree? That's the upcoming challenge in narrowing down what's going to work best for the Federal Milk Marketing Order for the Upper Midwest. Luckily, Tim Trotter, CEO of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and Dairy Business Association, is optimistic that the industry is coming together to work out solutions in front of the USDA jury in Carmel, Indiana. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gen Z prioritizes purpose and social elements and the farmers voice carries a lot of value when sharing that message during media interviews. Experienced communication professional Liz Fitzsimmons of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin shares the impact of farmer media interviews and how to prepare for them. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Liz: 1:20: Impact of farmers doing media interviews 2:30: Content the public is most interested in 4:05: Image farms should be showcasing 6:19: What types of media are important to dairy 8:07: What types of media DFW focuses on   9:40: Social media presence   10:43: Showcasing dairy during the holidays 11:50: When is the best timeframe to do an interview 14:15: Building a relationship with local media 16:13: How to prepare for an interview 18:55: How to handle a difficult question 20:53: What to avoid during an interview 21:52: Know the media personality 25:05: Never off the record 26:01: How to end an interview Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest Liz Fitzsimmons Liz is an experienced communication professional who has worked on behalf of Wisconsin's dairy farmers for nearly three decades. During her tenure, Liz has worked in almost every aspect of marketing and promotion. She has extensive experience working directly with farmers, grassroots organizations and volunteers across the state in addition to event planning, video production and leading successful campaigns that use a blend of paid and earned media. If you're a national reporter or producer wanting to talk to a Wisconsin dairy farmer, Liz is your gal! She is an expert at media training and coordinating interviews that help tell the story of Wisconsin's dedicated dairy farmers for audiences and outlets of all sizes. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Attend Dairy Strong on Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to gain firsthand inspiration and discover the challenges and solutions experienced by other farmers when implementing sustainable practices. Gain practical knowledge and motivation to implement practices that will make a positive impact on the environment and farms. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org.

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on September 27. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talks with Liz Fitzsimmons, an experienced communication professional, about the impact of media interviews, content the public is interested in, preparing for an interview, handling a difficult situation and more. Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guest Liz Fitzsimmons Liz is an experienced communication professional who has worked on behalf of Wisconsin's dairy farmers for nearly three decades. During her tenure, Liz has worked in almost every aspect of marketing and promotion. She has extensive experience working directly with farmers, grassroots organizations and volunteers across the state in addition to event planning, video production and leading successful campaigns that use a blend of paid and earned media. If you're a national reporter or producer wanting to talk to a Wisconsin dairy farmer, Liz is your gal! She is an expert at media training and coordinating interviews that help tell the story of Wisconsin's dedicated dairy farmers for audiences and outlets of all sizes. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.  Check out the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 16-18 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Learn more and register at dairystrong.org. 

Genetics in the dairy industry are making big strides. Project leaders Lauren Brey and Dr. Dan Weigel share about a collaborative project between Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Farmers for Sustainable Food, Zoetis, and 8 aligned farms, showed how focusing on genetic improvement correlates to not only lifetime profitability but reductions in methane intensity, antibiotic usage and feed use on the farm. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Lauren and Dan: 1:50: How the project got started 2:43: How the farms were selected 5:04: Dairy Wellness Profit Index and how it was used 7:55: Process of collecting and analyzing the data 9:40: The study had 43 percent reduction in antibiotic usage 13:38: The study had 23 percent reduction in the number of replacement heifers 15:00: The study had 15.8 metrics tons of methane reduced per 1,000-cow herd 16:48: The study had a decrease in feed used 19:52: If farms want to participate, what is the timeline and ROI 22:51: How does the research impact the future of sustainable food 25:00: What's next for the future of research and genetics Special thanks to Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Lauren Brey Lauren is the director of strategic partnerships and sustainability for the Dairy Business Association (DBA) and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. In this role, she serves as managing director of Farmers for Sustainable Food (FSF) and directs their support of farmer-led conservation groups and sustainability projects. Brey is also responsible for fostering relationships with other organizations to bring more value and resources to the members of DBA and Edge. She previously served as the director of marketing and research and worked as a scientist for a cheese company prior to DBA, Edge and FSF.   Dr. Dan Weigel Dan grew up in Iowa on the family farm (Weigeline Holsteins) and graduated from Iowa State University with a BS in Dairy Science.  He received both his MS and PhD from Virginia Tech, with his dissertation focusing on the prediction of genetic merit for lifetime profitability in Holsteins.  Before joining the R&D group of Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health) in 1995, Dr. Weigel served as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Guelph working on the implementation of Multiple Across Country Evaluations (MACE) for conformation traits of Holstein sires.  Dr. Weigel's current role with Zoetis is in Outcomes Research and he also remains active as a breeder of dairy cattle.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the full episode on September 6. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talks with project leaders Lauren Brey and Dr. Dan Weigel about a collaborative project focusing on how genetic improvement correlates to not only lifetime profitability but reductions in methane intensity, antibiotic usage and feed use on the farm. Special thanks to Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Lauren Brey Lauren is the director of strategic partnerships and sustainability for the Dairy Business Association (DBA) and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. In this role, she serves as managing director of Farmers for Sustainable Food (FSF) and directs their support of farmer-led conservation groups and sustainability projects. Brey is also responsible for fostering relationships with other organizations to bring more value and resources to the members of DBA and Edge. She previously served as the director of marketing and research and worked as a scientist for a cheese company prior to DBA, Edge and FSF.   Dr. Dan Weigel Dan grew up in Iowa on the family farm (Weigeline Holsteins) and graduated from Iowa State University with a BS in Dairy Science.  He received both his MS and PhD from Virginia Tech, with his dissertation focusing on the prediction of genetic merit for lifetime profitability in Holsteins.  Before joining the R&D group of Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health) in 1995, Dr. Weigel served as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Guelph working on the implementation of Multiple Across Country Evaluations (MACE) for conformation traits of Holstein sires.  Dr. Weigel's current role with Zoetis is in Outcomes Research and he also remains active as a breeder of dairy cattle.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

This week's Open Mic guest is Tim Trotter, CEO of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. It's a perfect storm of policymaking as USDA has begun hearings to explore Federal Milk Marketing Order reforms and Congress is working to write a new farm bill. Dairy industry diversity is a blessing — representing various regions, size of operations and end uses for milk — but also marks significant challenges when considering producer supports and reform of marketing policy. Edge represents more than 800 members who ship primarily to private processors. Trotter says it will take a delicate balance to find the right solutions for both farmers and industry.

The dairy industry has done a decent job at innovating and the next step could include artificial intelligence. Former Microsoft Office employee and founder of Connecterra, Yasir Khokhar, shares what AI could look like on the farm, insight on ChatGPT and other applications, data security and AI regulations. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Yasir: 1:45: What does AI look like on the farm 3:56: Will the physical farm look different with AI 4:56: How ChatGPT or other AI applications fit into agriculture 7:20: How AI takes in outside factors like weather or markets 8:23: Where is the dairy industry at with implementing AI  9:55: U.S. dairy involvement in AI compared to Europe  11:12: How to integrate all data sources  12:30: Simplicity of AI for the user  13:50: Future careers in the dairy industry   16:15: Basic security for AI data  17:55: Who can help protect the data  19:20: Cybersecurity insurance  21:20: AI and regulations    23:09: What farmers should be sharing with policymakers on AI  24:14: Future of AI and how farmers can prepare themselves 26:01: Is agriculture inline with other industries using AI  Special thanks to Connecterra for sponsoring this episode. About the guest Meet Yasir Khokhar: Yasir Khokhar is a co-founder and CEO of Connecterra, the artificial intelligence company with a mission to empower the dairy industry to increase productivity while reducing impact on the planet. Yasir holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and an executive MBA. He launched two start-ups before joining Microsoft's Dubai team. In his ten-year tenure, Yasir led the transformation of Microsoft Office into a cloud business for the Middle East before transferring to the Netherlands to lead the Microsoft Office business unit for Western Europe. Yasir co-founded Connecterra in 2014 with an idea on how use A.I. to help solve dairy's biggest challenges. Under his leadership, Connecterra has grown from that early idea to winning the Startup of the Year at the 2015 Web Summit to a global company. Yasir has built teams in the United States and Europe and has architected commercial deals with some of the biggest brands in the industry. In his down time, he occasionally writes a few lines of code.  Check out Yasir's presentation at the annual Dairy Strong conference in 2023. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the Aug. 16 episode.  Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talks with former Microsoft Office employee and founder of Connecterra, Yasir Khokhar, about what AI could look like on the farm, insight on ChatGPT, data security and AI regulations. Special thanks to Connecterra for sponsoring this episode. About the guest Meet Yasir Khokhar: Yasir Khokhar is a co-founder and CEO of Connecterra, the artificial intelligence company with a mission to empower the dairy industry to increase productivity while reducing impact on the planet. Yasir holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and an executive MBA. He launched two start-ups before joining Microsoft's Dubai team. In his ten-year tenure, Yasir led the transformation of Microsoft Office into a cloud business for the Middle East before transferring to the Netherlands to lead the Microsoft Office business unit for Western Europe. Yasir co-founded Connecterra in 2014 with an idea on how use A.I. to help solve dairy's biggest challenges. Under his leadership, Connecterra has grown from that early idea to winning the Startup of the Year at the 2015 Web Summit to a global company. Yasir has built teams in the United States and Europe and has architected commercial deals with some of the biggest brands in the industry. In his down time, he occasionally writes a few lines of code.  Check out Yasir's presentation at the annual Dairy Strong conference in 2023. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Learning how to speak Spanish can help build relationships and take your farm to the next level.  Spanish instructor Katie Dotterer and dairy farmer Walt Moore share the impact and how to get started with learning Spanish. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Katie and Walt: 2:03: Impact of learning Spanish 5:02: Vulnerability of learning Spanish 6:33: Learning Spanish and turnover rate 7:40: Encouraging non-Spanish speaking employees to learn Spanish     9:25: Important to bring a fluent Spanish speaker to the farm 13:33: Cultures and traditions of Spanish speakers 16:40: Embracing the Spanish culture on your farm 18:35: Spanish resources in the community 23:42: Mindset with learning Spanish  26:35: Challenges with learning Spanish 28:30: How long does it take to learn Spanish 31:30: How to continue learning and practicing Spanish 34:35: Dialects and slang of the Spanish language   36:27: Encouraging Spanish-speakers to learn English 39:45: Advice for learning Spanish Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Meet Katie Dotterer: A life-long advocate for agriculture and education, Katie enjoys finding ways to infuse the two together. Her love for agriculture and the Spanish language developed through her upbringing as part of the third generation on her family's dairy farm in central PA. Katie has degrees in Business Management and Marketing, Secondary Education, and Spanish, and is certified in ESL: English as a Second Language. Recognizing a need to bridge an industry wide communication gap, she developed online Spanish Courses tailored specifically to agriculture, through her educational and advocacy business, AgvoKate (a play on her name & advocating for agriculture). Additionally, she rarely turns down an opportunity to advocate and engage with the 98% of the population who are removed from agriculture. She has done this through on-farm tours (in-person and virtual) when she co-owned and operated a dairy farm as a first-generation farmer, public speaking engagements, news segments and through her social media platforms. When she's not teaching or advocating, Katie loves traveling, dancing, playing piano and guitar, history, palm trees, dark chocolate and tea! Learn more about Katie's online Spanish courses here or email her at katiedotterer@agvokate.com. Walt Moore: Walt is President and General Manager of Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. The family farm has been in operation over 113 years and 5 generations.  Walt is in partnership with his wife Ellen.  Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. milks 1050 cows with a 31,000-pound herd average (producing in excess of 3.6 million gallons of milk annually), raises 880 replacement young stock, 100 Wagyu crosses, farms 1700 acres of corn for silage and grain, alfalfa, soybeans and Triticale.  Walmoore employs 15 full time and several part-time people.  Walt is also the General Partner of Moore Family Farm LP which was formed as a land holding company.  Additionally, Walt and Ellen with partners Duane and Marilyn Hershey started Moocho Milk Transportation Inc. in 2006 to haul their own milk.  Walt and Ellen along with Son Jake and his wife own Moore Meats LLC a premium American Wagyu farm to fork beef company.  Walt has traveled to other states and China helping to educate other producers on Best Management Practices.  Walt also serves on several committees including the Chester County Conservation District Board, London Grove Friends Finance Committee, American Dairy Coalition currently serving as President and On the Center for Dairy Excellence Board currently serving as President. He also served on the PDMP board as the Vice-President and President.  Walt also enjoys spending time with his family, attending PSU football games, hunting, boating and traveling.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the July 26 episode.  Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Spanish instructor Katie Dotterer and dairy farmer Walt Moore about the impact of speaking Spanish and how to get started with learning the language. Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. About the guests Meet Katie Dotterer: A life-long advocate for agriculture and education, Katie enjoys finding ways to infuse the two together. Her love for agriculture and the Spanish language developed through her upbringing as part of the third generation on her family's dairy farm in central PA. Katie has degrees in Business Management and Marketing, Secondary Education, and Spanish, and is certified in ESL: English as a Second Language. Recognizing a need to bridge an industry wide communication gap, she developed online Spanish Courses tailored specifically to agriculture, through her educational and advocacy business, AgvoKate (a play on her name & advocating for agriculture). Additionally, she rarely turns down an opportunity to advocate and engage with the 98% of the population who are removed from agriculture. She has done this through on-farm tours (in-person and virtual) when she co-owned and operated a dairy farm as a first-generation farmer, public speaking engagements, news segments and through her social media platforms. When she's not teaching or advocating, Katie loves traveling, dancing, playing piano and guitar, history, palm trees, dark chocolate and tea! Learn more about Katie's online Spanish courses here or email her at katiedotterer@agvokate.com. Walt Moore: Walt is President and General Manager of Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. The family farm has been in operation over 113 years and 5 generations.  Walt is in partnership with his wife Ellen.  Walmoore Holsteins, Inc. milks 1050 cows with a 31,000-pound herd average (producing in excess of 3.6 million gallons of milk annually), raises 880 replacement young stock, 100 Wagyu crosses, farms 1700 acres of corn for silage and grain, alfalfa, soybeans and Triticale.  Walmoore employs 15 full time and several part-time people.  Walt is also the General Partner of Moore Family Farm LP which was formed as a land holding company.  Additionally, Walt and Ellen with partners Duane and Marilyn Hershey started Moocho Milk Transportation Inc. in 2006 to haul their own milk.  Walt and Ellen along with Son Jake and his wife own Moore Meats LLC a premium American Wagyu farm to fork beef company.  Walt has traveled to other states and China helping to educate other producers on Best Management Practices.  Walt also serves on several committees including the Chester County Conservation District Board, London Grove Friends Finance Committee, American Dairy Coalition currently serving as President and On the Center for Dairy Excellence Board currently serving as President. He also served on the PDMP board as the Vice-President and President.  Walt also enjoys spending time with his family, attending PSU football games, hunting, boating and traveling.  This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.  Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The dairy industry is getting together Jan. 18-19 in Madison for the annual Dairy Strong Conference put on by the Dairy Business Association. Not only will you get a chance to network with each other and gain valuable insight to lead your dairy operation into the future. But you'll find the Mid-West Farm Report team there with microphones in hand. Either we'll be interviewing folks or emceeing the Innovation Stage throughout the day on Wednesday. But that's not all you can look forward to Jan. 18-19 at the Monona Terrace in Madison. Tim Trotter is the CEO of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and the Dairy Business Association. He says the sponsor list is bigger than it was last year, and registration numbers are already coming in strong. You can visit dairyforward.com/dairystrong for more information and to register.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Torrey, lobbyist for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, shares challenges we will see in 2023,See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joanna talked with Mykel Bickham of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative about their proposal with FMMO reform, timeline, Climate Smart Initiative grants and what Edge is tracking in 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Torrey of Michael Torrey Associates and a consultant for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative shares a post election update, how new members of congress are writing the next farm bill and focus areas for 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We wrap up coverage of our visit to NAFB's Trade Talk with conversations featuring Brody Stapel and Mykel Wedig of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative plus Paul Koffman of Merck Animal Health.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Edge Dairy Cooperative is committed to amplifying the voice of their members to deliver maximum value and positive outcomes for dairy farmers.  Travis Senn, Digital Communications Manager at Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative shares more about the priorities of Edge and their sustainability work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With lingering memories of record-large milk check deductions, seemingly every group tied to dairy is now exploring options for milk pricing reform. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Mitch Davis of Davis Family Dairies, a member of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative's board of directors who served on a multi-state task force about milk pricing reform, and Dr. Marin Bozic, a nationally recognized dairy economist who serves as an adviser to the Edge board. They went in-depth on Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative's priorities and contracting principles. Thank you to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode.  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. 

On this episode, American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Veronica Nigh provides some context on the USDA's recent acreage report, and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative CEO Tim Trotter talks about the organization's priorities for reforming the federal milk pricing system. Indigo Ag's Heather Gieske discusses the company's first issuance of carbon credits, and U.S. Meat Export Federation's Liz Wunderlich explains the strength of U.S. lamb sales in the Caribbean in this week's “Meat Monitor” segment. On the Market Talk segment, Jesse Allen and StoneX's Arlan Suderman preview the July WASDE report, and in this week's installment of “Bushels and Cents,” Ray Bohacz discusses the science behind fuel pullover. The episode also features former U.S. Army medic-turned singer/songwriter, Malachias. Timestamps Intro and news: 0:00 Goatlifeclothing.com advertisement: 5:54 Veronica Nigh, American Farm Bureau Federation: 6:14 Tim Trotter, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative: 8:04 Heather Gieske, Indigo Ag: 12:12 Concept AgriTek advertisement: 15:53 Liz Wunderlich, U.S. Meat Export Federation: 16:26 Jesse Allen, Market Talk: 18:47 Ray Bohacz, “Bushels and Cents”: 24:14 Gateway Seed Co. advertisement: 25:55 Malachias: 26:26

Flexibility and fairness in the federal milk pricing system is a top priority for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, says CEO Tim Trotter in a press conference outlining federal milk pricing reform.

We are providing our listeners with an additional episode to introduce Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative's milk pricing reform priorities. Hear from Tim Trotter, CEO of Edge; Mitch Davis of Davis Family Dairies; and economist Dr. Marin Bozic. View the full list of milk pricing reform priorities 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. 

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative recently announced its priorities for reforming the federal milk pricing system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In its priorities for national milk pricing reform, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative is focused on strengthening the relationship between farmers and processors in a way that increases transparency, fairness and competition, and gives farmers a reasonable amount of price certainty. The cooperative's focus is on two principles ― flexibility and fairness. These priorities were developed through research, member discussions, participation in a multi-state task force, and engagement with processors and other stakeholders. FULL ARTICLE: https://wtaq.com/2022/06/27/edge-unveils-milk-pricing-reform-priorities/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) continues to be a priority as farmers figure out how to monetize more sustainable farming practices and better integrate with the food supply chain. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Sam Miller, managing director of agriculture at BMO Harris Bank, about the future focus areas of the food value chain, rising costs, ESG and preparing for the future. Thank you to BMO Harris Bank for sponsorship this episode.  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. 

A data monitor system could take your farm operation to the next level. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Michael Goeldi, customer success team member at smaXtec, about data monitoring systems for cows, bolus technology, the role of artificial intelligence, improving management processes and saving money. Thank you to smaXtec for sponsoring this episode. 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. 

Our final episode in the three-part series on Success in Succession Planning covers getting organized, financial consulting and legal support. In this episode, we talk with George Twohig, attorney at Twohig, Rietbrock, Schneider and Halback Law, and Gordon Speirs of Shiloh Dairy about the difference between estates plans, trust and wills, updating LLCS, mediation, beneficiaries, martial agreements and long-term care. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. 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. 

Tune in to our second episode in a three-part series on Success in Succession Planning covering getting organized, financial consulting and legal support. In this episode, we talk with Eric Gullicksrud, vice president of tax and accounting at Compeer Financial, and Kari Gribble of Tri-Fecta Farms about their experiences in succession planning, cash-flow and debt analysis, taxes, gift planning, social security and more. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. 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. 

Succession planning is not an event; it needs to be a journey. Join Dairy Stream host Mike Austin in our Success in Succession Planning series covering getting organized, financial consulting and legal support. In this episode, we talk with Steve Bodart, senior dairy consultant with Compeer Financial, and Jamie Witcpalek of Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy about their experiences in succession planning, key players and professionals to have involved, common challenges and what tools are available. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode. 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. 

What you prepare for today could save the future of your farm. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Casey Kinler, director of membership and marketing with the Animal Agriculture Alliance, about on-farm basic security measures, cybersecurity, a crisis communication plan and more. We tested Casey on farm security scenarios and what farmers should do next. Thank you to Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode. 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.  **Register here for the 2022 Stakeholders Summit on May 11-12.

Brody Stapel has been re-elected as the Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative president. On his home farm in Cedar Grove, he says the labor situation has been okay. His family's dairy has diversified income with beef. He's been preparing for higher input costs this spring. He says dairy farmers will need every penny of today's Class III milk prices to meet the increased costs of fertilizers, equipment parts and machinery this spring. These are the issues Edge members are facing that he's taking with him to D.C. to advocate for policy around FMMO reform, workforce solutions and sustainability incentives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dairy Business Association (DBA) and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative have created a new chief executive officer role to focus on strategic priorities within the two organizations. Tim Trotter, newly promoted CEO, says that the dairy industry has a unique opportunity to strengthen their position moving into the future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Understanding rumen microbes could play a role in accomplishing farm goals. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Dr. Brooke Anderson, microbiome scientist with Native Microbials, about how rumen microbes are analyzed, the role they can play in lowering feed costs and their potential for improving a farm's environmental footprint. Thank you to Native Microbials for sponsoring this episode. 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.  *Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference on Jan. 19-20 here. 

As requested by our listeners, we dove into the topic of milk classes, components and the impact it has on your milk check. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Dr. Chris Wolf, professor of applied economics and management at Cornell University, about understanding milk classes and components, how consumer trends and exports have impacted it and the impact on your risk management plans. Thank you to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode. 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.

Mykel Wedgi of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative joined us for a discussion at #NAFB21. We were able to chat about milk marketing orders, trade, labor issues, and more.

Farmers will be a key player in improving our climate. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Rick Clark, a 5th generation farmer from Williamsport, Indiana, about how farmers can reduce their carbon footprint by using conservation practices, how carbon should be measured and how to reduce input cost. He also offers advice on how to overcome challenges. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this podcast. 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.

Want to learn more about Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)? Dairy Stream host Mike Austin dissects this topic with Tim Baye, professor of business development, energy finance and state energy specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They define commonly used terms like carbon footprint, carbon intensity (CI), carbon labeling and more. The conversation wraps-up with the future of RNG projects and the importance of advocacy on this topic. Thank you to Cargill for sponsoring this podcast. 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.

Trade remedies between the U.S. and Canada are ongoing, according to Cassandra Kuball, vice president at Washington, D.C.-based Michael Torrey Associates and federal affairs team member for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. Kuball also keeps an eye on international trade policy in her role as an advisor on the Animal and Animal Products Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee guiding the USDA and USTR on trade negotiations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and the Dairy Business Association, among other groups, are proposing a reform to the Federal Milk Marketing Order. The proposal is called Class III Plus. The groups released it earlier this year. Edge economist and University of Minnesota Professor Marin Bozic says right now, fluid milk sales are down and dairy exports are growing, raising the need to reorganize the U.S. milk pricing system. The FMMO provides help for dairy produces with added revenue on their milk check above and beyond the value of milk when its used in cheese or butter making or milk powders, he explains. That figure is a line item on milk checks called Producer Price Differential, and it's been going down. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 could create a year-round variant of the H-2A visa program for workers in livestock agriculture. This would be important for dairy farmers, who don't have a year-round visa option now. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Brandon Davis, attorney at Phelps in New Orleans, Louisiana, about the requirements of H-2A, impact it has on the agricultural community and future possibilities. This episode is sponsored by Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. 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.

Online grocery shopping has been on the rise and COVID-19 has accelerated that trend. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Paul Zieminsky, executive vice president of global innovation partnerships and Beau Hayden, vice president of insights: sales & trust at Dairy Management Inc., about dairy's relationship with Amazon Fresh and the future of dairy sales online. Thank you to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. 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.

Are you prepared to be a farmer of the future? Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Sam Miller, managing director of agriculture at BMO Harris Bank, about inflationary pressures and ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing targets farmers should have on their radar. Thank you to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode. 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.

Heat stress in animal productivity has cost the U.S. beef and dairy industries an estimated $1.2 billion every year. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Tim Thompson, senior dairy specialist at Provimi, about implementing proper air movement, hydration and feed ration into a heat stress program. Thank you to Provimi, for sponsoring this podcast. 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.

Federal Milk Orders are complicated and confusing - but change may be coming.  Pam talks to John Holevoet, Director of Government Affairs for the Dairy Business Association.  DBA, along with Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Minnesota Milk and Nebraska State Dairy Association have joined forces to propose a Class III Plus plan.  John explains their goal, and how long it may take to accomplish it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four dairy groups are proposing a Class III Plus plan to protect dairy farmers from the negative impact of Producer Price Differentials (PPD's).  Dairy Business Association, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Minnesota Milk along with Nebraska State Dairy Association are working on the plan. Keeping accountability in place with all the federal funding streaming into Wisconsin is a priority for Senator Joan Ballweg from Markesan.  She chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee and is making sure someone's held responsible for results. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The manure from dairy farms and their digesters are poised to play a big role in the future of renewable energy. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Brian Dolski, chief financial officer at Pagel’s Family Businesses, and Greg Steele, senior dairy lending specialist at Compeer Financial about the business structure, common challenges and economics of RNG projects. Thank you to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this podcast. 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. *Link to a helpful resource from Newtrient 

Brody Stapel is with Double Dutch Dairy in East Central Wisconsin and he is also a board of the Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.