Uplevel Dairy Podcast

Episodi

• 349 | Earning Trust, One Tough Calving at a Time 02.06.2026 28min

  Today on The Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen talks with Dr. Kady Bennett of United Vet Services (part of Heritage Vet Partners) about her unexpected path from an Illinois corn-and-soybean upbringing and an early photography major to large animal dairy practice in Wisconsin’s Northwoods.Dr. Bennett explains how starting as a kennel tech, then experiencing large animal work (including castrating bull calves) led her to switch to animal science and pursue vet school, with dairy research helping solidify her focus. She describes her passion for solving problems ... from casting a calf's broken jaw to uncovering protocol issues with lung ultrasound. Dr. Bennett is on a mission to be the best vet she can be, with the help of great mentors, fellow vets and supportive dairy farm clients.Heritage Vet Partners is the nation’s leading veterinary partnership, specializing in mixed and large animal practices.  Heritage Vet Partners provides a unique partnership model that preserves local practice legacies, serving dairy and other livestock producers and companion animal owners through shared services, data, and strategic growth. Learn more at HeritageVetPartners.com01:34 From Photography To Cows04:31 Earning Trust On Farms08:45 Mentors And Backup10:15 Problem Solver Mindset11:22 Broken Jaw Calf Win13:21 Calf Lung Ultrasound Data17:16 Motivation And Relationships18:46 Stepping Up Consulting21:23 Advice For Future Vets23:30 Creativity And Baking
• 348 | The Future of Dairy Management: AI, Automation and Data-Driven Action 26.05.2026 28min

  Today on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Manny Salcedo, founder of the Dairy Performance Network (DPN), discusses how modern dairy management has shifted from simply managing cows and people to managing overwhelming volumes of data from multiple on-farm systems. Drawing on his background working on dairies and later founding DPN, he explains their consulting work and its tools, including Ida, an AI-driven application that lets farmers ask questions about KPIs, health events, reproduction, and predictive culling. And find out what Manny believes it will take for today's dairy managers to turn information into action through the power of AI and automation.This episode is brought to you by the Dairy Performance Network (DPN).DPN - Connecting people, cows, and technology. Learn more at Dpnconnect.com & dairystash.com00:00 Data Driven Dairy01:48 What DPN Builds03:20 Too Much Data04:52 Ida AI Assistant06:02 From Dashboards to Actions07:18 Why Manny Built This11:38 Pilot Farms, Real Questions13:20 Voice Commands Automation17:42 Future Integration Wave20:19 Next Gen Manager Skills
• 347 | Courage, Honor, and Dairy with Veterans Kelsey DeBoer and Matthew Taber 21.05.2026 40min

  Today on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy talks with veterans, Matt Taber, a retired Marine and co-owner of Donley Farms in Shoshone, Idaho, and Kelsey DeBoer, a former U.S. Army Reserve construction engineer and now senior marketing manager at Zoetis, about how military service shapes leadership and perspective.Kelsey explains Zoetis’ Patriots Pledge partnership with Folds of Honor, donating a percentage of sales from select products from Memorial Day through Veterans Day to fund scholarships for families of fallen or disabled service members, and also law enforcement and first responders.They both discuss teamwork, accountability and sacrifice as lessons applied to their respective dairy work today, as they also reflect with gratitude on their time in service and the powerful perspective that lives on through the way they lead.Zoetis’ Patriots’ Pledge program supports Folds of Honor. Folds of Honor is a non-profit organization that provides education scholarships for spouses and children of America’s fallen or injured service members and first responders. The Patriots’ Pledge program from Zoetis designates a portion of sales from select products between Memorial Day and Veterans Day each year. Learn more here:https://www.zoetisus.com/services-and-programs/patriots-pledge/This episode is brought to you by Zoetis. As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is dedicated to helping producers achieve healthy animals, healthy dairies and healthy food through their world-class portfolio. For more information, visit ⁠DairyWellness.com.⁠03:02 Meet Matt & Kelsey04:13 Matt Journey in the Marines05:48 Deployments and Iwo Jima07:26 Kelsey's Path in the Army Reserve 10:23 Dairy After Service15:20 Military Lessons in Dairy18:40 Accountability at Zoetis21:05 Deployment Perspective Shift23:30 First World vs Third World25:39 Advice to Younger Self28:26 What Service Really Means30:02 Brotherhood and Sacrifice36:37 Lessons to Live By
• 346 | From the Battlefield to the Barn: Leadership, Teams and Tough Decisions with Greg Shoemaker, Cargill 19.05.2026 51min

  Today on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen interviews Greg Shoemaker, Cargill’s Commercial Director for North America Dairy Nutrition, about leading teams that support dairy producers through nutrition strategy, technology, and on-farm partnership across the US and Canada. Shoemaker shares how his path from rural Pennsylvania roots to a career as a US Army Ranger shaped his leadership approach today ensuring dairy farmers' success.Greg details the power of building trust, clarity and acting as a multiplier by removing barriers. He discusses learning from mistakes, investing in culture during normal times to withstand hard times, maintaining composure under stress, and adopting an “infinite game” mindset focused on long-term success in dairy.This episode is brought to you by Cargill Dairy Nutrition.No two dairies are alike, Cargill Dairy doesn’t expect them to be. When your dairy faces challenges, you need a partner with an original approach. Cargill has their own world-class research labs, developed their own proprietary nutrition software, and fostered an original team approach… all to deliver profitability on YOUR terms. Partner with a nutrition company as original as you are: cargillanimalnutrition.com/original02:31 Greg's Role at Cargill03:40 What Army Rangers Do05:08 From Military to Cargill07:16 Life in Dairy Consulting08:59 Mission and Values Leadership12:38 Building Culture and Trust15:49 Leading Under Pressure19:18 No Decision Is a Decision21:35 Infinite Game Mindset25:10 Better Questions Better Leadership26:20 Execute Iterate Lesson27:51 Vision for the Team29:11 Rallying Through Tough Times33:49 Morning Routine and Journals35:43 Nonnegotiables and Balance37:11 Hardest Leadership Lesson39:16 Purpose in Dairy Industry40:50 Rapid Fire Leadership Round47:18 Problem Solving and OODA Loop
• 345 | From Farm Kid to Risk Advisor | Brandon Weigel on What Dairy Producers Are Missing 14.05.2026 21min

  At Central Plains Dairy Expo, Peggy Coffeen caught up with Ever.Ag risk advisor, Brandon Weigel, a Wisconsin farm-raised entrepreneur who started raising show pigs at 12 and later entered risk management through a 4-H club connection. Weigel explains his role managing grain sell-side risk, dairy feed buying risk, and beef-on-dairy price risk, contrasting grain cashflow-driven sales with year-round dairy feed purchasing. He discusses major industry shifts he has observed in his career thus far, including rapid growth in beef-on-dairy breeding and increased market volatility.Ever.Ag partners with dairy producers to build customized risk management plans that help protect margins in any market environment. With dedicated advisors, industry leading technology, and proven tools like Dairy Revenue Protection, we help farms reduce uncertainty and secure long‑term financial strength.  Learn more at https://ever.ag/.01:40 Farm Roots and Show Pigs03:44 Entrepreneurship at 1204:08 4-H Connection to Ever.Ag04:53 Job Shadow to Career07:10 Day to Day Risk Advisor08:39 Lessons and Mentors10:51 Grain vs. Feed Strategy11:41 Market Shifts and Volatility14:07 Emotion vs. Fundamentals15:50 2026 Outlook Beef and Feed18:20 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up
• 344 | The Profit Gap: What Top Dairy Farms Do Differently 12.05.2026 23min

  On this episode of the UpLevel Dairy Podcast, Pauly Paul with Complete Management Consulting is back today to explain what separates thriving dairies from those in crisis. He says the biggest gap comes down to management, especially leaders who delegate but also work alongside employees rather than staying behind a desk.Pauly identifies three core differentiators: understanding financials and avoiding over-borrowing by reviewing budgets and financials monthly or quarterly; leading by example with consistent schedules, walkthroughs, and daily employee interaction; and getting “in the trenches” to understand tasks and improve efficiency, which can quickly turn farms from red to black when his team takes over management.He adds that profitable farms face hard truths and capitalize on opportunities like improving reproduction, semen handling, shot compliance, and breeding for higher-value “black calves,” which he estimates can add significant annual income.This Episode is Brought to you by Complete Management Consulting About Complete Management Consultingwww.CompleteManagementConsulting.com⁠⁠completemanagementconsulting@gmail.com⁠920-418-313500:00 Why Some Dairies Win00:49 Two Types of Calls02:29 Management Makes the Gap03:01 Hands On Leadership04:26 Three Profit Drivers06:06 Know Your Financials09:05 Lead by Example Daily10:45 Work in the Barn12:18 Turning Farms Around Fast14:15 Black Calf Profit Lever17:46 Staying Ahead Long Term
• 343 | The First 10 Years Back on the Family Farm: Growth, Grit and Gratitude with Zoey Brooks Nelson 07.05.2026 38min

  In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen is on-site at Brooks Farms with Zoey Brooks, nearly 10 years after Zoey returned to the family dairy, to discuss growing from 200 to about 700 cows and from four employees to a 15-person team. Zoey shares hard-won lessons about stepping into management, overcoming challenges, building a strong team culture and leading from within, while balancing roles as a young mother raising her children on the farm. She shares how her guiding motto - “Do it scared" - drives her to dig deep and dive in to make her dreams reality.She also highlights a business segment and creative outlet with Black & White Aged Cheddar, the premium aged cheese brand she and her sister Syndney launched during COVID by partnering with Union Star Creamery, made exclusively from Brooks Farms' milk. This Episode is brought to you by AdisseoThis episode is sponsored by Uplevel Dairy Podcast Founding Partner Adisseo, a global leader in nutritional solutions and premier provider of rumen-protected methionine for dairy producers who want to optimize milk production, capture more value from components, and maintain the health of their high-performing herds. Learn more at https://www.adisseo.com/en/01:38 Back Home at Brooks Farms03:30 Scaling Up Fast04:09 Failure Is Normal05:06 Milk Drop Mystery07:24 Hunting Stray Voltage09:36 Managing Through Chaos11:53 Building Team Culture13:47 From Cow Work to People15:21 Three Hats on Farm16:08 Dairy Mom Office Life17:36 Raising Kids on Farm18:56 Leading by Example19:27 Balancing Farm and Family19:52 Tech That Makes It Work22:04 Remote Sorting in Winter22:47 Launching a Farm Cheese Brand27:52 Black and White Story28:34 Cheddar Focus and First Taste30:05 Advice for New Brands32:37 Growing Distribution Beyond Wisconsin34:45 Next Decade on the Farm36:18 Do It Scared
• 342 | Announcing the 2026 National Dairy Shrine Award Recipients with Mike Opperman 05.05.2026 29min

  Today on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy is joined by Mike Opperman from the National Dairy Shrine headquarters in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, to announce the official 2026 National Dairy Shrine award announcements and explain the committee-based nomination process.Make sure to tune in to hear who the winners in each category are! The winners will be recognized at the National Dairy Shrine Awards Banquet at World Dairy Expo, with tickets starting July 1, and honored in the Hall of Fame; Opperman also notes upcoming scholarship announcements, a May 13 webinar on internships, and the Sept. 28 banquet date.Learn more and register for events at https://dairyshrine.org/.00:49 Dairy Shrine Origins02:14 How Awards Are Chosen04:16 Emerging Leader Award10:47 Pioneer Award Honorees15:52 Distinguished Breeder Winner18:31 Guest of Honor Spotlight21:37 Banquet and Hall of Fame24:43 Scholarships and Webinar News
• 341 | Katie Burgess: The Dairy Risk Advisor Who Simplifies the Chaos 30.04.2026 19min

  Today's conversation on the Uplevel Dairy podcast was captured at the Central Plains Dairy Expo in Sioux Falls, where Peggy Coffeen interviews dairy risk management advisor and economist, Katie Burgess of Ever.Ag, about making dairy risk management simpler and more accessible. Burgess shares her Wisconsin dairy farm upbringing, ag business education, and path from UW Extension into Ever.Ag, emphasizing that effective risk management doesn’t require predicting markets or mastering jargon. She explains the main dairy insurance tools, Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) and LGM Dairy, highlighting DRP’s daily availability, quarterly coverage, and fit for Class III and IV and high-component milk, versus LGM’s Thursday-only availability, Class III focus, and single- or two-month coverage, with a coming USDA change expected to allow using both in the same quarter. They discuss today’s volatility, export dependence, strong global supply, opportunities in milk and cattle values, and the farm lesson “make hay when the sun shines.”This episode is brought to you by Ever.AgEver.Ag partners with dairy producers to build customized risk management plans that help protect margins in any market environment. With dedicated advisors, industry leading technology, and proven tools like Dairy Revenue Protection, we help farms reduce uncertainty and secure long‑term financial strength.  Learn more at https://ever.ag/.00:00 Risk Made Simple02:09 Farm Roots in Wisconsin03:10 Learning Risk Tools04:21 Path to Ever Ag06:36 Keep It Simple Strategy07:42 DRP vs LGM Explained10:25 Market Outlook and Action11:27 Make Hay While the Sun Shines12:35 Seeing the Whole Chain14:41 Future of Dairy
• 340 | “Take Care of the Cow”: The Simple Philosophy for Driving Dairy Success 28.04.2026 46min

  On this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen sits down with Dr. Cole Anderson of United Vet Services (Heritage Vet Partners) in Northeast Wisconsin to talk about his unconventional path into dairy veterinary medicine and the mentors who shaped it along the way.From early hands-on experiences to building long-term client relationships, Dr. Anderson shares his philosophy that great service and strong relationships matter more than being the lowest-cost provider. He also opens up about balancing family life with a demanding career, learning through challenges, and his next goal: helping dairy clients improve performance through deeper use of DairyComp and data-driven insights.Heritage Vet Partners is the nation’s leading veterinary partnership, specializing in mixed and large animal practices. Heritage Vet Partners provides a unique partnership model that preserves local practice legacies, serving dairy and other livestock producers and companion animal owners through shared services, data, and strategic growth. Learn more at HeritageVetPartners.com01:50 An Unlikely Vet Path03:16 Mentors Open Doors04:39 Ron Herb Relationship08:43 Learning in the Truck13:09 Service First Mindset16:42 Teaching Students to Grow18:55 Hard Lessons and Balance22:10 More Mentors and Core Values23:07 Driven Dairy Clients24:52 Future Vet Service25:27 Fundamentals Over Fixes27:44 Cow First Principle31:04 Family And Mentors35:43 Practice Lessons Learned38:06 Next Generation Growth
• 339 | From the Barn to the Board Room: Nathan Moroney on Technology, Trials and Dairy Farming in Texas 23.04.2026 38min

  On the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen visits Del Rio Dairy in Friona, Texas, and interviews owner Nathan Moroney about how technology and expansion are reshaping modern dairying. Moroney describes a major expansion from a 3,500-cow double-45 parallel parlor to a 90-stall rotary with automated prep and post robots, sort gates, and collars, delivering significant labor savings and higher milking throughput. He recounts being one of the first herds to experience what became known as "bird flu" before the issue was identified through coordinated efforts with extension. He explains the Saudi-style barn system, manure handling that evolved into a digester started in 2021, water constraints driving efficiency and potential forage shifts, and the potential opportunities for integrating more AI in milking and feed management. Moroney also discusses regional processing growth, his new DFA corporate board role, and the need for workable labor policy reform.This Episode is Brought to you by the Milc GroupMilc Group is a dairy software company that brings real-time, actionable data to dairy farms across the world. They are dedicated to revolutionizing the dairy industry with their user-friendly cloud-based software. ONE™ by Milc Group is our all-in-one app that brings together all the important aspects of your dairy together in one place. With products such as feed and animal management software, people training, dairy facility monitoring, and scale management, Milc Group is committed to providing producers with tools they need to succeed.02:13 Rotary Expansion Automation04:52 Bird Flu Ground Zero11:34 Saudi Barn Workflow14:09 Digester Renewables Economics15:23 Next Efficiency AI Upgrades19:58 One Feed Program Spotlight20:28 Mobile App Workflow21:04 Water Risk Planning22:01 Reusing Water Efficiently23:01 Alternative Forages Ahead23:41 Texas Dairy Processing Boom24:37 Milk Hauling Distance24:46 Joining the DFA Board26:15 National Dairy Outlook28:55 Marketing and Data Shifts29:57 From City to Dairyman32:19 Traits Built by Dairy35:52 Labor Reform Needs
• 338 | Dairy Farm Finances in 2026: What Smart Producers Are Planning for Q2 21.04.2026 24min

  How are your finances looking for Q2? In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen interviews Steve Schweoer of Compeer Financial on what financially strong dairy farms are doing in 2026 amid tight first-half cash flow, lower milk prices, and higher costs of capital. Steve notes many producers prepaid 2026 expenses in 2025, easing near-term pressure, and expects improved markets in the second half while emphasizing preparing during good times by building working capital and paying down lines of credit. He advises maintaining a three-to-five-year capital replacement plan using “needs vs. wants,” evaluating land purchases case by case, and not letting taxes drive decisions. Key profitability levers include beef-on-dairy and managing net herd replacement cost, feed efficiency and ration cost, strong components and herd health, disciplined capital spending, and low employee turnover. He urges producers to know their cost of production, keep a consistent operating model, and bring lenders and advisors a long-term plan including risk management and family goals.This episode is sponsored by Compeer Financial. Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural America. Their dairy team brings world-class expertise and tailored solutions to support dairy producers’ financial goals and lending needs.Visit https://www.compeer.com/specialists/dairy01:17 Cash Flow Cycles Ahead03:02 Needs vs Wants Capital05:11 Land Buying Decisions06:36 Cost of Capital Squeeze08:17 Beef on Dairy Boost11:07 Feed Efficiency Levers12:48 What Profitable Looks Like15:04 Tech Investments Timing17:36 Lender Talks and Planning19:34 Disciplines for Stability21:50 Know Your Cost Production23:16 Stick to Your Model
• 337 | Leading the Legacy from 100 Miles Away: A Modern Dairy Story 16.04.2026 43min

  On the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen visits Cooper Legacy Dairy near Clovis, New Mexico, a 2,000-cow operation run by fifth-generation dairyman Jered Cooper that also raises replacements and farms about 2,500 acres. Cooper shares how his family’s dairy roots span Michigan, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico, and why he now lives about 80–100 miles away in the Lubbock, Texas area while still managing the dairy through internet-connected tools and support from his son on site.He explains adopting Nedap smart tags and sort gates, which proved pivotal during a bird flu outbreak by enabling early health alerts, treatment monitoring, and improved herd outcomes, and now streamline daily workflows for health and reproduction via reports, mobile entry, and cloud syncing. Cooper also discusses passing the business to the sixth generation and writing a book inspired by his father about family, football, faith, and farming.This episode is part of the High-Performance Mindset Series powered by Nedap.Nedap is future-proofing dairy farming with smart technologies in activity monitoring, cow locating, milk metering, sort gates, and AI-powered camera systems. Nedap is improving life on the farm by putting the right cow in the right place at the right time, every time.01:24 Meet Jered and the Dairy02:06 Five Generation Roots02:42 How Clovis Happened05:29 Living 100 Miles Away08:03 Tech That Makes It Work08:40 Smart Tags and Bird Flu12:32 New Workflow and Sort Gates15:27 Health Score and Cow Insights16:54 Next Gen and AI Future18:25 Redefining the Modern Dairyman20:24 Why It's Called Legacy21:20 Milkman Love Note22:35 Michigan Dairy Traditions23:19 Depression Era Detour23:59 One Cow to 200024:30 Family Farms and Pride26:20 Next Gen Takes Over30:42 Raising Kids on Dairy32:19 Writing the Dairy Book39:43 Legacy and Advice
• 336 | April Proofs, Real Cows: Why ‘Milk What You Make’ Is Redefining Genetic Progress 14.04.2026 52min

  Jeff King & Tom Mercuro on genetics, longevity, and why ‘milk what you make’ is the futureOn this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we are joined by Jeff King of Kings Ransom Farm in New York and Tom Mercuro from Mercuro Farms in Maryland—two dairymen who are redefining what real genetic progress looks like. We find out what they are doing to create the kind of cows they want in their barns and why they believe other dairy producers want them too.This isn’t about chasing the top of a list… it’s about milking what they make - breeding cows that last, perform, and put milk in the tank.Plus, Jeff and Tom provide their hot takes on the April Holstein Sire Summary and recent changes to the TPI formula.United Sires is a partnership of well-known Holstein breeders from the United States bringing genetic solutions to dairy producers worldwide. Our mission, “Breed the Best, Better,” reflects the work we have been doing on our farms for generations. As multi-generational dairy farmers, we adhere to a simple yet powerful principle: We Milk What We Make. We understand the importance of breeding cattle that are profitable throughout their lifetimes, functional across all dairy enterprises, and aesthetically pleasing.Learn more at Unitedsires.com and follow on Facebook at United Sires and Instagram @unitedsiresofficial.
• 335 | What It Really Takes to Transition a Family Farm | Full Expert Panel 11.04.2026 1h 1min

  This Uplevel Dairy Podcast episode shares the full Farm Forward Conference panel with attorney Will McKinley, dairyman Tommy Oesch, consultant Kristy Pagel, advisor Steve Bodart, and family farm coach Elaine Froese on building multi-generational farm transitions as an ongoing legal, financial, and relational process. They discuss testing next-generation commitment through projects, off-farm work, mentors, peer networks, and family bylaws; clarifying roles for siblings/cousins using tools like StrengthsFinder and DISC; and keeping farms aligned through regular meetings, celebrations, and quarterly financial check-ins. The panel contrasts successful transitions (everything on the table, commitment, compromise) with failures (stubbornness, toxicity, staying stuck), addresses estate tools like TOD deeds, revocable and irrevocable trusts, LLCs/corporations, and managing conflicts, cash flow targets, and the option to exit via sale. Final action steps emphasize alignment between spouses, writing letters, gratitude, grace, listening, and accepting continuous change.02:35 Testing Next Gen Commitment07:13 Best vs Worst Transitions10:21 Preventing Estate Disputes14:06 Future of Midwest Farms17:22 Siblings and Cousins Leadership22:25 Making Transition Ongoing26:23 Meeting Rhythms That Work28:29 The $2.50 Cash Flow Rule29:39 Cash Flow Under Pressure31:27 Trusts Explained Simply33:08 Irrevocable Trust Tradeoffs34:58 Estate Planning Resources36:13 Getting Honest Family Input40:25 Helping Seniors Let Go44:45 When No Successor Exists46:59 Why Ag Transitions Differ52:00 Family Stories About Land
• 334 | Protect the Farm—and the Family: The Legal Reality of Farm Transition with Will McKinley, Menn Law 10.04.2026 19min

  Transition Talks from the Farm Forward ConferenceThis Farm Forward Recap episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast features attorney Will McKinley, President of Menn Law, discussing the legal side of family farm transition planning. McKinley emphasizes that communication is critical and that lawyers can’t prescribe one-size-fits-all solutions; families need to clarify and align their goals before legal documents are drafted. He explains what he hopes clients bring to the table—financial records plus a shared “wish list” vision—and shares a success story involving bringing a non-family herdsman into ownership while keeping spouses, bankers, and accountants aligned.He outlines tools often used (wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, entity structures) and notes tax challenges with lifetime sales, sometimes using an income-stream approach until a later trigger. He warns that the biggest obstacle is delaying the process and failing to commit time for a multi-meeting plan.Contact Will McKinley at Menn Law:William-McKinley@mennlaw.com(920) 731-6631https://mennlaw.com/00:55 Meet Will McKinley01:37 Communication Comes First04:57 What to Bring Your Lawyer07:49 Succession Success Story10:39 Legal Tools and Tax Strategy13:38 Where Plans Get Stuck
• 333 | Can Your Farm Afford Transition? What the Numbers Need to Say | Steve Bodart, AgriGrowth Solutions 09.04.2026 20min

  Transition Talks from the Farm Forward ConferenceAt the Farm Forward Conference, Uplevel Dairy Podcast host Peggy Coffeen interviews Steve Bodart of AgriGrowth Solutions about the financial side of family farm transition. Bodart explains his accrual-based financial consulting approach that connects production decisions to financial outcomes, benchmarks performance, and evaluates what both outgoing and incoming generations need and can afford. He emphasizes financial transparency so everyone hears the same message at the same time, and says succession is a journey requiring room for growth, disciplined debt payments, and honest discussions about cost of production, capital spending, and competitiveness.Steve notes failures often stem from resisting change and poor communication without a facilitator. He advocates involving owners and capable mid-managers and giving younger generations responsibility for financial projects, such as analyzing how a transition barn can improve profitability.AgriGrowth Solutions is a team of financial consultants with strong dairy backgrounds which represent and work for the best interests of dairy producers. The AGS team guides clients through their business’ financial position and assists in planning for their continued and future success.Contact Steve Bodart, AgriGrowth Solutions: SteveBodart@agrigrowthsolutions.comVisit: https://agrigrowthsolutions.com/01:10 Meet Steve Bodart01:50 What Steve Does03:21 Financial Transparency05:56 Planning for Growth07:00 Building a Win Win Plan09:42 Who Belongs in Meetings11:20 Why Transitions Fail14:44 Bringing Next Gen In17:23 Real World Project Example
• 332 | The Conversations That Make—or Break—Farm Transition | Kristy Pagel 08.04.2026 18min

  Transition Talks from the Farm Forward ConferenceIn this Farm Forward Recap, Peggy Coffeen hosts a transition talk featuring Kristy Pagel of Leading Edge Consulting, who focuses on facilitating difficult family farm transition conversations, aligning expectations across generations, and helping farms get “unstuck,” often during conflict or crisis. Pagel emphasizes the need to clarify the senior generation’s purpose beyond day-to-day farm duties and to support curiosity about what comes next.She also explains an adapted Employee Analyzer tool from Gino Wickman’s “Traction” to objectively assess whether owners, family members, and employees have the head, heart, and capacity for their roles, adding a “reinvest” column with plans, communication, timelines, and accountability. Pagel describes using the tool as a two-way self-assessment to open honest dialogue about burnout, fit, and workload.Connect with Kristy:Owner, coach, consultant with Leading Edge Consulting LLCkristy@leadingedgeccd.comLinkedIn: Kristy PagelListen to Kristy's Other Episode on Uplevel Dairy here: https://youtu.be/wJU12xNYyl4?si=h7ypvZKEgUgY3GdL00:55 Meet Kristy Pagel02:21 Why Facilitation Matters03:29 Getting Unstuck Together05:49 Purpose After the Farm08:44 Employee Analyzer Tool11:57 Objective Feedback Not Emotion14:14 Story Using the Tool
• 331 | Building a Legacy That Lasts: Tommy Oesch on Transitioning Swisslane Farms Forward 07.04.2026 22min

  At the Farm Forward Conference, Uplevel Dairy Podcast host Peggy Coffeen interviews Tommy Oesch of Swisslane Farms in Michigan about his multi-generational family farm transition from junior partner to senior leader and preparing for the next generation. Tommy describes the farm’s origins with his Swiss immigrant great-grandfather, early succession planning begun in 2004–2005, requirements for the next generation to work off-farm, and his and his brother’s years in outside careers before returning in 2011 to build a 500-cow robotic dairy. He explains growth through leasing opportunities instead of building, reaching about 5,600 cows across multiple sites, buying out the senior generation, and shifting their income from salary to equity payments to support leadership transition. He highlights hard conversations, including selling real estate to cover debt during Michigan’s 2015–2019 processing challenges, the need for intra-generation alignment through weekly meetings, and wishing they had brought in professional help earlier.Make sure to tune in all week as we drop recap episodes from the conference right here on the podcast!02:02 Meet Tommy Oesch02:49 Swisslane Origin Story05:06 Off Farm Lessons06:36 Back to Dairy Growth07:40 Leadership Buyout Shift12:13 Hard Times Real Estate15:05 Generational Negotiations18:21 Aligning Weekly Meetings18:54 What We'd Change
• 330 | Why Beef-on-Dairy Calves Fail to Thrive in the Feedyard with Stephanie Hansen 02.04.2026 25min

  On the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen interviews Dr. Stephanie Hansen of Iowa State University at Adisseo’s VIP seminar about why beef-on-dairy calves often fail to thrive in the feedlot. Hansen, a feedlot “mineral nerd,” explains how high liver copper—seen in necropsy results at 800–900 ppm—can originate from late-gestation cow diets and be compounded in dairy systems by copper-fortified milk replacer and starter feed while calves are still functionally monogastric, leading to greater absorption. Research funded by the Iowa Beef Checkoff found high liver copper did not affect vaccine response but did worsen outcomes in a respiratory disease challenge, increasing fever, clinical signs, and lung consolidation, alongside systemic inflammation and potentially compromised liver health. Action steps include moderating copper in late-gestation and calf starter diets, avoiding feedlot copper over-fortification, reassessing frequent vaccination protocols, and considering zinc’s anti-inflammatory benefits. Hansen also notes she writes national-park crime thrillers under the pen name SL Hansen, with a new book due April 2026.This Episode is brought to you by AdisseoThis episode is sponsored by Uplevel Dairy Podcast Founding Partner Adisseo, a global leader in nutritional solutions and premier provider of rumen-protected methionine for dairy producers who want to optimize milk production, capture more value from components, and maintain the health of their high-performing herds. Learn more at https://www.adisseo.com/en/00:00 Why Calves Struggle00:45 Sponsor Message01:30 Meet Mineral Nerd03:21 Feedlot Mystery Copper04:46 Beef Copper Fortification07:25 Dairy System One Two Punch09:26 Toxicity Signs Inflammation12:34 Respiratory Challenge Study15:25 Other Thrive Factors17:29 Producer Action Steps21:15 Zinc Balancing Idea22:04 Author Side Quest23:56 Wrap Up Takeaways