Uplevel Dairy Podcast

Today we are catching up with a member of Team USA - the 2x Olympian who just placed 8th in the women’s 1500 m at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, France. Olympic runner isn’t her only title. She is also a dairy farmer, alongside her husband Jamie, and his family at Pleasant Valley Farms in Vermont, where they are raising their little farm boy, Ivan.  We’re catching up with Elle Purrier St. Pierre...

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy podcast, host Peggy Coffeen sits down with Chris Szydel, the Herd Manager at Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy. Chris shares his journey and insights into how advanced technologies are revolutionizing dairy farming. From automated systems to track cow health and performance to integration tools that streamline operations, the episode delves into how these technologies ar...

Welcome to the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, hosted by Peggy Coffeen. In this insightful episode, Peggy visits Woldt Family Farms in Brillion, Wisconsin, as they prepare for their virtual farm tour at the World Dairy Expo. Joining her is Pauly Paul from Complete Management Consulting, who shares his expertise on how he helped take Woldt Family Farms from good to great. In this episode, you will hear abou...

If you are heading to the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, next week, I want to invite you to a few Uplevel Dairy LIVE events! For a little sneak peek behind the scenes of this and more at WDE, make sure to follow UPlevel Dairy on FB or IG to see my stories! Here's a complete rundown of all the must-attend sessions and panels we're hosting: National Dairy Shrine Young Professionals...

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, host Peggy Coffeen dives into the current landscape of dairy markets with Curtis Bosma from HighGround Dairy. The episode starts by giving listeners an overview of recent trends in dairy futures, including notable gains in Class III and Class IV prices and the implications for dairy producers. Curtis shares insights on the influence of managed money in...

World Dairy Expo Sneak Peak! This episode is a preview of the Tanbark Talk, “Securing the Future: A candid conversation about dairy farm transition planning”, coming up Oct. 1, 9-11 a.m.  Sponsored by Compeer Financial, you can join us live in the Tanbark, or join us through the virtual live stream, to hear from the Oeschner family, as well as Steve Schweoer from Compeer and Jared Holt from Ascent...

If you are wondering how proposed changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order could impact your milk check, or perhaps you have asked yourself, would we be better off without a federal order system altogether?   Well, today we are taking an in-depth look at making allowances, component changes, and the logistical and financial implications of these recommendations. Our guest today is Sara Dorland....

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy podcast, host Peggy Coffeen sits down with Lexie Nunes, a dynamic young professional in the dairy industry, for the Young Leaders series. Lexie shares her journey from her beginnings on a family dairy farm in Central California to her role as a Customer Support Specialist at Milc Group. Lexie’s story began as a reluctant participant in dairy judging, pushed by...

Freedom. Who doesn’t want more of that?  A phone that rings less. Fewer fires to put out. A team you can trust to take care of things as if it were their own, so that you can focus on the tasks and plans that move your business forward. My guest today not only values freedom, but fights for it, as a major in the South Dakota National Guard. And he’s taken what he has learned about leadership to em...

We catch up with Young Leader Brianna Meyer at Siemers Holsteins in Newton, Wis., just days after completing her summer internship at this newly built facility. Find out how she expanded her skills from the 130-cow robot dairy she grew up on in Chilton, Wis., to integrating with a high-performing team on a 5,500-cow dairy, and how these experiences have prompted this aspiring large animal veterina...

If you are someone who is looking to gain confidence for yourself or help build confidence in people you manage or coach, or maybe even the kids you are raising, there are some nuggets in this book that I believe you will find valuable and useful. And that’s why I’m sharing with you on this bonus Uplevel Dairy Podcast today the cliff notes and my own key takeaways from the book, The Confident Mind...

Mindset Mini-Series: This week on Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we’re bringing back a few of your favorite conversations from top performers in the dairy business.  Everyone has two lives. The second one starts when you realize you only have one. A positive mindset is easy, when things in our lives our easy. But when we realize we are facing the battle of our lives, for our lives, there is no greater tes...

Mindset Mini-Series: This week on Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we’re bringing back a few of your favorite conversations from top performers in the dairy business.  Back on Episode 100, Clare Alderink, manager at Ryzebol Dairy in Michigan, joined Tommy Oesch from Swiss Lane Farms to talk about doing hard things, like running 4 miles every 4 hours in 48 hours, the 75 hard challenge … and if you recall, Cl...

Mindset Mini-Series: This week on Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we’re bringing back a few of your favorite conversations from top performers in the dairy business. Dairy manager Scott Blevins shares the habits, routines and principles that build his resilience and endurance to stay on top of his game while managing 6,500 cows, 6,600 youngstock and a team of people at Wiese Bros. Farms in Greenleaf, Wisco...

Record-high yields in the fields for grain corn & beans Soybean meal is soft And could the best year yet be ahead for dairy farmers? Let’s find out on the UPlevel Dairy Podcast, with our guest Curtis Bosma from HighGround Dairy. Get your August Market Report Here: https://www.highgrounddairy.com/august-2024-dairy-producer-market-update/ Grab your copy of the FMMO Whitepaper here: https://marke...

Do you ever stop and think about those people that never had to help you along the way? But they did. The ones that reached out with encouragement, that advocated for you when they didn't have to. The ones that believed in you at times when you didn't even yet know believe in yourself.  Well, my guest today is one of those people. She is a woman who has done exactly that for so many youth...

Join me for this bonus feature with Mike and Ben Jones from Trillium Hill Dairy in Wisconsin, who have revolutionized feed pad design by creating a system that efficiently separates rainwater from manure leachate. This innovation helps dairy farms reduce hauling costs, minimize environmental impact, and significantly cut down on infrastructure expenses. Let's dive into this conversation to dis...

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, host Peggy Coffeen visits Trillium Hill Dairy, where she sits down with owners Mike and Ben Jones. They delve into their journey of incorporating a manure digester and innovative sand separation system while maintaining their preferred sand bedding. The Jones brothers explain the problems they encountered, the solutions they developed, and how these ad...

Often here on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we talk about business, management and challenges that dairy producers are overcoming every day, but today, we’re taking a little turn down a different path, to a side of the dairy business that’s built upon pedigrees that are deeper than the valleys of northern Vermont, carefully curated cow families and spirited competition, and our guide on this journey...

Are you ready for an economic downturn? In this episode, we visit with a banker who cut his teeth during the 1980s farm crisis, as he shares what the most profitable farmers are doing right now to bullet-proof their balance sheets. Lynn Paulson, director of agribusiness development with Bell Bank, walks us through the key indicators he is keeping a pulse on, including: Farmland values and sales tr...

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy podcast, I am joined for part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Don Niles, a veterinarian turned dairyman, to talk more about his significant contributions to dairy farming and sustainability in Northeast Wisconsin. Dr. Niles shares his passionate journey from city life to dairy farming, emphasizing the importance of innovative practices, cow comfort, and environme...

Join me on this episode of the Uplevel Dairy podcast as I sit down with the groundbreaking, Dr. Don Niles. From his humble beginnings as a veterinarian in Wisconsin to transforming the dairy world, Dr. Niles shares his incredible journey. This episode delves into the experiences that shaped his career, his partnership with visionary dairyman John Pagel, and the innovative practices they implemente...

How do you define your purpose? Your “why” for what gets you out of bed every day?  In this episode, we pick up where we left off with Jack Pirtle, the dairyman from Roswell, New Mexico, in a conversation that cuts deep for anyone who has ever hit rock bottom, anyone who has struggled with their faith, anyone who realized they were the ones who needed to change. Jack shares with us his very person...

So much of dairying is built upon legacy - a history of families that have milked cows for generations. But our guest today is not one of them. In fact, this New Mexico crop farmer literally became a dairyman overnight … and you’ve got to hear the story of how it all happened and how Jack Pirtle from P-7 Dairy has continued to innovate and adapt in an ever-changing marketplace - like changing over...

11 months of lower milk production, yet making it up in protein and fat. The perfect storm that’s brewing in the grain market. And how to get a grip on your true profitability by managing your margins. That’s what we are covering today with Curtis Bosma in the HighGround Dairy July Monthly Market Insights on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast. This episode is brought to you by HighGround Dairy: Find out ho...