Uplevel Dairy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

362 | Tax and Legal Strategies for Farm Transition with Menn Law Jul 16, 2026

Show notes

On the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen concludes a three-part Farm Forward listener Q&A series with Will McKinley of Menn Law and Pat Sturz, a retired CPA and longtime agriculture tax advisor, discussing why legal and tax planning must be integrated in farm succession. They explain how farm growth and asset write-offs can create future tax problems, why “sell the farm on a land contract” can trigger unexpected upfront taxes due to different asset classes, and how early planning, entity choice, and large early gifting can improve outcomes.

They highlight tools like profits interests to share future growth or reward key employees without immediate income tax, strategies like “shadow” partnership entities to move assets out of C corps over time, and the role of stepped-up basis at death. They close with key mistakes, priorities, and the need for readiness and clarity about who will be involved and retirement cash needs.

Contact Will McKinley or Pat Sturz at Menn Law
William-McKinley@mennlaw.com
(920) 731-6631

pat_sturz@mennlaw.com

715-586-0050

Learn more at https://mennlaw.com/
Do you have a question on succession and farm transition you would like to hear Will answer on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast? Send your questions to peggy@upleveldairy.com

01:13 Meet Will and Pat

04:30 Long Term Tax Mindset

06:13 Gifting and Entity Choices

09:43 Avoid Land Contract Traps

12:00 Profits Interest Explained

15:20 Shadow Farm Strategy

18:32 Biggest Misunderstandings

23:19 One Year Retirement Priorities

24:42 Common Mistakes and Wrap Up

361 | The Biggest Mistake Families Make with Land with Will McKinley Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

Today's conversation tackles one of the most emotional and misunderstood topics in farm succession planning: how do you provide for non-farming children without putting the future of the farm at risk?

Will McKinley explains why "fair" doesn't always mean "equal" and shares practical strategies that allow farm families to care for every child while protecting the operation they've spent a lifetime building. From trusts and LLCs to long-term leases, purchase options, and structured buyout agreements, you'll learn how thoughtful planning today can prevent conflict tomorrow.

Will also shares real-life success stories and heartbreaking cautionary tales that demonstrate exactly what happens when estate plans leave room for ambiguity.

Whether you're actively planning your estate or simply beginning family conversations, this episode offers valuable insight into preserving both your farm and your family relationships.

Contact Will McKinley at Menn Law
William-McKinley@mennlaw.com
(920) 731-6631

Learn more at https://mennlaw.com/

00:00 Why "Fair Isn't Always Equal" in Farm Succession

01:28 Understanding the Real Value—and Responsibility—of Inheriting a Farm

03:05 Using Trusts and LLCs to Protect Farm Assets

05:02 The Biggest Mistake Families Make with Farmland

06:15 Purchase Options, Long-Term Leases & Buyout Strategies

08:10 Why You Should Never Leave Rent Negotiations to Future Generations

09:48 Real Success Story: A Farm Family That Planned Ahead

12:58 When Poor Planning Forced a Farm to Shut Down

15:05 Good Intentions, Bad Estate Planning

17:16 Eliminating Ambiguity Before It Leads to Litigation

18:00 Three Questions Every Farm Parent Should Answer Before They're Gone

360 | Why Farm Transitions Fail with Will McKinley Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

Today on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen interviews attorney Will McKinley of Menn Law in a three-part follow-up to the Farm Forward conference, focusing on why farm transitions fail and how to prevent it. McKinley cites two primary failure causes: economic infeasibility and psychology/communication breakdowns, including control issues and lack of confidence in successors; he shares examples where debt forced likely land sales and where strict post-death “guardrails” led a son to leave and the dairy to shut down.

He emphasizes earlier planning, strong financial advisors, and tools like trusts with independent trustees. Discussing non-family key employees, he warns ownership success is about 50/50, urges transparency, cautions against rushed promises and mingling assets like cattle or equipment, and suggests alternatives such as higher compensation or limited real-estate partnerships.

Make sure to tune in tomorrow and Thursday for parts two and three.

Contact Will McKinley at Menn Law:
William-McKinley@mennlaw.com
(920) 731-6631
https://mennlaw.com/

Do you have a question on succession and farm transition you would like to hear Will answer on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast? Send your questions to peggy@upleveldairy.com

00:00 Why Transitions Fail

02:16 Two Failure Causes

02:40 Debt And Taxes Trap

03:52 Psychology And Control

08:08 Preventing Financial Failure

13:14 Trusts And Guardrails

16:18 Non-Family Partners

25:50 Avoiding Messy Entanglements

359 | Ask the Expert: Next-Level Dairy Cow Immune Support Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

Today, Peggy sits down for an exclusive, 'Ask the Expert' feature with veterinarian Dr.
Jan van Dijk of AHV discusses how common stressors in dairy cows, such as calving, transition, heat stress, pen moves, and high production, can disrupt immune function and lead to issues like metritis, mastitis, temperature spikes, reduced rumination, and lost milk that can affect an entire lactation.

Dr. Van Dijk explains the damage caused by both overreacting and underreacting immune responses and introduces AHV’s Aspi, a plant-extracted immunomodulatory complementary feed given orally as a tablet/liquid or bolus, used proactively or reactively, with no milk withhold. In a farm comparison to an injectable nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory in monitored cows, Aspi lowered temperature more gradually but for longer, maintained activity, improved rumination, and greatly reduced repeat temperature spikes over 20 days.

This episode is brought to you by AHV

Your herd’s health is our priority. You get the best of both worlds: cutting-edge science and practical, hands-on support. With veterinary expertise and applied research behind every solution, you’ll have access to insights that matter. Delivered through our dedicated data service and backed by personal guidance from our on-farm consultants. Whether you’re making decisions in the barn or reviewing data, we’re here to support your goals—every step of the way.

Learn more at https://ahvint.com/us/dairy-cows-calves.

00:00 Why Cow Stress Matters

00:48 Meet The Expert

01:22 Signs Of Poor Immunity

02:09 Over Vs Under Reaction

02:28 Introducing Aspi

03:06 How Aspi Is Used

04:06 On Farm Trial Results

05:17 Reoffending And Recovery

06:27 Future Of Immune Modulation

07:57 What Aspi Delivers

358 | Making a $4 Million Impact: Dairy Cares of Wisconsin Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

Today, Peggy Coffeen sits down with Jim Ostrom, president and CEO of Milk Source and co-founder of Dairy Cares of Wisconsin, to discuss how a backyard gathering in Wisconsin grew over 17 years into an event drawing 450–550 people and raising more than $4 million for Children’s Wisconsin, a world-class hospital network with 18 branches. Ostrom explains Dairy Cares’ purpose and highlights gratitude, welcoming new participants, and inspiring a next generation through youth donations and fundraising efforts.

He credits the impact to teamwork, hard work, and shared passion, and shares leadership approaches like envisioning “what could be” and relying on strong partners and teams. Ostrom reflects on tough commodity cycles in dairy, opportunities in beef and efficiency-driven export competitiveness, his personal advice to “compare yourself to yourself yesterday,” his interest in AI, and ways to get involved with a goal to raise $500,000 this year.

To get involved in Dairy Cares of Wisconsin's continual impact,

Make a donation at dairycaresofwisconsin.org
Join us for the annual Dairy Cares Garden Party, July 25, De Pere, Wis.
Support through the virtual auction: https://pro.gofundme.com/live/register/2026-dairy-cares-of-wisconsin-garden-party/4c24640e-e3ed-4dc9-aa29-d175b99cfe27

00:00 Backyard Idea Begins
01:41 Garden Party Origins
02:27 Mission And Beneficiary
04:19 From Dinner To Millions
06:20 Next Gen Giving
08:20 Welcoming New Leaders
09:55 Leadership Behind Impact
11:41 Business Vision Teamwork
13:51 Industry Opportunities Cycles
16:46 Rapid Fire Advice
19:10 How To Get Involved

357 | Inside the Minds of Dairy's Next Generation | Junior Advisory Committee Roundtable Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

What’s inside the minds of the next generation of dairy leaders? We found out last week at the National Holstein Convention, where we sat down with 3 young leaders in the National Junior Holstein Association who are helping shape the future of the organization while representing thousands of junior members nationwide. Through leadership, service, and a whole lot of dedication, they're proving that the next generation is already making an impact.

Mykel Mull from California, Cayden Bursiek from Ohio, and Ainsley Sellers from Pennsylvania talk about what inspired each of them to get involved with the National Holstein Junior Advisory Committee, what they've learned through serving in national leadership, how the Junior Advisory Committee gives young people a voice within the Association, and why programs like these matter so much for developing tomorrow's dairy leaders.

Whether you're raising the next generation on your farm, involved in youth programs yourself, or simply want a glimpse of where our industry is headed, this conversation will leave you optimistic and inspired too.

01:36 Meet the JAC Team
02:09 Ainsley’s Dairy Story
02:51 Cayden’s Show Ring Roots
03:25 Mykel’s Unique Path
04:57 What the JAC Does
07:11 Programs and Skills Built
08:34 Lessons From Nationwide Networking
11:22 Leaders Who Inspired Them
16:01 Most Impactful Junior Programs
19:45 Future Plans in Dairy and Beyond

356 | Rebuilding After Tragedy: Four Cubs Farm's Story of Resilience Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

When a devastating barn fire destroyed the heart of Four Cubs Farms in November 2017, the Peterson family faced a decision that would shape the future of their business for generations to come. In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen continues her conversation with Gary and Cris Peterson, Ben Peterson, and Dairy Manager Nathan Brandt as they reflect on one of the most difficult days in the farm's history—and how it became the catalyst for transformation.From the overwhelming support of neighbors and fellow dairy producers to rebuilding with robotic milking technology, the team shares how resilience, innovation, and a willingness to embrace change helped them emerge stronger than before. The conversation explores how data-driven decision making, animal welfare, technology adoption, and strategic growth are helping Four Cubs Farms remain competitive while preparing for its 150th anniversary and the next generation of leadership.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.02:00 – The day the barn fire changed everything04:00 – Moving cows and saving the herd during the crisis06:00 – Community support and the dairy industry's response07:00 – Rebuilding after the fire and making a major decision08:00 – Choosing robotic milking technology10:00 – Bringing cows home and transitioning to robots12:00 – How the robotic dairy is organized today14:00 – Collecting and using data to improve performance16:00 – Measuring return on investment through data18:00 – Data, profitability, and continuous improvement20:00 – Solving challenges through real-time insights22:00 – Staying competitive in a changing dairy industry23:00 – Cow behavior, stocking density, and robot efficiency25:00 – Labor, technology, and future dairy strategies27:00 – Growth plans and expansion opportunities28:00 – Building the next generation of the herd30:00 – Celebrating 150 years of family farming32:00 – Looking ahead to the future of Four Cubs Farms33:00 – Lessons in resilience, leadership, and perseverance

355 | Leadership Across Generations: Creating a Dairy Business Built to Last Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

For nearly 150 years, Four Cubs Farms in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, has been built on a simple principle: people matter.

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen sits down with Gary and Cris Peterson, their son Ben Peterson, and Dairy Manager Nathan Brandt to explore the leadership, culture, communication, and innovation that transformed a small family dairy into a thriving 1,000-cow operation.

From succession planning and employee engagement to genomic testing, feed efficiency, and building trust across generations, this conversation offers valuable lessons for dairy producers looking to create resilient businesses that can thrive well into the future.

Whether you're navigating farm transition, building a team, or looking for ways to strengthen your operation's culture, this episode delivers practical insights from a farm that has successfully blended family values with modern dairy management.

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.

02:00 – Growing from 60 cows to 1,000 cows

03:00 – Roles and responsibilities within the farm team

05:00 – Cris Peterson's journey from city girl to dairy advocate

09:00 – Leadership transition and bringing in outside talent

10:00 – Nathan Brandt's path into dairy and Four Cubs Farms

13:00 – Building a team with complementary strengths

14:00 – Innovation through feed systems and grain storage

16:00 – Genetics, genomic testing, and future herd growth

20:00 – Nutrition strategies for today's high-performing dairy cows

24:00 – The role of culture in farm success

27:00 – Trust, communication, and employee retention

30:00 – Creating clarity, consistency, and rhythm across the operation

32:00 – Succession planning, growth, and preparing for the future

354 | Lessons from a Father-Daughter Vet Duo: The Next Generation of Dairy Care Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Today on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, Peggy Coffeen visits with father-daughter veterinarians Dr. Paul Meagher and Dr. Amanda Onan of United Veterinary Services in Northeast Wisconsin about how dairy practice evolved from reactive emergency work to proactive, team-based consulting. Dr. Paul shares his path from a North Dakota dairy farm to nearly 40 years in mixed and large-animal practice, mentors who emphasized prevention, and lessons learned from top producers: the right mindset and decision-making with a consultant team, high-quality forages, and consistency.

Dr. Amanda reflects on riding on after-hours calls as a child, emphasizes aligning larger dairy crews around shared goals, and predicts AI-driven tools such as calving-detection cameras and expanded monitoring. They discuss communication, humility, and “living in the light” through positivity and learning from negatives.

This episode is brought to you by Heritage Vet Partners.

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.com

02:10 Paul's Path to Practice

03:16 Mentors and Preventive Shift

04:59 Amanda's First Farm Call

06:45 Supporting Her Vet Dream

08:55 Learning From Top Producers

10:44 Three Keys to Success

16:54 From Firefighting to Consulting

19:20 Data and Record Analysis

24:15 Future Tech and AI

27:32 Family Support and Grandpa Life

30:04 Lessons Living in the Light

353 | The Young Dairy Manager Changing Herd Health One Insight at a Time Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

Shelby Jacquier Washburn, is a fourth-generation dairy farmer and managing partner at Laurel Brook Farm in East Canaan, Connecticut, describes returning from an equine business program during COVID to help manage a 1,500-cow herd and 1,800 acres each of corn and hay/haylage while raising all young stock.

In today's conversation, she explains how accepting a 200-tag Nedap trial led to whole-herd collars (Nedap Now) that detect health issues 12–24 hours earlier via rumination, eating time, and milk deviations, informing earlier treatment and culling decisions, identifying lameness, and paying back about half the system cost in a year through reduced hospital time. Data prompted diet changes for fresh cows, improved heats and overall cow brightness, new transition protocols (moving pre-fresh cows two days before due date) that boosted colostrum supply, and heat-stress monitoring that revealed the parlor as a hotspot, leading to added evaporative cooling, fans, and water.

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.

00:47 Meet Shelby Jacquier Washburn

01:14 From Horses to Dairy

03:41 Collars Across the Herd

05:03 The 200 Tag Leap

07:11 Fresh Cow Insights

09:08 Diet Tweaks Big Wins

11:18 Transition Monitoring Shift

12:20 Colostrum Turnaround

14:32 Heat Stress Hotspots

16:48 What's Next in Tech

21:16 Future in Connecticut