Uplevel Dairy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Saving a 1,500-Cow Dairy Farm from Foreclosure with Pauly Paul, Complete Management Consulting Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

Today, we are talking about a 1,500-cow dairy that was on the verge of selling out - but not on their own terms.

The farm had not made money in 3 years.

Their banker told them their loan was not going to be up for renewal, and suggested the auction block was their action plan.

And a good dairy farmer who was having a hard time hanging onto hope that things would ever get better - for his farm and for his life.

5 years ago, the future was not looking good for this dairy or dairyman.

But fast-forward to now: That same dairy farm is still in business - in fact, they are still with that same lender - and they have been making money … even when $13 milk hit last summer, they were confident in their viability.

So what took them from the brink of bankruptcy to being profitable, to being able to not just pay their bills - but prepay some bills?

A call with Pauly from Complete Management Consulting. Listen to the full episode for all of the details!

This Episode is Sponsored by Complete Management Consulting.

Contact

Pauly Paul

www.CompleteManagementConsulting.com

Pauly@completemanagementconsulting.com

920-418-3135

Head to http://www.UplevelDairy.com to read the blog and join the Uplevel Dairy email list to receive new podcasts, blogs, and offers from Uplevel Dairy in your inbox. To listen to more episodes, head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Don’t forget to rate and review!

Connect with Peggy: peggy@upleveldairy.com

Follow Uplevel Dairy on:

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#45: Your Milk Check and the Global Markets with Mary Keough Ledman Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

What's happening halfway around the world in the global marketplace that can impact your milk check in this final quarter of 2023?

On today's episode, you are going to get the cliff notes on the trends in the export market along with domestic supply and consumption. So you can be informed and empowered to make the best decisions for your dairy. And here to share that with us is Mary Keough Ledman, Global Dairy Strategist with Rabobank, which has recently released its Global Dairy Quarterly Report. Mary has been studying market trends and dairy economics for her entire career, and she has the ability to look at the global picture and break it down into the snapshots that matter to you most.

What you'll learn:

The top two countries Mary can't take her eyes off of in Q4
The cow-loving country that could be the export market wildcard
What Mary believes gives US dairy farmers a long-term competitive advantage
The strategic move that could make your milk more marketable

This episode is brought to you by Adisseo.

Tune in below or on your favorite listening platform for all of the details on this episode!  Head to http://www.UplevelDairy.com to read the blog and join the Uplevel Dairy email list to receive new podcasts, blogs, and offers from Uplevel Dairy in your inbox. To listen to more episodes, head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Don’t forget to rate and review! Connect with Peggy: peggy@upleveldairy.com Follow Uplevel Dairy on: - Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn

#44 - 4 High-Impact Actions to Create a Winning Farm Culture - Travis Speirs Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

Culture. It’s how your employees feel in the pit of their stomach on Sunday night about coming in to work for you on Monday morning. On a recent visit to Shiloh Dairy in Brillion, Wisconsin, the winning culture was clear: There was a party in the parlor. Milkers were smiling and striking a pose for pictures. The employees were happy to be there, and having fun. So I just had to sit down with the owner and manager of this dairy, our friend Travis Speirs, to find out how he was making this happen, all while growing from 2,400 to 2,900 cows, and transitioning in his own role from being with the cows every day, to spending more time in the business and operations management chair, as his father Gordon steps back from the day-to-day operations and decisions. Now Travis will be the first to say, culture at Shiloh Dairy is constantly evolving, and not every day is a party in the parlor, but there are a few high-impact actions that are leading to results like low turnover and a waiting list to work at Shiloh Dairy. This episode is part of The High-Performance Mindset Series is powered by Nedap. Nedap is future-proofing dairy farms by revolutionizing cow-side care through technologies in activity monitoring, cow locating, milk metering and identification. Listen for more episodes in this series throughout 2023.

What you’ll learn:

Transitioning ownership, management and leadership

Finding the right people

Cultivating respect

Methods for clear communication

How to let leaders lead

BONUS CONTENT!

Nedap Power Play: How to Up the Accuracy of Dairy Farm Identification and Data, with Nedap Technical Support Manager Ron Dehli

#42 - The Million-Cow Multiplier: Unselfish Leadership and Exponential Impact - Matt Budine Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

From co-founding a company that feeds more than 1.1 million cows all over the world with Progressive Dairy Solutions, to feeding people and providing a value-added marketing opportunity for dairy farm families through Valley Milk, and now leading efforts to help dairy farmers be beneficiaries of the methane market, Matt Budine has had a hand in seeing the vision for what it will take to be successful, profitable and sustainable in the dairy business. He’s driven by that same purpose in giving back, as a co-founder of the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge, which has impacted more than 4,000 students in its 20+ year history.

So how has Matt multiplied his impact to reach more than one million cows and thousands of young dairy leaders? Hear his story of unselfish leadership and the steps he takes to scale success in the dairy business.

What you’ll learn:

Scaling a business that feeds 1.1 million cows
Valley Milk: “Nutrition consulting gone awry”
Co-founding the Dairy Challenge
Unselfish leadership and the future of work

CONNECT with MATT BUDINE: President & CEO, Progressive Dairy Solutions; Dairy Nutritionist mbudine@pdscows.com http://www.progressivedairysolutions.com/ https://valleymilkca.com/ https://www.dairychallenge.org/

#41 - The 7 Secrets to Setting Goals and Achieving Them - Katy Schultz and Elizabeth DeVries Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

Maybe it’s to get healthier. Maybe it’s to start a business. But you are stuck. You have not taken action on it because you “don’t have time” or you “don’t know where to start.” Well consider this the nudge you needed to start turning that little spark into a 5-alarm fire today.

Dairy farmer Katy Schultz, Tri-Fecta Farms, Fox Lake, Wisconsin, tells the story of being the girl who faked “sick” on mile day in gym class, to pushing herself to run 100 miles in July.

Elizabeth DeVries, owner, 4D Ag World/4D Ag Fashion, talks about immigrating from the Netherlands to the U.S. to start a business, living in a fifth wheel for a year and now living the real-life American dream.

What you’ll learn:

How to set goals and achieve them
Determine the goal or idea that ignites you
Get clear on your burn
Burn the ships
Fuel your fire: adversity, achievements
Fan your flame: surround yourself with the right people - in your tribe and on your team
Control the burn: focus discipline, habits and systems
Stoke the fire: Celebrate and practice gratitude

**GIVEAWAY!**

Join the Uplevel Dairy Community during September 2023 for a chance to win a pair of FREE 4D Ag Fashion waterproof bib overalls!

To join: https://www.upleveldairy.com/subscribe

This episode is sponsored by our friends at 4D Ag World and 4D Ag Fashion - JP and Elizabeth de Vries - A first-generation American company that provides the highest quality dairy barn technology, from barn rubber to headlocks and fans to fashion. Find it all at 4DAgWorld.com and 4DAgFashion.com, and visit at World Dairy Expo!

CONNECT with ELIZABETH:

Elizabeth at (806) 557-8406

elizabeth@4dagfashion.com

Shop 4D:

https://www.4dagworld.com/

https://www.4dagfashion.com/

Follow 4D on social media:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/4dagworld

https://www.facebook.com/4dagfashion

Instagram
4d_ag_fashion

#40 - Growing and Scaling the Leadership Team - GPS Dairy Consultant Robb Bender and Steve Abel from Abel Dairy Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

What does it take to not only grow a dairy farm from 1,800 cows to 4,200 cows, and not just scale the operation, but scale the leadership team? To help current team members rise to new roles, and to retain all of those leaders in the process? That’s what you will be hearing about today from Steve Abel, of Abel Dairy Farms in Wisconsin, and along with one of his closest advisors who has walked along side his through this transition, GPS Dairy Consultant, Robb Bender. This is a special episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, because it is also the debut of the brand new GPS Dairy Cast - which you can find and follow on Apple, Spotify and Youtube. Walk away with the steps this dairy producer has taken to grow and scale his leadership team.

What you’ll learn:

Growing from 1,800 cows to 4,200 cows
Getting the team on board
Developing team members into team leaders

Want to hear more from the GPS Dairy Team? Follow the GPS DAIRYcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Head to http://www.UplevelDairy.com to read the blog and join the Uplevel Dairy email list to receive new podcasts, blogs, and offers from Uplevel Dairy in your inbox. To listen to more episodes, head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Don’t forget to rate and review! Connect with Peggy: peggy@upleveldairy.com Follow Uplevel Dairy on: - Facebook - Instagram - LinkedIn

#39 - How a California Dairy Producer is Milking More Cows with Less Skilled Labor - Brandon Mendosa Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

How can a dairy rely less on skilled labor? Is it possible to even eliminate some positions? And to do so while actually improving cow care and milk quality, and not to mention your stress level as an owner or manager? We are going to one of the most notoriously challenging labor markets in the country to find out how one California dairyman is doing just that. Our guest today is Brandon Mendonsa, from Tipton, California, talking about FM Jerseys, the site he owns and manages that milks 3,200 cows. When this dairy was built 5 years ago, one of Brandon’s priorities was to set up a system that would allow him to milk more cows with less skilled labor.

What you’ll learn:

The tasks that technology now takes care of that, in the past, required a person
Trusting computers to call the shots on cow care
How his role as a manager has changed for the better

Episode Sponsor: Afimilk is a global dairy technology company that designs herd management software and products that allow thousands of cows to be managed on an individual level. Afimilk can tell you what’s happening with your cows and your milk, alerts you if there’s a problem, and pinpoints the problem so it can be managed quicker and easier.

BONUS CONTENT!

Listen to the end for a few words from Afimilk herd management specialist Amit Golan about working with Brandon and other dairies to save on labor and empower cow management.

Learn more about Afimilk:

https://www.afimilk.com/

#38 - How to have Hard Conversations with Underperforming Team Members - Kristy Pagel Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

Have you been avoiding a conversation you know you need to have with an underperforming team member? Is their attitude impacting the rest of the team, yet you keep putting it off, hoping it will get better on its own? Kristy Pagel from Leading Edge Consulting LLC provides you with a take-home tool to tackle a tough conversation with confidence and a clear path to move forward.

Download your FREE “How to Have Hard Conversations” take-home tool at UplevelDairy.com

What you’ll learn:

Why you owe it to your employees to have that talk
The matrix that gives managers measure objectives
The 3 mindset shifts managers need for courage, confidence and a clear path forward

CONNECT with KRISTY PAGEL:

Owner, coach, consultant with Leading Edge Consulting LLC

kristy@leadingedgeccd.com

LinkedIn: Kristy Pagel

CONNECT with PEGGY:

peggy@upleveldairy.com Follow Uplevel Dairy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠

This episode is sponsored by Adisseo.

#36 - Full-Potential Dairy Farming: Reaching the next level of performance for cows and people with technology - Megan Schrupp Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

“How good can we get?” If you are a high-performer who asks yourself that same question every single day, you will want to hear what Megan Schrupp, DVM, at NexGen Dairy in Eden Valley, Minnesota, has to say about pushing the potential for cows, culture and herself, and how technology is getting them all there faster.

This episode is part of The High-Performance Mindset Series is powered by Nedap. Nedap is future-proofing dairy farms by revolutionizing cow-side care through technologies in activity monitoring, cow locating, milk metering and identification. Listen for more episodes in this series throughout 2023. What you’ll learn:

Celebrating the 7-year benchmark of coming back to the dairy
Using data to Increase the average age of cows in the herd
Creating a culture of excellence
Informed decision-making and simple routines
Digging into the data to enhance transition, nutrition and repro

The High-Performance Mindset Series is powered by Nedap. Nedap is future-proofing dairy farms by revolutionizing cow-side care through technologies in activity monitoring, cow locating, milk metering and identification. Listen for more episodes in this series throughout 2023. Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UplevelDairy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to read the blog and join the Uplevel Dairy email list to receive new podcasts, blogs, and offers from Uplevel Dairy in your inbox.To listen to more episodes, head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Don’t forget to rate and review!

Connect with Peggy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠peggy@upleveldairy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Uplevel Dairy on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠

#35 - The 7,000 Cows in Seven Years Vision - Tom Oesch Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

Four years ago, dairy farmer Tom Oesch and his partners at Swiss Lane Farms in Michigan defined their vision: To grow to 7,000 cows in seven years. Find out how they are putting that vision into action, transitioning the business from one generation to the next and growing leaders within their team. And walk away with a renewed motivation from Tom to live life to its fullest NOW. What you’ll learn:

The decision to double down on dairying and expand to multiple sites
Determining core values and using them to make decisions
Transitioning the business from third to fourth generation
Living his golden years now
Growing leaders from within

This episode is sponsored in partnership by global dairy technology company AfiMilk and Michigan Dairy Tech and Western Dairy Tech, an Afimilk dealer. Michigan Dairy Tech and Western Dairy Tech helps dairy producers manage thousands of cows on an individual level with Afimilk technology, while also serving the needs of integrated automation, systems networking, dairy management camera systems and artificial intelligence.

BONUS CONTENT!

Hear straight from Michigan Dairy Tech/Western Dairy Tech owner and founder Kyle O’Brien, along with Hilary Triick from their AI startup, Agricair, on solving labor problems with technology and automation.

Learn more about Afimilk:

https://www.afimilk.com/

Learn more about Michigan Dairy Tech/Western Dairy Tech:

www.michigandairytech.com

www.westerndairytech.com

Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠UplevelDairy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to read the blog and join the Uplevel Dairy email list to receive new podcasts, blogs, and offers from Uplevel Dairy in your inbox.To listen to more episodes, head over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Don’t forget to rate and review!

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