Uplevel Dairy Podcast

Latest Episodes:

342 | Announcing the 2026 National Dairy Shrine Award Recipients with Mike Opperman May 05, 2026

Show notes

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 Origins

02:14 How Awards Are Chosen

04:16 Emerging Leader Award

10:47 Pioneer Award Honorees

15:52 Distinguished Breeder Winner

18:31 Guest of Honor Spotlight

21:37 Banquet and Hall of Fame

24:43 Scholarships and Webinar News

341 | Katie Burgess: The Dairy Risk Advisor Who Simplifies the Chaos Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

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.Ag

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/.

00:00 Risk Made Simple

02:09 Farm Roots in Wisconsin

03:10 Learning Risk Tools

04:21 Path to Ever Ag

06:36 Keep It Simple Strategy

07:42 DRP vs LGM Explained

10:25 Market Outlook and Action

11:27 Make Hay While the Sun Shines

12:35 Seeing the Whole Chain

14:41 Future of Dairy

340 | “Take Care of the Cow”: The Simple Philosophy for Driving Dairy Success Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

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.com

01:50 An Unlikely Vet Path

03:16 Mentors Open Doors

04:39 Ron Herb Relationship

08:43 Learning in the Truck

13:09 Service First Mindset

16:42 Teaching Students to Grow

18:55 Hard Lessons and Balance

22:10 More Mentors and Core Values

23:07 Driven Dairy Clients

24:52 Future Vet Service

25:27 Fundamentals Over Fixes

27:44 Cow First Principle

31:04 Family And Mentors

35:43 Practice Lessons Learned

38:06 Next Generation Growth

339 | From the Barn to the Board Room: Nathan Moroney on Technology, Trials and Dairy Farming in Texas Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

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 Group

Milc 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 Automation

04:52 Bird Flu Ground Zero

11:34 Saudi Barn Workflow

14:09 Digester Renewables Economics

15:23 Next Efficiency AI Upgrades

19:58 One Feed Program Spotlight

20:28 Mobile App Workflow

21:04 Water Risk Planning

22:01 Reusing Water Efficiently

23:01 Alternative Forages Ahead

23:41 Texas Dairy Processing Boom

24:37 Milk Hauling Distance

24:46 Joining the DFA Board

26:15 National Dairy Outlook

28:55 Marketing and Data Shifts

29:57 From City to Dairyman

32:19 Traits Built by Dairy

35:52 Labor Reform Needs

338 | Dairy Farm Finances in 2026: What Smart Producers Are Planning for Q2 Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

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/dairy

01:17 Cash Flow Cycles Ahead

03:02 Needs vs Wants Capital

05:11 Land Buying Decisions

06:36 Cost of Capital Squeeze

08:17 Beef on Dairy Boost

11:07 Feed Efficiency Levers

12:48 What Profitable Looks Like

15:04 Tech Investments Timing

17:36 Lender Talks and Planning

19:34 Disciplines for Stability

21:50 Know Your Cost Production

23:16 Stick to Your Model

337 | Leading the Legacy from 100 Miles Away: A Modern Dairy Story Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

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 Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

Jeff King & Tom Mercuro on genetics, longevity, and why ‘milk what you make’ is the future
On 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 Apr 11, 2026

Show notes

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 Commitment

07:13 Best vs Worst Transitions

10:21 Preventing Estate Disputes

14:06 Future of Midwest Farms

17:22 Siblings and Cousins Leadership

22:25 Making Transition Ongoing

26:23 Meeting Rhythms That Work

28:29 The $2.50 Cash Flow Rule

29:39 Cash Flow Under Pressure

31:27 Trusts Explained Simply

33:08 Irrevocable Trust Tradeoffs

34:58 Estate Planning Resources

36:13 Getting Honest Family Input

40:25 Helping Seniors Let Go

44:45 When No Successor Exists

46:59 Why Ag Transitions Differ

52:00 Family Stories About Land

334 | Protect the Farm—and the Family: The Legal Reality of Farm Transition with Will McKinley, Menn Law Apr 10, 2026

Show notes

Transition Talks from the Farm Forward Conference
This 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) 731-6631
https://mennlaw.com/

00:55 Meet Will McKinley
01:37 Communication Comes First
04:57 What to Bring Your Lawyer
07:49 Succession Success Story
10:39 Legal Tools and Tax Strategy
13:38 Where Plans Get Stuck

333 | Can Your Farm Afford Transition? What the Numbers Need to Say | Steve Bodart, AgriGrowth Solutions Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

Transition Talks from the Farm Forward Conference

At 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.com

Visit: https://agrigrowthsolutions.com/

01:10 Meet Steve Bodart

01:50 What Steve Does

03:21 Financial Transparency

05:56 Planning for Growth

07:00 Building a Win Win Plan

09:42 Who Belongs in Meetings

11:20 Why Transitions Fail

14:44 Bringing Next Gen In

17:23 Real World Project Example