Uplevel Dairy Podcast

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332 | The Conversations That Make—or Break—Farm Transition | Kristy Pagel Apr 08, 2026

Show notes

Transition Talks from the Farm Forward Conference
In 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 LLC
kristy@leadingedgeccd.com
LinkedIn: Kristy Pagel
Listen to Kristy's Other Episode on Uplevel Dairy here: https://youtu.be/wJU12xNYyl4?si=h7ypvZKEgUgY3GdL

00:55 Meet Kristy Pagel

02:21 Why Facilitation Matters

03:29 Getting Unstuck Together

05:49 Purpose After the Farm

08:44 Employee Analyzer Tool

11:57 Objective Feedback Not Emotion

14:14 Story Using the Tool

331 | Building a Legacy That Lasts: Tommy Oesch on Transitioning Swisslane Farms Forward Apr 07, 2026

Show notes

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 Oesch

02:49 Swisslane Origin Story

05:06 Off Farm Lessons

06:36 Back to Dairy Growth

07:40 Leadership Buyout Shift

12:13 Hard Times Real Estate

15:05 Generational Negotiations

18:21 Aligning Weekly Meetings

18:54 What We'd Change

330 | Why Beef-on-Dairy Calves Fail to Thrive in the Feedyard with Stephanie Hansen Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

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 Adisseo
This 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 Struggle

00:45 Sponsor Message

01:30 Meet Mineral Nerd

03:21 Feedlot Mystery Copper

04:46 Beef Copper Fortification

07:25 Dairy System One Two Punch

09:26 Toxicity Signs Inflammation

12:34 Respiratory Challenge Study

15:25 Other Thrive Factors

17:29 Producer Action Steps

21:15 Zinc Balancing Idea

22:04 Author Side Quest

23:56 Wrap Up Takeaways

329 | Dairy's Rising Leaders: Conversations We Need to Have Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

This week on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we’re bringing you our breakout session from the Central Plains Dairy Expo for a real, unfiltered conversation with dairy’s rising leaders. From coming back to the farm… to carving your own path… to earning respect and finding your voice—this is a must-listen not only for the next generation, but for senior leaders looking to better understand, develop, and lead them.

We are proud to partner with Central Plains Dairy Expo to feature these four panelists:Jacob Wag, Wag's Blue and White Dairy; Emma Brockshus, Brockshus Dairy; Emmett Meissner, Norm-E-Lane Farm, and Chelsea Abbott, Trans Ova Genetics.

Hear it straight from these rising leaders.

328 | Dairy Farm Leadership Starts Here: Valuing Every Role in the Barn with Dr. Amanda Onan Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

On location at Brooks Farms in Waupaca, Wisconsin, Peggy Coffeen interviews Dr. Amanda Onan of United Vet Services (Heritage Vet Partners) about how teamwork shapes her approach to dairy veterinary medicine nearly 10 years into practice. A second-generation veterinarian, Dr. Onan describes learning through ride-alongs with her father and hands-on work at Sugar Creek Farms, including projects to improve somatic cell count and mastitis understanding. She shares a formative lesson from a 70-year-old farm owner scraping stalls, reinforcing that no one is above any task and that every employee’s observations matter. Dr. Onan emphasizes building trust by engaging employees, recognizing positives, and using empathy to improve farm efficiency, while also discussing compassion fatigue in veterinary medicine and the support systems that help. She notes that Heritage’s national network enables collaboration, and she sees AI changing record analysis and on-farm implementation.

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.

00:43 Podcast Welcome and Sponsor
01:43 Why Amanda Became a Vet
04:09 Producer Perspective Lessons
05:51 Somatic Cell Count Project
08:06 Nobody Above Scraping Stalls
11:31 Building Trust With Employees
15:44 Positive Leadership Habits
16:39 Compassion Fatigue Explained
18:25 Support Systems and Grace
21:53 Business Side and Heritage Network
27:11 Future of Vet Med and AI
28:25 Final Thanks and Outro

327 | Exploring Dairy and Feed Dynamics with Matt Wolf and Jake Kingsley Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

Recorded in Amarillo at the High Plains Dairy Conference, Peggy Coffeen sits down with Matt Wolf and Jake Kingsley as they share their farm backgrounds—Matt from a Texas dairy family and Jake from Kansas, where his grandparents once had a small family dairy—plus unique experiences like dairy cattle and collegiate wool judging.
Matt explains building a beef-on-dairy risk management program spanning day-old calves through finishing cattle and cull cows, including new LRP opportunities, and how producers can protect value at record-high calf and cow prices.
Jake outlines Ever.Ag’s feed risk management approach as it combines futures, basis, and cash-feed analysis with regular producer check-ins. They discuss High Plains consolidation, processing capacity growth, water constraints, ongoing volatility, export needs, and the rise of high-protein products, then close with quick personal Q&A and country music picks.

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 High Plains Kickoff

01:53 Why Amarillo Matters

02:27 Matt Wolf's Story

04:45 Jake Kingsley's Story

06:29 Wool and Cattle Judging

08:15 Beef on Dairy Growth

13:10 Feed Risk Playbook

15:53 High Plains Game Changers

21:29 Future Outlook and Trends

29:08 Rapid Fire Fun

33:34 Wrap Up and Thanks

326 | Farm Forward: Lessons in Leadership from Tommy Oesch of Swisslane Farms Mar 22, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we wrap up our preview of the Farm Forward Conference with part two of a conversation with Michigan dairyman, Tommy Oesch about farm transition mistakes and building an advisory team. Tommy describes a costly error of trying to manage dairy nutrition himself, learning to hire and listen to the right consultants, and updating who “sits at the table” as the business evolves. He outlines Swiss Lane’s aggressive growth plan from 5,000 cows to 10,000 by 2032, explains adopting EOS quarterly strategy meetings, and shares leadership lessons on accountability, communication, employee reviews, and putting the right people in the right roles. He advises older generations to allow mistakes and the next generation to push succession planning forward, noting it requires time, money, and persistence.

Join us for the Farm Forward ConferenceFriday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI
Register Here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260474594709165

00:00 Farm Forward Invite

01:27 Costly Nutrition Lesson

05:19 Building Advisor Team

08:52 Aggressive Growth Vision

10:47 Who Sits at Table

12:58 EOS Outside Expertise

15:05 Evolving Vet Role

16:13 Leadership Growing Pains

19:42 Accountability Processes

23:33 Advice Both Generations

25:29 Patience With Equity

27:05 No One Size Fits All

29:07 Conference Details Wrap

325 | Farm Forward: Insights from Tommy Oesch on Succession Success Mar 21, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we are featuring a throwback interview with Michigan dairyman, Tommy Oesch of Swisslane Farms about generational transition challenges, including older owners holding control, the growing financial scale of dairies, and the need for next-generation members to work elsewhere and succeed before returning. Tommy shares his path from MSU to leaving the farm for a feed sales career, then returning in 2011 for lower pay to help manage growth, including building a 500-cow robot dairy. He describes using consultants, advisors, core values, and buy-sell planning to structure ownership, reduce senior wages to enable management transition, and navigate leadership mistakes.

Join us for the Farm Forward Conference

Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center

7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI

00:00 Introduction and Conference Announcement
01:04 Generational Transition Challenges
03:06 Preparing the Next Generation
05:44 Tommy's Early Career Journey
07:03 Learning the Feed Business
08:17 The Hard Decision to Return
10:48 Realizing Career Opportunities
11:51 Senior Generation's Perspective
14:57 Creating the Succession Plan
16:27 Building the Robot Dairy Together
19:45 Developing Core Values
23:27 Structuring the Buyout
25:01 Difficult Ownership Decisions
25:43 Lessons from Leadership Transition
26:39 Farm Forward Conference Details

324 | Farm Forward: How to Have Hard Conversations with Kristy Pagel Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we are gearing up for the Farm Forward Conference on March 27 with Kristy Pagel of Leading Edge Consulting speaking on navigating difficult conversations. This conversation previews Kristy's guidance for managers who avoid confrontation, emphasizing that hard conversations can strengthen bonds and improve retention. She outlines starting with root-cause identification, fact gathering, and objective measures, and shares an employee analyzer matrix (head/skills, heart/passion, capacity/time) plus an added column on willingness to reinvest with a timeframe, sometimes having employees self-assess. Kristy coaches three mindset skills—confidence, active listening, and forward-looking outcomes—and notes common sticking points are initial courage and follow-up.

Join us for the Farm Forward Conference

Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center

7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI

00:00 Farm Forward Invite

01:11 Why Hard Talks Matter

02:21 Find the Root Cause

03:19 Employee Analyzer Tool

04:46 Reinvest or Reassign

08:05 Manager Mindset Trio

10:38 Forward Looking Plans

11:58 Where People Get Stuck

13:36 Uplevel Five Q and A

19:09 Wrap Up and Contact

323 | Farm Forward: Navigating Family Farm Transition Planning with Will McKinley Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

This episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast re-shares a conversation with Will McKinley, president of Menn Law, about legal realities of family farm transition and succession planning and common mistakes when families wait too long. The discussion focuses on why transition planning stalls, macro delays tied to reluctance to “retire” and the cyclical nature of farming, and micro stalls during multi-meeting planning, plus the value of scheduling, on-farm meetings, and mediation to address misunderstandings, confrontation avoidance, and ownership qualifications. The episode also promotes the Farm Forward Conference on March 27, 2026 at Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center in Newton, Wisconsin, featuring expert training and a transition panel including Will McKinley.

Join us for the Farm Forward Conference

Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center

7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI

00:00 Why Plans Fail

00:25 Farm Forward Conference

01:06 Meet Will McKinley

02:36 Menn Law and Tuig Merger

05:48 Will’s Farm Roots

08:00 Outside Industry Lessons

10:08 Learning from George Tuig

12:35 Why Transitions Stall