Join host Matti McBride as she chats with dairy producer Erica Hermonot in this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast. Learn about Hermonot’s dairy, operating a farm store, welcoming kids to the farm each year and hosting the local county fair birthing center. Hermonot also touches on the importance of community outreach for dairy producers. Listen to learn more.

Episode breakdown:

• 1:00 – Rapid-fire questions
• 2:40 – Fairhom Farm
• 5:30 – Farm store
• 8:40 – Kids camp
• 12:50 – Adding value to Fairholm Farm
• 14:15 – Interesting questions Erica has been asked
• 15:00 – Managing the birthing center at local county fair
• 21:30 – Traits Fairhom Farm selects for, how they maintain longevity in herd
• 27:50 – Describing modern dairy technology to consumers
• 30:30 – Advice for others interested in agritourism

Every day, dairy producers balance countless decisions across people, cows and operations. As technology continues to evolve, the challenge isn't access to information. It's knowing what matters most and what action to take next. In this episode, Mark Moran and Jennifer Stamey of VAS join Walt Cooley of Progressive Dairy to discuss how connected systems can help bring clarity to complex operations, support more confident decision-making and unlock new opportunities for the future of dairy management. From predictive insights and automation to creating the context needed for better decisions, the conversation explores what's next for the modern dairy.

Show Highlights: 

• 02:47 | Dairy has more data than ever. Now what?
• 04:48 | The gap between data collection and decision making
• 13:02 | Why connected systems matter on today’s dairy 
• 18:06 | Using technology to anticipate change on the dairy 
• 23:28 | Building the team, technology and strategy for the future

Mark Moran, PhD, SM, MBA, serves as Chief Product and Technology Officer at VAS, bringing more than two decades of experience in agtech spanning information technology, manufacturing, marketing, product engineering and emerging technology. He has spent most of the last decade focused on AI, Mobile, Cloud, IoT and autonomous systems. Throughout his career, he has led teams focused on innovation, connected systems and digital transformation. At VAS, Mark helps guide the company's product and technology strategy with a focus on delivering practical solutions that help dairy producers operate with greater confidence, efficiency and insight.

Jennifer Stamey, PhD, is a Senior Product Manager at VAS with a background spanning dairy nutrition, herd management and dairy technology. Before moving into product management, Jennifer worked closely with producers and consultants to help dairies use data to improve decision-making and operational performance. Today, she helps shape the future of herd management software at VAS, combining practical dairy experience with a deep understanding of the technologies that support modern dairy operations.

Walt Cooley, MBA, served as editor-in-chief of the industry-leading publication Progressive Dairy (www.progressivedairy.com) for 16 years. He is still a contributing editor to the magazine and now serves as vice president of publishing. Additionally, he is the founder and editor of The Cow Tech Report (www.cowtechreport.com), a global newsletter covering emerging technologies for cows. He is a learner and futurist passionate about technology and its application for farms and livestock.

This episode is sponsored by VAS.

VAS is a global leader in dairy management software and the company behind DairyComp, the industry's trusted herd management platform. For more than 40 years, VAS has helped producers collect, connect and act on their farm data with insights that support confident management decisions. Visit VAS.com to learn more.

Join host Matti McBride on this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast as she chats with California dairy producer Stephen Mast. Learn more about Mast’s dairy, priorities for his herd, how he mates cows and what he is excited about with the August 2026 bull proofs.

Episode breakdown:

• 1:20 – Rapid-fire questions
• 4:20 – Mast’s dairy and background
• 8:15 – Maintaining the dairy footprint
• 14:45 – Repro protocol
• 28:25 – August 2026 proofs and what Mast is excited about
• 35:40 – Balance and longevity – the modern dairy cow
• 45:40 – “There’s a bull for everyone”

Dr. Joe Armstrong, Zoetis Dairy Technical Services Veterinarian, joins the Progressive Dairy Podcast to discuss trends in calf wellness and the importance of a comprehensive approach to disease management. Armstrong shares the compounding cost of calfhood disease and a specific threat that calf care teams need to be on the lookout for, Mycoplasma bovis (M. Bovis). M. bovis can create the perfect storm for chronic BRD cases and can be frustrating for dairies to manage. He shares common misconceptions, management strategies, preventative solutions, and more.

This episode is sponsored by Zoetis.

As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is dedicated to helping producers achieve healthy animals, healthy dairies and healthy food through their world-class portfolio. For more information, visit ⁠DairyWellness.com.

In this episode of Your Dairy Checkoff Podcast, economist Dr. Oral Capps of Texas A&M University breaks down more than a decade of independent research measuring the impact of the dairy checkoff. Speaking from the 2025 Joint Annual Meeting, Dr. Capps shares how checkoff investments across food service partnerships, fluid milk innovation, whole-fat dairy science and exports are delivering strong, measurable returns for U.S. dairy farmers.

He explains the rigorous, peer-reviewed process behind his analysis, the role of third-party credibility and why programs like lactose-free milk, whole milk, butter and product innovation have contributed to a turnaround in fluid milk consumption. Dr. Capps also offers a farmer-focused perspective on what the checkoff means for the all-milk price and what the industry could look like without these efforts.

This is a revealing look at the data, the methodology and the real-world outcomes demonstrating that checkoff investments are paying off—and strengthening dairy’s future.

Host: Scott Wallin, Vice President of Farmer Communications & Media Relations, Dairy Management Inc.

Guest: Dr. Oral Capps, Executive & Regents Professor, Texas A & M University

This episode is sponsored by Dairy Management Inc.

This is episode 44 on the Your Dairy Checkoff Podcast.

Is your dairy farm prepared for a fire, natural disaster or another type of emergency? Does your team know what to do? Join host Kimmi Devaney and Dan Rice from Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company for a discussion about the first steps a dairy farm should take, how to develop contingency plans, and tips to build proactive relationships with first responders that will save precious minutes when the unthinkable happens.

Episode overview:

• [~1:25] Another definition of risk management for dairy farms
• [~1:45] Rice’s background and role at Nationwide
• [~2:55] Top dairy-related claims
• [~4:10] Newer risks to keep in mind
• [~5:30] How many dairy farms have any type of emergency plan in place?
• [~6:15] First steps when developing an emergency plan
• [~7:35] What is a contingency plan, and how do producers know what they need a contingency plan for? 
• [~9:45] What to include on the list of emergency numbers and where to post it
• [~12:00] How to make an emergency call
• [~13:00] Tips to build proactive relationships with the fire department and first responders 
• [~12:15] Who is responsible for the plan/parts of the plan? (Cows, employees, media, first responders, etc.) 
• [~17:00] Tips for handling media during a crisis
• [~19:50] Preparing for an emergency
• [~20:20] Follow-up steps after an emergency
• [~20:50] Communicating the plan to the team/how to involve them in this process 
• [~23:20] Other contingency plans
• [~29:45] More ideas of what to include on the list of emergency numbers
• [~31:10] Available resources
• [~31:30] Questions dairy producers should ask their insurance agent related to emergency planning and risk management
• [~35:45] Rapid-fire questions

Dr. Todd Bilby, Director of Dairy Technical Services at Merck Animal Health, and sales rep Josh Churchwell discuss the real cost of poor reproductive management on the dairy. They cover what makes ESTRUMATE® (cloprostenol injection) uniquely effective, how SenseHub® Dairy monitoring technology can combine with hormones for greater repro rates and why the Merck Animal Health partnership is so valuable. If you’re looking to tighten your repro program and improve herd profitability, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights:

• The real cost of poor reproduction
• Why ESTRUMATE® outperforms
• How the M-Power approach elevates dairies

This episode is sponsored by Merck Animal Health.

With identification, monitoring and biopharma products fully integrated in one portfolio, Merck Animal Health offers the only true full-solution approach in the dairy industry. Which means you get the tools you need to eliminate guesswork, solve specific problems, let cows be cows and put more milk in the tank. It’s the way you want to work, working better than ever before. Learn more about this unique approach to dairy at M-Power-Dairy.com.

Important Safety Information

ESTRUMATE: Do not administer ESTRUMATE to a pregnant cow unless abortion is desired. Severe localized post-injection clostridial infections have been reported; in rare instances infection has led to death. Women of childbearing age, asthmatics, and persons with respiratory problems should exercise extreme caution when handling ESTRUMATE. ESTRUMATE is readily absorbed through the skin and can cause abortion and/or bronchospasms; direct contact with the skin should be avoided, and accidental spillage on the skin should be washed off immediately with soap and water. For complete safety information, refer to the product label.

Incorporating high-oleic soybeans in your dairy ration is gaining interest. Join us as we talk with dairy consultant Dr. Lynn Davis about the key considerations for dairy producers and nutritionists looking to implement this feed source. We will compare the logistics of growing versus buying beans and address regional availability. The discussion also covers essential quality control steps for on-farm or commercial roasting, strategies for replacing traditional fat and bypass protein sources, and the potential impacts on energy density as well as income over feed costs (IOFC).

For more information to evaluate high-oleic soybeans, visit https://can.ussoy.org/high-oleic

Episode breakdown:

• 00:00 - 3:09 | Why the buzz around high-oleic soybeans?  
• 03:10 - 4:15 | What to consider when implementing high-oleic soybeans – starting with buying or growing high-oleic soybeans.
• 4:16 - 6:57 | What are the land, storage and equipment considerations for growing high-oleic soybeans?
• 6:58 - 8:12 | If sourcing high-oleic soybeans: what do dairy producers need to think about?
• 8:13 - 12:04 | Why roasting is a critical factor to the benefits of high-oleic soybeans and three steps to help with quality control.
• 12:05 - 14:45 | Feeding considerations - what ingredients will be replaced by high-oleic soybeans and how to determine the feeding rate. 
• 14:46 - 16:28 | How the price of soybean oil affects the implementation of high-oleic soybeans.
• 16:29 - 17:57 | The benefits and overall returns when implementing high-oleic soybeans.
• 17:58 - 21:17 | Where to learn more and the first step for dairy producers and nutritionists to take in implementing high-oleic soybeans.

This episode is sponsored by U.S. Soy.

U.S. Soy provides technical and practical resources to dairy nutritionists, producers, and others in the ag value chain. U.S. Soy is committed to working toward durable, long-term demand in the dairy industry by investing in needed research and education.

Brought to you by U.S. Soy. Fully funded by the Soy Checkoff.

 Success in today’s dairy industry requires aligning genetics, management, and market demands. In this episode, our industry partners share how they help producers integrate Simplot Animal Sciences’ SimVitro IVF embryos into daily operations to help producers drive consistency, adapt to changing markets and create long-term profitability across diverse regions and customer needs.

This episode is sponsored by Simplot Animal Sciences.

Join Brad Guse from BMO and host Kimmi Devaney for a discussion about what sets excellent dairy producers apart from the rest. Learn which financial metrics they focus on, risk management strategies and how they build a great team culture while fine-tuning their own leadership skills.

Here is an episode overview.

• [~2:10] The financial metrics that excellent dairy producers focus on
• [~5:50] The role high beef prices play and how it has influenced dairy financials 
• [~7:15] How risk management can make a huge difference for dairy operations
• [~8:35] How culture and leadership impact profitability
• [~9:55] Examples of how successful dairies build a productive team culture
• [~12:30] Characteristics of great leaders
• [~14:05] Tips to improve overall communication between all levels of employees
• [~17:25] Steps to grow your leadership skills
• [~19:05] The types of questions excellent dairy producers are asking their advisers 
• [~21:15] What causes an A player to fall into the C category?
• [~24:55] How someone can move from being a C player to an A player faster
• [~26:30] How peer groups and advisory boards can help producers identify and improve their blind spots
• [~28:20] Qualities to look for when assembling a peer group
• [~32:20] Outlook for the remainder of 2026
• [~38:20] Rapid-fire questions