Today we are catching up with a member of Team USA - the 2x Olympian who just placed 8th in the women’s 1500 m at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, France. Olympic runner isn’t her only title. She is also a dairy farmer, alongside her husband Jamie, and his family at Pleasant Valley Farms in Vermont, where they are raising their little farm boy, Ivan. 

We’re catching up with Elle Purrier St. Pierre on setting records after becoming a mom, her most unforgettable moments from Paris, and life after the Olympics, back on the farm.

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/

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In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy podcast, host Peggy Coffeen sits down with Chris Szydel, the Herd Manager at Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy. Chris shares his journey and insights into how advanced technologies are revolutionizing dairy farming. From automated systems to track cow health and performance to integration tools that streamline operations, the episode delves into how these technologies are not only improving cow care but also enhancing efficiency and profitability.

The conversation covers a range of dairy technologies, including DairyComp, Nedap cow collars, and Valley Ag Software, emphasizing how these tools collectively contribute to a more organized and efficient dairy operation. Chris highlights the benefits of the Nedap Smart Sort Gate, which has drastically improved labor efficiency and cow care by automating the identification and sorting of cows. This episode is a must-listen for dairy farm owners, managers, and advisors aiming to adopt a high-performance mindset and leverage cutting-edge technologies to propel their operations forward.

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 2024 or catch past episodes in this series below!

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Welcome to the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, hosted by Peggy Coffeen. In this insightful episode, Peggy visits Woldt Family Farms in Brillion, Wisconsin, as they prepare for their virtual farm tour at the World Dairy Expo. Joining her is Pauly Paul from Complete Management Consulting, who shares his expertise on how he helped take Woldt Family Farms from good to great.

In this episode, you will hear about the transformative changes implemented at Woldt Family Farms. Pauly discusses how his team managed to run 200 more cows through the milking parlor daily without adding extra labor. Discover the significant reduction in fresh cow treatments from 40% to 5%, achieved through improved employee engagement and streamlined procedures. Pauly's hands-on, boots-on-the-ground approach is highlighted as crucial to these successes, illustrating crucial aspects of parlor efficiency and fresh cow management.

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If you are heading to the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, next week, I want to invite you to a few Uplevel Dairy LIVE events!

For a little sneak peek behind the scenes of this and more at WDE, make sure to follow UPlevel Dairy on FB or IG to see my stories!

Here's a complete rundown of all the must-attend sessions and panels we're hosting:

National Dairy Shrine Young Professionals Luncheon

Join me as I chat with Nick Randle, Rachel (Coyne) Kurth, and Jared Duppengiesser about Taking the Next Steps in Your Professional Dairy Career.

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfM2XjqPTbJjwjKzMdqvzieCOCxCZL1j-xnyuc7EHpHzNAidw/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawFassRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHVP0hJEWgwm_UayuzSEL0OaMr8Ohh_m3cyNYpFel9MT5hjnEK9hUxHU46g_aem_hMul91SeqqV9FHN8YABu5g

Tanbark Talk with Compeer

Securing the Future: A candid conversation about dairy farm transition planning.

Sponsored by: Compeer Financial

Panelists: The Oeschner Family; Steve Schweoer, Compeer Financial; Jared Holt, Ascent Financial.

Join us live or virtually here: https://compeer.com/WorldDairyExpo2024.html

Bonus: Attendees at the Tandbark will receive a free grilled cheese coupon courtesy of Compeer!

Exclusive Insights: H5N1 Biosecurity and Management Strategies for Dairy Farms

In this session, we are exploring how to address current H5N1 challenges to the industry with best practices for mitigating risk and preparing for the future.

In partnership with FARM.

Virtual Farm Tour of Woldt Farms

Featuring Woldt Family Farms & Sponsored by Complete Management Consulting LLC.

Good to Great: How This Dairy Crushed Their Goals for Improved Efficiency and Profitability with the assistance of Complete Management Consulting.

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In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, host Peggy Coffeen dives into the current landscape of dairy markets with Curtis Bosma from HighGround Dairy. The episode starts by giving listeners an overview of recent trends in dairy futures, including notable gains in Class III and Class IV prices and the implications for dairy producers. Curtis shares insights on the influence of managed money in the commodity markets and what this indicates about future market movements.Throughout the episode, Curtis discusses the critical impact of diseases such as the Blue Tongue virus in Europe and the H5N1 avian influenza in California. He highlights how these events affect global and local dairy production and what dairy farmers need to watch for regarding their milk supply and pricing. Curtis also offers advice on how dairy producers can navigate these tumultuous times by leveraging risk management strategies.The episode wraps up with an in-depth conversation about valuing corn silage, especially during the current harvest season. Curtis breaks down the various factors that should be considered, from managing shrinkage to understanding the financial implications of either growing or purchasing corn silage. This timely discussion is aimed at helping dairy farmers make informed decisions about their feed strategy to ensure financial stability and operational efficiency.

Grab your September Market Report Here:  https://marketing.highgrounddairy.com/producer-market-update-september-2024.

Information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes and is not a solicitation to buy or sell commodities.  Opinions expressed are current opinions as of September 18, 2024 at 10 a.m. CST and only represent the views of the speaker and not those of HighGround Trading, unless otherwise expressly noted.

World Dairy Expo Sneak Peak! This episode is a preview of the Tanbark Talk, “Securing the Future: A candid conversation about dairy farm transition planning”, coming up Oct. 1, 9-11 a.m. 

Sponsored by Compeer Financial, you can join us live in the Tanbark, or join us through the virtual live stream, to hear from the Oeschner family, as well as Steve Schweoer from Compeer and Jared Holt from Ascent Financial.

Business consultant Jared Holt  joins us today to share stories and strategies from the field, from working with the Oeschners and other farm families to successfully transition their businesses from one generation to the next.

Join us at World Dairy Expo for this Tanbark Talk:

“Securing the Future: A candid conversation about dairy farm transition planning”

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 9 a.m. to 11 am., in the Tanbark

Hosted by: Peggy Coffeen, Uplevel Dairy Podcast

Sponsored by: Compeer Financial

Panelists: The Oeschner Family; Steve Schweoer, Compeer Financial; Jared Holt, Ascent Financial.

Tune in LIVE virtually!

Register now: Compeer.com/WDE2024

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If you are wondering how proposed changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order could impact your milk check, or perhaps you have asked yourself, would we be better off without a federal order system altogether?  

Well, today we are taking an in-depth look at making allowances, component changes, and the logistical and financial implications of these recommendations.

Our guest today is Sara Dorland. As managing partner with Ceres Risk Management, she joins us to share her insights on the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) hearings, emphasizing five priority items impacting milk markets and your future milk check.

Based in Sun Valley, Idaho, Sara brings 25 years of studying milk markets and assisting dairy producers and manufacturers with market education, forecasts, and risk management. Her background includes serving as the director of risk management for Darigold, Inc. the fourth-largest dairy cooperative in the United States. 

In fact, she has lived through the dissolution of the federal order system in parts of  Utah and Idaho. 

Get ready to hear about this and more with Sara Dorland.

Show Notes:

Join us at World Dairy Expo for this Tanbark Talk:

“Securing the Future: A candid conversation about dairy farm transition planning”

Sponsored by: Compeer Financial

Panelists: The Oeschner Family; Steve Schweoer, Compeer Financial; Jared Holt, Ascent Financial.

Tune in LIVE virtually! Register now: Compeer.com/WDE2024

Featured guest:

The 60-day comment period ends on September 13th. Make your comments and find more information here.

This episode is sponsored by Compeer Financial.

Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural America. Our dairy team brings world-class expertise and tailored solutions to support dairy producers’ financial goals and lending needs.

For more information, contact the Compeer Dairy Industry Experts .  

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In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy podcast, host Peggy Coffeen sits down with Lexie Nunes, a dynamic young professional in the dairy industry, for the Young Leaders series. Lexie shares her journey from her beginnings on a family dairy farm in Central California to her role as a Customer Support Specialist at Milc Group. Lexie’s story began as a reluctant participant in dairy judging, pushed by her mother, which eventually led to her becoming an All-American dairy judge at World Dairy Expo. Throughout her career, Lexie has gathered extensive experience from working in hands-on roles at ST Genetics to now supporting dairy producers with advanced herd management systems.

Lexie recounts her adventures that have taken her from California to Ohio, then Texas, and back, noting how dairy judging opened doors to various opportunities. She emphasizes the importance of communication skills developed through judging and the invaluable experiences she gained during her collegiate and professional life. Lexie also highlights the major challenges she faced, particularly the intimidation of entering the dairy industry as a young professional and the importance of seeking help and staying open to growth. This episode offers rich insights into the career of a young professional making significant contributions to the dairy industry.

Are you a young professional or college student who is looking to make connections and hear stories of others and their paths to successful careers in dairy? If so, I have a special invitation for you:

Join me at World Dairy Expo in Madison WI on Monday, Sept 30 for the National Dairy Shrine and Young Professionals Luncheon and Career Connection to hear a panel of three young professionals who will share their experiences and how you can prepare for your next steps in the dairy industry. This panel features Rachel Kurth, MILC Group, Jared Dueppengiesser, Acepsis and Nick Randle, Zoetis. 

Reserve your spot here:

https://forms.gle/nrvTQDpn91my6Vgb6

Freedom. Who doesn’t want more of that? 

A phone that rings less.

Fewer fires to put out.

A team you can trust to take care of things as if it were their own, so that you can focus on the tasks and plans that move your business forward.

My guest today not only values freedom, but fights for it, as a major in the South Dakota National Guard. And he’s taken what he has learned about leadership to empower his team to solve problems, make sound decisions and take ownership of the operation. 

I met up with Nick Vander Weerd, CFO of Pleasant Dutch Dairy in Brookings, South Dakota, to find out how he relates his 25 years of military experience to the leadership strategies implemented at the dairy, hear it right here on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast.

Nick shares how he empowers employees by training them to be decision-makers at all levels and giving them the tools to solve problems that save time and money - in fact, one you will hear him talk about is ,Milc Pulse from the Milc Group - a pulsation monitoring technology that changed the game at Pleasant Dutch Dairy.

And,Nick discusses the future of the dairy industry in South Dakota, how he manages risk, and his personal philosophy of resilience, positivity, and continuous improvement.

This episode is sponsored in partnership with the Milc Group.

Milc Group is a dairy software company that brings real-time, actionable data to dairy farms across the world by revolutionizing the dairy industry with user-friendly cloud-based software. ONE™ by Milc Group is the all-in-one app that brings together all the important aspects of your dairy in one place. 

Heading to WDE? Learn what the future of dairy software looks like with Milc Group at World Dairy Expo. Milc Group will be in the Exhibition Hall all week long at booth 4323. Go see for yourself all the solutions they have to offer when it comes to managing your dairy. Their cloud-based software brings all the important aspects of your dairy into ONE easy-to-use app. 

Subscribe to Uplevel Dairy Podcast on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClQ6xQHZ0A1vqHKjRkbtJJA⁠

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We catch up with Young Leader Brianna Meyer at Siemers Holsteins in Newton, Wis., just days after completing her summer internship at this newly built facility.

Find out how she expanded her skills from the 130-cow robot dairy she grew up on in Chilton, Wis., to integrating with a high-performing team on a 5,500-cow dairy, and how these experiences have prompted this aspiring large animal veterinarian to head into her sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a burning desire to grasp every opportunity to learn, grow and push herself to bring the highest value to her future veterinary clients.

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/