Training Sessions
Presenters and topics by week, with a brief description of each day's episode topic and featured presenter(s):
Week 56: (watch now)
Tuesday, May 4
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Learn how farmers can reduce stress to combat mental health issues and why a healthy diet along with plenty of rest plays a role in overall mental health. Tune in to hear the latest research on farm adolescence and mental health.
- Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND, Founder and President of Farmer’s Daughter Consulting
- Josie M. Rudolphi, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Farmstead cheese operations are beginning to populate the countryside. As we celebrate American Cheese Month, hear the story of these entrepreneurs and managers as they share their experiences establishing and maintaining their businesses, from quality control to traceability.
- Jake Feltz, Manager of Feltz’s Dairy Store
- Ben Shibler, Cheese Manager and Head Cheesemaker at Ponderosa Farmstead
- Alise Sjostrom, Co-Owner/Head Cheesemaker at Redhead Creamery and Co-Owner at Jer-Lindy Farms
Ultrasounding allows you to look at calf lungs for evidence of damage from calfhood pneumonia and provides information quickly. Discover how ultrasounding works and why it’s a beneficial tool for dairy producers.
- Dr. Jason Kroll, Livestock Veterinarian at Lodi Veterinary Care
- Sherri Meinholz, General Manager at Blue Star Dairy Farms
Week 55: (watch now)
Tuesday, April 27
Learn the basic components of an effective nutrient management plan and other considerations when working with tile drainage.
- Dennis Frame, owner of Timber Ridge Consulting
- Eric Cooley, Co-Director of Discovery Farms
Paired calf housing is becoming a more popular way to raise calves. Learn from two calf managers how they have successfully incorporated the “buddy system” into their calf operation.
- Laura Raatz, Herd Manager and Calf Manager, Wagner Farms, Inc., Cecil, Wis.
- Christine Bender, Owner/Herd Manager, McFarlandale Dairy LLC, Watertown, Wis.
Hear the latest news and analysis of agricultural markets and trends that will impact dairy producers and ag industry.
- Dan Basse, Economist and President of AgResource Company
Week 54: (watch now)
Tuesday, April 20
Proper manure management is important to help protect the environment and increase farm profitability. Hear about best practices for managing manure and key steps to take if a manure spill occurs.
- Kevin Erb, Director of the Conservation Professional Training Program for UW-Madison, Division of Extension
California passed a law requiring dairy farms to cut methane production by 40% by 2030. Learn how that state’s farmers have already reduced methane production by 25%.
- Dr. Frank Mitloehner, PhD, Professor and Air Quality Extension Specialist with the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis
Learn from a producer panel about their experiences in switching to a calf pasteurizer feeding system and how the new system fits into their operation.
- Yogi Brown, Sunburst Dairy, Belleville, Wis.
- Rosario Ibarra, Grotegut Dairy Farm, Inc., Newton, Wis.
- Heidi Fischer, Fischer-Clark Dairy Farm, LLC, Hatley, Wis.
Week 53: (watch now)
Tuesday, April 13
Tune in for a refresher on top safety concerns for the upcoming planting and growing season and learn what tasks are age-appropriate for youth helping on the farm.
- Cheryl A. Skjolaas, Agricultural Safety and Health Specialist, Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, UW-Madison/Division of Extension
- Marsha Salzwedel, Project Scientist at Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation/National Farm Medicine Center
Hear about the climate and weather trends that will influence spring planting and affect the 2021 growing season.
- Eric Snodgrass, Principal Atmospheric Scientist for Nutrien Ag Solutions
Hear the latest news and analysis of agricultural markets and trends that will impact dairy producers and the ag industry.
- Dan Basse, Economist and President of AgResource Company
Week 52: (watch now)
Tuesday, April 6
Robotic milking systems are becoming more common. Hear what producers have learned first-hand as they share their experiences with their robotic milking systems.
- Dan Venteicher, owner/manager, Honey Creek Dairy LLC
- Jared Feltz, co-owner, Feltz Family Farms & Dairy Store
- Dr. James Salfer, Extension Professor, Center for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Minnesota
Automatic calf feeders can be used as a tool to reduce labor and improve calf nutrition, but still come with challenges. Learn how two producers are managing their automated calf feeders for profitability.
- Zoey Nelson, COO of Brooks Farm 1855 LLC
- Heather Johnson, Calf Barn Manager, Alfalawn Farm
Tune in to learn more about the SCiO Cup used by consultants and some dairy producers on the farm to measure dry matter in haylage, corn silages, small grain silages and other feed ingredients within a few minutes.
- Terry Allen, North American Business Development Manager, Consumer Physics
- Dr. Luiz Ferraretto, Assistant Professor and Ruminant Nutrition Extension Specialist, UW-Madison
Week 51: (watch now)
Tuesday, March 30
Learn how the state of Wisconsin is investing in its agriculture economy and dairy farm families.
- Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers
- Randy Romanski, Secretary-Designee of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Learn the keys of an effective “stay” interview to understand what employees value most about their current role in your organization.
- Liz Griffith, Market Development, Human Resource Consultant, Encore Consultants
Hear the latest news and analysis of agricultural markets and trends that will impact dairy producers and the ag industry.
- Dan Basse, Economist and President of AgResource Company
Week 50: (watch now)
Tuesday, March 23
Take a step back and evaluate some of the risk management strategies dairy producers are utilizing to manage amid current market trends and conditions.
- Will Babler, Principal, Atten Babler Commodities LLC
Get the latest update on what’s happening on the national level and how it will affect the dairy industry.
- Paul Bleiberg, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, National Milk Producers Federation
Learn the benefits of cover crops and how they impact productivity and sustainability of the land.
- Matthew Oehmichen, part owner of Short Lane Ag Supply
- Peter Graff, dairy producer from Stetsonville, Wis.
Week 49: (watch now)
Tuesday, March 9
Hear about the “Dairy Dozen,” or the 12 key financial ratios that lenders follow that are easy for dairy producers to calculate and understand.
- Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, Professor of Agribusiness at UW-Platteville School of Agriculture and Farm Management Specialist with UW-Extension and Center for Dairy Profitability
- Gary Sipiorski, independent business and financial consultant
Learn about the latest on-farm research projects and resources available at Discovery Farms that may be applicable on your dairy operation.
- Amber Radatz, Co-Director of Discovery Farms
The amount of business and personal data producers share in cyberspace is ever increasing. Learn how to identify a potential risk or attack and develop a cybersecurity strategy for your business.
- Jeremy Cherny, Founder and President, Tobin Solutions
Week 48: (watch now)
Tuesday, March 2
Family and management should go hand-in-hand, but sometimes the same vision and values are not utilized. Learn how to determine if your family members are in the right management position and glean tips on how to restructure management roles.
- Liz Griffith, Market Development, Human Resource Consultant, Encore Consultants
Learn the latest on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, what phase dairy producers fall into and other vaccine-related questions.
- Jon Meiman, MD, Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist for Occupational and Environmental Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
- Lisa Olson, Assistant Deputy Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Hear about the latest Dairy Innovation Hub-funded projects and how they will affect the dairy industry.
- Mitch Breunig, dairy producer and chair of the Dairy Innovation Hub advisory council
- Dr. Heather White, PhD, Assistant Professor of Nutritional Physiology of UW-Madison
Week 47: (watch now)
Tuesday, February 23
The Center for Dairy Research is one of the premier dairy research centers in the United States. Find out what the research team is currently working on and what the dairy industry has to look forward to down the road.
- Dr. John Lucey, PhD, Director of Center for Dairy Research, Professor of Food Science at UW-Madison
Tune in to learn how we can best prepare the next generation of employees and managers for success by developing their leadership skills while managing everyone’s expectations.
- Nicole Bettinger Zeidler, Consultant, Family Business Consulting Group
Hear the latest news and analysis of agricultural markets and trends that will impact dairy producers and the ag industry.
- Dan Basse, Economist and President of AgResource Company