Training Sessions
Presenters and topics by week, with a brief description of each day's episode topic and featured presenter(s):
Week 151: Grazing Practices, Robotic Calf Feeders & Dairy Policy: (watch now)
Tuesday, March 21
Elevate soil health and bottom line by grazing dairy heifers. Tune in for a discussion of best practices that will deliver benefits for your animals and land.
- Jason Cavadini, Grazing Specialist and Certified Professional Agronomist, UW-Madison Extension
Considering robotic calf feeders? Join this panel discussion of dairy producers who will share their experiences, including pros, cons and what they would do differently.
- Amy Penterman, Manager, Dutch Dairy LLC
- Jordan Ebert, Ebert Enterprise
Learn about the latest happenings in dairy policy at the national level and what industry leaders will be watching for the rest of 2023. Episode presenter will be:
- Jim Mulhern, President & CEO, National Milk Producers Federation
Week 150: Tax Strategies, Water Quality & Renewable Energy: (watch now)
Tuesday, March 7
Tune in for a forward-thinking discussion on tax strategies to consider for your farming operation now and in coming years. Marissa Nehlsen will review tax codes and discuss the estate tax exemption level due to expire in 2025 and how that should impact your business and transition planning now.
- Marissa Nehlsen, money and business strategist, certified speaker and coach
As you’re planning for the 2023 growing season, hear about the latest research at UW-Discovery Farms on practices that can deliver benefits for your land, productivity and water quality.
- Amber Radatz, Agricultural Water Quality Program Manager, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
Join this episode for an attorney’s perspective on the ins and outs of renewable energy contracts, including what producers should know, what to be mindful of and understanding the length of contract commitments and expectations.
- Troy Schneider, Partner and Attorney at Twohig, Rietbrock, Schneider & Halbach Law Office
Week 149: Heart Health, Calf Care and Milk Replacer: (watch now)
Tuesday, February 28
February is American Heart Month, so it’s fitting to wrap up the month with a discussion on lifestyle alterations to keep the heart healthy. Join in for practical tips and recommendations to share with employees and family members.
- Jeffrey VanWormer, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute
Learn about D-Lactic acidosis in neonatal calves, including the causes, symptoms and treatment, as well as a general discussion on sick-calf care and management practices.
- Tom Earleywine, Ph.D., Milk Replacer Director of Nutritional Services with Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Solutions
Milk replacer is a critical part of calf care; understand how to read labels and recognize the various fat and protein sources as well as the pros and cons of different formulations.
- Liz Cox, MS, DVM, Animal Care Program Manager, California Department of Food and Agriculture
Week 148: Crop Insurance, Stress Response and Silage Management: (watch now)
Tuesday, February 21
With the 2023 growing season just around the corner, now’s the time to research best practices for managing risk with available crop insurance tools.
- Aaron Gransee, Ag Insurance Team Lead, Nicolet National Bank
Stressful events can have multiple effects in dairy cattle. Learn more about how responses to stress can impact cows’ gut health and how using nutritional supplements can reduce negative effects.
- Dr. Nicole Burdick Sanchez, PhD, Research Animal Scientist, Livestock Issues Research Unit, USDA-ARS
Tune in to hear a final analysis of the 2022 silage season and start a conversation about management practices and opportunities for the upcoming season. Start planning now to make the most of next year’s silage crop.
- Dr. John Goeser, PhD, Director of Nutritional Research & Innovation, Rock River Lab, Inc., and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Todd Schaumburg, Part Owner and Agronomist, Tilth Agronomy
Week 147: Dairy Retail Trends, Mental Health & Market News: (watch now)
Tuesday, February 14
Hear about the trends and changes in the dairy retail space in 2022 as well as what’s ahead in 2023. The discussion will also include a review of consumer buying habits, what supply and demand look like and how inflation has impacted dairy pricing. Episode presenters will be:
- Chad Vincent, CEO, Dairy Famers of Wisconsin
- Brandon Scholz, President and CEO, Wisconsin Grocers Association
Winter can be an especially challenging time for those struggling with mental health issues. Join this interactive discussion on mental health in agriculture, including signs to look for and options for helping individuals. Episode presenter will be:
- Alison Kepner, Financial Officer, Compeer Financial
With the first month of 2023 under our belts, what are the economic, market and demand trends that will impact dairy markets this year? Tune in for the latest news and analysis in this economic update. Episode presenter will be:
- Dan Basse, President, AgResource Company
Week 146: Interseeding Crops, Social Media Tips & Genomics: (watch now)
Tuesday, February 7
Curious about interseeding as an option for your farm? Tune in to hear an assessment of the 2022 interseeding season, including what worked and what didn’t, comparisons of applications in grain and silage crops, cover crop biomass tests and the impact of dry weather in June. Episode presenter will be:
- Matthew Oehmichen, Part-Owner of Short Lane Ag Supply
Hear tips and recommendations to effectively tell your farm’s story on social media, including choosing the right platform, breaking through the clutter and keeping things simple. Episode presenter will be:
- Kallie Coates, Owner, Briar Marketing
We’ll take a deep dive into genomics in this interactive discussion. Learn about the improvements we’re seeing as a result of genomics work and what’s on the horizon. Episode presenter will be:
- Dr. Kent Weigel, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Week 145: Financial Outlook, Contract Reviews and Discussions: (watch now)
Tuesday, January 31
As we wrap up the first month of 2023, we’ll take a look at expenses and costs of production compared to projections for 2023, with a focus on how inflation will impact dairy operations in the year ahead. Episode presenters will be:
- Gary Sipiorski, independent business and financial consultant
- Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, PhD, Professor of Agribusiness at UW-Platteville School of Agriculture and Farm Management Specialist with UW-Extension and Center for Dairy Profitability
Tune in for a discussion on reviewing contracts. Hear a review of what both parties should be mindful of before signing a lease or other contract, and some common watchouts. Episode presenter will be:
- Troy Schneider, Partner and Attorney at Twohig, Rietbrock, Schneider & Halbach Law Office
How do you prepare for and handle difficult discussions with employees? Learn strategies to manage these conversations in a way that leads to positive results and culture on your farm. Episode presenter will be:
- Michael Hoffman, President, Igniting Performance
Week 144: Communications Skills and Calf Care : (watch now)
Tuesday, January 24
Effectively communicating and resolving conflicts between current and incoming generations of leadership is key to business transition success. Tune in for a discussion of best practices, with a focus on providing constructive feedback and navigating challenging conversations.
- Nicole Bettinger Zeidler, Consultant, Family Business Consulting Group
How does your calf care team’s cleaning and sanitizing protocol need to change when temperatures drop below freezing? Learn about which adjustments need to be made so both calves and people stay safe and healthy during winter months.
- Dr. Don Sockett, Epidemiologist/Microbiologist at Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Understand how clostridium type A impacts calves, from how it develops to how it is detected and managed during this interactive discussion. Dr. Lauer will also highlight “The five Cs of calf care protocol."
- Dr. Vicky Lauer, Professional Services Veterinarian, Armor Animal Health
Week 143: Transition Cow,Bedding Management,Food System Research: (watch now)
Tuesday, January 17
Tune in for a “fact or fiction” episode focused on transition-cow management with an interactive discussion on some of the most common assumptions about cows during this critical period.
- Dr. Ryan Pralle, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Agriculture University of Wisconsin Platteville
Bedding types and management have a significant impact on bacteria counts, mastitis risk and milk quality. Learn how to benchmark bacteria counts in bedding materials and improve management to reduce mastitis risk.
- Dr. Sandra Godden, DVM, PhD, Professor, Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota
What does the food chain expect from dairy producers? How can dairy producers be Future Ready™? Hear the results of qualitative research with leaders up the chain in our food system to understand what sustainability looks like to partners now and in the future.
- Linda Wenck, Principal, Director of Sustainable Food & Consumer Communications, MorganMyers
- Shelly Mayer, Executive Director, Professional Dairy Producers
Week 142: Calf Social Housing, Insurance Coverage & Health Goals: (watch now)
Tuesday, January 10
As adoption of social housing of calves continues to expand across the industry, new methods and questions arise. Tune in for an interactive discussion of the challenges and opportunities of the practice, specifically focusing on practices that optimize calf behavior, nutrition and management in these systems.
- Dr. Trevor DeVries, Ph.D., Professor and Canada Research Chair, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph
January is an ideal time to review your insurance coverage for farm and other policies. Learn how to prevent yourself from being under-insured or over-insured, and understand the risks of both scenarios.
- Sara Grade, Products and Product Training Manager, Rural Mutual Insurance Company
Kickstart your wellness journey with a discussion of how to set, measure and meet your health goals, and how to get back on the bandwagon after a setback.
- Morgan Ekovich, Owner and Head Trainer, Get Fit with ME LLC