PHOTO SUBMITTED
Wendy and Forrest Briard gather in August 2024 at their farm near Frazee, Minnesota. The Briards were named the 2024 Outstanding Conserva�onist for East O�er Tail County.
Briards recognized for on-farm efforts
By Tiffany Klaphake
tiffany.k@dairystar.com
“All
FRAZEE, Minn. — On 2,000 acres of sandy ground, Forrest Briard has planted cover crops for the past 15 years, looking to make an impact on the ground where he irrigates and grows his harvest.
Briard, and his wife, Wendy, milk 120 cows near Frazee. They are also parents to 10 children and have 11 grandchildren. The Briards were named the 2024 Outstanding Conservationist for East Otter Tail County.
“We are very proud to receive this award and will continue to preserve the soil for the future,” Briard said. “We live in a unique area with this sand ground and every year you can see the top layer just get blown away. To receive this award reminds us that we are doing the right thing.”
The Briards have been working with the East Otter Tail County Soil and Water Conservation District for many years. In addition to utilizing cover crops on 90% of Briard’s crop ground, he also has installed buffer strips, and formed a nutrient management plan and
By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
OCONTO, Wis. — For as long as he can remember, Charlie Riewe has bled green and gold for his beloved Green Bay Packers. Attending the NFL Draft, hosted by the Packers last month, he said was like celebrating a family holiday.
“You feel like they are part of your family,” Riewe said. “It’s so ingrained, you feel so invested, it’s part of our culture. There’s no big fancy owner (of the Packers). The fans own the team. I bought my kids stock in the Packers the last time. We’re all shareholders. It’s our team.” Riewe and his brother,
Kenny, are the fourth generation to operate their farm near Oconto that has been in their family since 1915. The brothers milk 140 cows. They transitioned into ownership from their parents, Rick and Diane, two years ago.
The dairy farm is a 35-minute drive from Green Bay’s Lambeau Field.
“The rst season I really remember actively following through was in 1989, when we had Don Majkowski, the Majik Man,” Riewe said. “Then he got hurt and Favre came along — everyone just fell in love with Favre. He was like us. You just felt like he’d sit down and have a beer with you.”
By Amy Kyllo amy.k@star-pub.com
CALEDONIA, Minn. — Brothers Matt and Karl Hendel always wanted to dairy farm together.
“We grew up farming together in the sandbox and we never quit,” Matt Hendel said. “Farming together, we took our own areas and that was pretty good gig for both of us because we always had (each other’s) back.”
The Hendels started farming together in 1991. Last fall their partnership came to an end when Karl passed away in a farming accident. In the aftermath, Hendel has been implementing safety protocols and changes across the operation to protect from a tragedy again.
Caledonia, MN
Frazee, MN
• Automatic pump calculates the proper amount of water, cleanser, and disinfectant to fill the mat 24/7.
• High quality mat placed at the exit of the robot or parlor to deliver fresh treatment for each cow
• Cleans and conditions hooves to promote overall hoof health.
• Skin care for healthy claws
• Ensures good adhesion to the claw
• pH-neutral
• Contains natural extracts (propolis)
• Optimised for the MS AutoHoofClean System
• Environmentally friendly
Rye grows Apirl 29 in one of Forrest Briard’s els near Frazee, Minnesota. Briard uses rye as a cover crop because it can withstand the northern Minnesota climate.
a manure management plan.
“It took about 5-7 years to see the results, so we weren’t sure what we were getting ourselves into,” Briard said. “But the last 5-8 years of doing this, I am a rm believer in (cover crops).”
When Briard rst tried cover crops, their SWCD was offering an incentive program to encourage farmers to try it.
Over the years, Briard has implemented more conservation programs at his farm.
“I continue to utilize these practices on my own because of the many benets,” Briard said. “I can see the benets time and time again each year.”
The Briard family’s farm went through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certication Program in
2018.
“With this irrigated sand ground, we only have 8-10 inches of black sand, then it is red sand,” Briard said. “It is a whole different world farming up here compared to 90% of the country. We need to maximize every drop of water.”
The Briards grow primarily kidney beans and corn. Cover crops are planted on all kidney bean ground.
“Kidney beans are taken off in the rst few days in September, and that is a long time for the ground to be bare around here,” Briard said. “In the spring, with (either) the wind and heavy rain or snow melting can wash away so much of our ground because it is so sandy.”
Turn to BRIARDS | Page 7
dangerous category, with 24.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers. By comparison, the overall fatality rate across all industries is 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 workers.
Minnesota operates its own OSHA program using a grant from the federal government. Any farm with more than 10 employees in Minnesota is required to know and be in compliance with Minnesota OSHA regulations.
“It’s like taxes, you’re obligated,” Hendel said. “You need to follow the rules.”
Michelle Smith, a Minnesota OSHA workplace safety consultant, agreed.
“The employer has to do their homework,” she said. “It’s the farm’s responsibility to make sure that its employees are protected.”
Together with Minnesota OSHA, Hendel created a workplace accident and injury reduction plan. Much of the safety measures revolve around the bunker setup.
“(Minnesota OSHA) people were really helpful,” Hendel said. “They had some good ideas to make it safer, because, obviously, you don’t ever want to have something like that happen again.”
Hendel will no longer be lling the bunkers all the way to the top. He will leave a 1-foot lip so workers cannot slip off in slick conditions.
To compensate for the lost space, Hendel will increase the length of his bunkers from 200 feet to 240 feet. He also will build one more bunker to bring his total to
Not only will the new setup be safer, Hendel said he will have better quality feed. Previously the edges of the bunker were not packed as tightly because they could not get a tractor that close to the edge. He also said a shorter, better-packed bunker will make the face more stable.
When workers are on top of the bunker, they will park a wagon or put bales along the edge of the bunker to shorten a potential fall. They also will use a temporary rope rail system on the edge of the bunker.
Hendel is purchasing a frontend loader, which will have more reach and visibility than a skid loader to work in the bunker area.
Hendel and his brother had taken out life insurance on each other, and this has helped Hendel pay for safety improvements.
“I’ve spent a lot of money to mitigate some of these things, but it’s super important for the safety of everyone,” he said.
Hendel said he encourages farmers to have a will.
“(If) you don’t have a will, then you don’t really know what’s out there,” he said. “Things can be made much easier if you have somebody with good knowledge of the estate laws beforehand to go over things, so if something were to happen to somebody, you can transition more smoothly.”
Through the whole process, Hendel has become comfortable working with Minnesota OSHA.
“I feel like I could call them
any time and ask them a question,” Hendel said. “They’re not going to try to ruin my business. They’re just trying to help.”
Minnesota OSHA has two branches: the compliance division as well as the Minnesota OSHA Workplace Safety Consultation. This second branch, which Smith works for, does free visits at farms to help them determine safety hazards.
“Their mission is to save lives, prevent injury and protect the health of workers,” Smith said. “Protecting employees results in employees going home in the same condition as they reported to work.”
Minnesota OSHA Workplace Safety Consultation does not write citations or give penalties. Information about their visits is condential and they work independently from the compliance branch of Minnesota OSHA.
“The only thing that we require is that any serious hazards that are identied on site get xed within an agreed-upon period,” Smith said.
Smith said common safety concerns farmers should educate their employees on include conned space entry, such as manure pits and grain bins, safety guards on machinery, lockout/tagout on equipment, electrical standards, fall protection for anything over 4 feet in height and hazardous chemicals.
Hendel has now implemented monthly safety meetings and goals.
“It just makes me feel better that I’m preventing another tragedy from happening,” Hendel said.
The Senate passed the agriculture budget bill with a 43-23 margin. Agriculture Committee Chair Aric Putnam said this budget invests in emergency preparedness, mental health, meat and dairy inspection and wolf and elk depredation. The bill differs from the House version. “I’m not a partisan guy, but we acted like grown-ups, and the House did not,” Putnam said. “My budget target was negative, so I had to cut some stuff and move some stuff around to put more money in different places. You’ll see a big difference with the House target, which was an additional $17 million in brand-new spending. I don’t know where they got it from, but we tried to do as best as we could while trying to be scally responsible.” Putnam was asked how those differences could be resolved in the conference committee. “I have no idea, man,” was the response. “It’s going to be a mess.”
foreign food donations. USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service budgets would be trimmed by nearly $160 million. The budget plan said it reduces funding for agricultural research projects that have gone beyond their ideal lifespan or are not a national priority. USDA Rural Development funds for broadband expansion are also eliminated.
By Don Wick Columnist Ag Insider
Trump budget recommendations released
The White House has released its budget recommendations for scal year 2026. For the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Trump administration cuts $754 million in discretionary funding for conservation technical assistance through the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The budget calls for $358 million in cuts to Farm Service Agency salaries and expenses. The budget document said the FSA is “staff-heavy” and leased premises are underutilized. More focus will be on improving online services for farmers. The proposal eliminates the McGovernDole Food for Education Program that buys commodities from U.S. farmers for
IDFA pledges to eliminate articial dyes
The International Dairy Foods Association has pledged to eliminate articial colors from the National School Lunch Program. This voluntary pledge includes Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 in milk, cheese and yogurt products sold to K-12 schools, beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. “While I look forward to getting whole milk back into our schools, this announcement shows how the dairy industry is voluntarily driving change and giving consumers what they want without government mandates,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins
Trade representative’s ofce challenges common names
The U.S. Trade Representative’s Ofce called out the European Union and its campaign to restrict common food names, such as parmesan and feta. The U.S. Dairy Export Council, National Milk Producers Federation and the Consortium for Common Food Names praised the annual USTR report. USDEC President/ CEO Krysta Harden said Europe’s use of geographical indicators “is nothing more than a trade barrier dressed up as intellectual property protection.”
I really like their records. The pounds, fat and protein are really important to me. I also like the action sheets. They tell me when cows are going dry, when they are going to freshen, who needs to be bred and the low cows in our herd.
Which is your favorite and why? I really like all of them. I use all that information.
How does testing with DHIA bene t your dairy operation? DHIA helps me keep track of the cows records. The information tells me who is going to dry up, who has been vaccinated, who is going to freshen, there is so much and I use all of it. It just really helps our operation.
Tell us about your farm. I own the farm with my husband, Paul. Our son, Ben, also farms with us. Ben and I are the herdspersons, and Paul takes care all of the crops. He also takes care of the beef herd. We breed our lower end cows to beef bulls. We milk 260 cows in a double-eight parallel parlor. This is Paul’s home farm. Ben is the fourth generation of Glende’s on this farm. We have registered Holsteins.
Jackie Glende
260 cows • Altura, Minnesota
Testing with DHIA at least 40 years
More cheese heading south of the border Mexico is expected to become the top destination for U.S. agricultural exports this year. Food and ag exports south of the border rose 65% in the past four years. A report from the CoBank Knowledge Exchange said Mexico’s economy is growing, and the appetite for meat and dairy products is following suit. U.S. dairy exports are enjoying noticeable growth, with the total U.S. dairy export value increasing 76% since 2020.
India signs memorandum of understanding
NMPF and USDEC have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce. The MOU is a framework for working together to increase dairy trade and boost public nutrition.
Dairy outlook released
The monthly Dairy Market Report from the NMPF and Dairy Management Incorporated said rising milk production and general economic uncertainty are pressuring milk prices. Dairy product prices were lower in March, which sent Class III prices down as well. Looking ahead, the average all-milk price forecast for 2025 was lowered.
Minnesota prices updated
According to USDA, the average price for milk in Minnesota was $21.80 per hundredweight in March. That’s $2.10 below the February price, but $2.30 above the March 2024 price. Prices received for dairy herd replacements averaged $2,810 on April 1; that’s $220 per head more than February and $660 more than March of last year. The March 2025 alfalfa hay price was $109 per ton, $6 below the previous month and $43 below March of 2024.
Food costs rise
Global food prices rose last month, with higher prices for meat, dairy and sugar products shouldering the blame. The food price index from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization indicates meat prices are up more than 4% since the beginning of the year. Dairy prices are up as much as 23%, with international butter prices at a new all-time high.
Pizza Hut sales drop
In the rst quarter, Pizza Hut saw same-store U.S. sales decline 5%. To gain
market share moving forward, company ofcials said they’d focus on value offerings and menu innovations.
Blomgren appointed
USDA has announced the latest slate of presidential appointments for FSA and Rural Development state directors. The new state executive director for Minnesota FSA is Buttereld farmer Kurt Blomgren. The Minnesota Rural Development state director was not announced. David Ladd has been nominated for the post.
Addington to lead Minnesota FFA Minnesota’s new state FFA president is taking on a familiar role. Cameron Addington’s mother, Leah (Schliep) Addington, served as president 27 years ago. Addington is from the Cannon Falls FFA Chapter. The ofcer team includes Vice President Paisley Von Berge of Hutchinson, Secretary Dessa Terning of Dassel-Cokato and Treasurer Hailey Chambers of Medford. The reporter is Keeley Runge of St. James, and the new sentinel is Lauren Hunt of Willmar.
Hall of fame honors
Seven new individuals have been inducted into the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame. That list includes Sarah Kuschel from Sebeka; Kuschel is a regional coordinator for Minnesota Ag in the Classroom and a volunteer advisor for the Sebeka FFA Chapter. The other inductees include lobbyist A.J. Duerr, Linder Farm Network President Lynn Ketelsen, longtime Grand Rapids ag teacher Shawn Linder, University of Minnesota Associate Professor Amy Smith, retired Foley ag instructor Al Stemper and Iowa State University Endowed Chair Curtis Youngs
Trivia challenge
Harvestore is the iconic blue siloes that dot the countryside. That answers our last trivia question. For this week’s trivia, how much milk does the average American consume per year? We’ll have the answer in our next edition of the Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.
and Basement
Bunker Silo Wall and Deteriorating Barn Walls
By Stacey Smart stacey.s@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. — Dairy farming in Europe shares similarities to dairy farming in the U.S., however, farmers in Europe experience additional government regulation.
Three dairy farmers from Ireland, France and the Netherlands shared information about their farms while discussing challenges regarding environmental regulations and other policies during a panel entitled, “Global Dairying” March 12 at the Professional Dairy Producers Conference in Madison.
David Hyland dairy farms in the midlands of Ireland with his brother, Paul, at P&D Hyland Farms. The siblings inherited the farm from their father, who started milking cows in the 1970s.
“We began expanding when we came home to farm to make room for the two of us,” Hyland said. “After 2015, when quotas were abolished in Europe, we expanded more, renting more land around us and buying land from neighboring farms.”
Today, Hyland and his brother milk 1,150 cows and farm 1,740 acres. Cows are milked in ve parlors, ranging from 145-360 cows per parlor. Hyland said cows and youngstock graze for 10 months of the year in a temperate climate noted for plentiful rain.
The dairy follows a grass-based spring calving system with cows calving in a 12-week window from February to April. The farm’s stocking rate is 2.18 cows per hectare.
“This rate is important because we have a nitrate regulation in Europe and have to keep it under 220 kilograms of nitrates per cow,” Hy-
land said. “Ours is 207 kilograms per cow.”
The Hylands incorporated white clover to reduce dependence on chemical nitrogen. Hyland said they do not spread much phosphorus because they do not have much allowance for it.
Their cows are 70% Holstein and 30% Friesian. The Hylands strive to breed a low-maintenance cow with a high feed conversion efciency.
“We have a high percentage of butterfat and protein at 3.75% protein and 4.65% fat, which gives us 7-8 cents above the average milk price,” Hyland said.
Their milk is shipped to Tirlán, a farmer-owned cooperative. Hyland said it is the largest milk processor in Ireland, making primarily butter, milk, cheese and powder. Having an open market to Europe, 85%-90% of milk products are exported as powder, cheese and butter.
“We get a good milk price,” Hyland said. “There are lots of opportunities for expanding going forward if we wanted to. There is no regulation that we can’t expand.”
Thibaut Cordel and his family farm in France, on the border of Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg. The farm is owned by seven partners, including Cordel’s parents and some neighbors who joined the business in the last 20 years. The farm’s 280 Holsteins are milked by three robotic milking units and a parlor.
“We are expanding, but to keep our investment low, we choose not to go fully automatic yet,” Cordel said.
Cows average 90 pounds of milk per day, and milk is shipped to Hochwald — a German co-op.
The farm employs six people and two part-time trainees.
“We have to compete with labor traveling to Luxembourg, where they get paid twice as much,” Cordel said.
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By Tiffany Klaphake
any.k@dairystar.com
COLOGNE, Minn. — For over 65 years, each day that dawned and set for Betty Hesse was marked by the opening and closing of the barn door as she milked the family’s herd.
This Mother’s Day, 86-yearold Betty Hesse will be observing the day without milking a cow for the rst time in more than six decades, and all 33 members of her family will be getting together.
“This year, Mother’s Day will mean no hurrying, going to a nice dinner and actually having time to visit with everybody and not have to worry about getting home for chores,” Betty said. “I’m going to church and relax, then go to brunch with family.”
Betty and her two sons, Mark and Donald, milked 150 cows in a swing-10 parlor at their farm, SouthView Dairy near Cologne. Earlier this year, the Hesses decided to sell the herd. Betty and her sons milked their cows for the last time Feb. 3.
“I saw the two big trucks come down the road and without me knowing, tears just started rolling down my face,” Betty
said. “I feel good that another herd came in because we had nice facilities.”
The barn sat empty for three weeks and then an extended family member, Jason Hesse, moved his 50-cow herd to the farm and started renting it from his uncles.
Typically on Mother’s Day Betty’s four children, nine grandchildren and 18 greatgrandchildren stop by and visit when Betty is not doing chores. As the family as grown, they have started going out to eat in between chore times to recognize their matriarch.
“I could have had the day off, but always opted to do my chores,” Betty said.
Betty’s role consisted of feeding the calves and milking the cows.
“Mom would say, ‘Good morning, babies,’ and they would look up,” Donald said. “As the calves would come to the heifer shed, I would say stuff to them and they never looked up, but when Mom would come in the shed and say something, they would come running up.”
A lot has changed over the years at SouthView Dairy since Betty and her late husband, Roman, took over from his parents.
“When we rst started, we milked with cans and we would
dump them into a cooler,” Betty said. “Sometimes I would have to milk by myself and those cans were heavy.”
The family upgraded to a step saver system and then to a pipeline. In 1998, the Hesses installed the parlor that is still used today.
“If we did not get the par-
lor system that we have now, I would not have been milking cows as long as I did,” Betty said. “That was a blessing.”
Betty and her late husband both had jobs in town, but it was Betty who was out in the barn every morning and evening for chores. Betty and Donald milked, and Roman and Mark
took care of the eld work.
“For more than 50 years, my biggest pride and joy has been milking alongside my mom,” Donald said. “I started milking when I was 8 years old.”
Some of the part-time help referred to Betty as Grandma, even though she was not their biological grandmother.
“I think it was out of respect that they called me Grandma,” Betty said.
Betty’s job in town was cleaning houses and she formed a bond with many of her clients. She cleaned for 40 years, retiring this past winter.
“Many of the people she cleaned house for thought of her as their mother,” Donald said.
Growing up and raising a family on the farm taught Betty values which she instilled in her children.
“Another trait that she has is being a leader,” Donald said. “She doesn’t lead by telling us what to do, she leads by doing it. She will do chores by a set schedule. You know what time it is (by) what she is doing. She will do chores and if we don’t feel like doing chores, she will just go ahead and do them and make you feel guilty for not doing them.”
With her rst Mother’s Day without a barn full of cows approaching, Betty said her life has brought her fulllment.
“The farm is a wonderful place to raise a family,” she said. “I enjoyed working with my family every day.”
“That’s one of the reasons we’ve gone to automation. It is more labor efcient, and there are less people working on the farm per cow.”
The farm also raises 90 Limousin beef cows and is connected with a biogas plant, allowing them to produce electricity for the farm and sell the remainder. The Cordels also operate a shop located a half-hour from the farm where they sell beef, milk and veal.
Cordel and his family farm 1,260 hectares. When it comes to environmental regulation, Cordel said some rules apply to all of Europe and some are applied differently to each country. For example, in France, 5 meters must remain untouched on each side of a body of water, whereas in Germany, the requirement is 3 meters. From October-January, Cordel said it is almost impossible to spread slurry or manure on crops.
French farmers are facing pressure from processors as well. This has resulted in LACTALIS refusing to collect milk from 150 dairy producers by the end of 2025. Cordel said he believes France will lose about 30% of its cows in the next 10 years.
“The baby boom is retiring,” he said. “Dairy farming has not been protable, so it’s not attractive to the next generation.”
Fewer cows and fewer farmers are causing a concentration of milk plants.
“We need to concentrate, but society doesn’t want that,” Cordel said. “They say, ‘No big farms in my backyard.’ In France, that means 150 cows. It’s quite the challenge. France will be a net importer of milk in 2027. We used to be a major exporter of milk in Europe.”
Despite these challenges, Cordel and his family plan to build a new barn. Growing their farm and making more milk is the goal, he said.
“There is a new generation coming, and we want to increase automation and make better welfare for the cows, create more opportunities for our team, and provide better conditions to attract labor,” Cordel said.
Anton Stokman farms in the Netherlands, where he milks 280 cows. He has used a robotic milking system for 30 years. The farm’s digester turns biogas into natural gas that Stokman sells. It supplies power
to 3,000 homes.
“It gives us green energy, and the people like it,” he said.
Stokman grows six crops per year with help from an automated silo covering system.
“We lose very little forage, and the quality is very good and the same every day of the year,” Stokman said.
The latest technology implemented on their farm is the Lely Exos — a robot that cuts, transports, distributes and fertilizes grass.
“It’s very gentle with it, and gives us fresh, short grass,” Stokman said.
Stokman said their country has about the same milk production as Wisconsin on approximately 20% of the land Wisconsin uses.
“Now we have even less (land) because we are told we cannot farm in certain areas due to nitrogen laws (in the Netherlands),” Stokman said.
The Netherlands imposes strict nitrogen emission policies, and permits for activities that might have a slight emission of nitrogen are forbidden.
“We cannot emit any extra nitrogen,” he said.
Government-mandated herd reductions and increased sustainability requirements also confront the Netherlands’ dairy farmers. Strict goals on water quality, biodiversity and natural animal behavior also exist. Economic pressures include rising production costs. For example, phosphate rights cost 3,000 euros per cow.
“If you’re above 1.5 cows per hectare, you have to dispose of excess manure, costing you 1,000 euros per cow per year,” Stokman said.
Land in the Netherlands costs 70,000-140,000 euros per hectare. The cost of labor is also high. Stokman employs his son and two fulltime people at a rate of 35 euros per hour, which equals about $39 an hour.
Nonetheless, there are opportunities for Dutch farmers. A push for carbon neutrality from retailers would be one such opportunity, as Stokman gets paid extra for producing low-carbon milk and achieving biodiversity.
“Most of the people here are very rich,” Stokman said. “They have the money to pay for (their food); now the challenge for us is to make them pay for it. In that way, there is a future for farmers.”
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How do you balance farm work and being a mother?
Amber Wimmer (pictured with her kids, Azreal and Alizah)
Pierz, Minnesota
Morrison County
108 milking cows
Explain to us what a typical day looks like for you on the farm. On a typical day during the week, I will wake the kids up at 6:30 a.m. to get them ready to get on the bus at 7:05. After I feed my 7-month-old breakfast, I either drop her off at my mother-in-law’s or my mother comes over to babysit. I then go to the farm. The tasks I perform there are feeding and bedding calves and monitoring cows for heat or for if treatment is needed. We leave them out to clean the barn. After this, I will then breed or get caught up on record keeping on the animals. The afternoons are usually spent at home, then caring for my 7-month-old and getting caught up on my household things. In the evenings, I milk 3-4 milkings. I also do all the data entry and pay all the bills for the farm.
How do you balance farm work and being a mother? I try to get all my farm work done in the morning. I am then able to spend quality time with the kids.
What’s the best thing about being a dairy farm mother? Being able to teach the kids about dedication and commitment. I’m thankful they know where their food comes from.
What are the advantages you have experienced of raising your kids on a farm? The advantages are being able to bring them along to perform any task, even if it may take a little longer.
What is one thing your mom taught you that you incorporate into your daily life? The hard jobs still have to get done, even when you don’t want to do them.
Tell us about your farm, family and plans for Mother’s Day. Wimmer Farms LLC has been operated by Jason and Adam Wimmer since 2022. Their brother, Jeremy, works full time on the farm. My mother-in-law and mom, Peggy Wimmer, and Caroline Mitchell babysit when I am at the farm. We milk 108 cows in a tiestall barn. We also raise all our own heifers and some steers and farm our land. My family includes my husband, Jason; our stepchildren, Skyer, 18, and Alexia, 14; and our children together, Aveah, 8, Azreal, 4, and Alizah, 7 months. Mother's Day will be a typical farm day. I’ll be milking in the morning, doing chores and getting back for the evening milking. I’ll be able to spend the afternoon at home with the kids.
Jenna Middendorf
Melrose, Minnesota
Stearns County 60 cows
Explain to us what a typical day looks like for you on the farm. My alarm clock goes off at 4:30 a.m., and I head out to our barn to scrape stalls and help my husband, Cory, feed cows with the wheelbarrows; then, I go to the calf barn to feed the younger ones with bottles and the older ones’ grain with hay. When done, I check if the kids are getting ready for school and make sure they have everything they need for the day. I wish them a great day with a hug. I then go back to the barn to help nish up chores. After chores are done, I get breakfast ready to eat together and get housework done until the next task.
How do you balance farm work and being a mother? I like to prepare meals for the week as I never know how the days go on a typical day on the farm. Then, when the kids are home, I can focus on schoolwork and play games with them.
What’s the best thing about being a dairy farm mother? I like being there for them as they have school events, hugs when needed and every life skill to teach on the farm.
What are the advantages you have experienced of raising your kids on a farm? They see where the food we eat every day comes from and are able to tell other kids about how the food they like is homegrown on farms.
What is one thing your mom taught you that you incorporate into your daily life? To show your husband and kids you love them no matter what happened that day, which was to tell them to do their best with a big hug.
Tell us about your farm, family and plans for Mother’s Day. Cory and I purchased the farm from his parents, which is north of Melrose. We will be married 10 years this July and have three children — Casey, 16, Mila, 9, and Canaan, 7 — who work with us on the farm. I enjoy the time together like I did growing up on a farm myself. As for Mother’s Day, we go to church as a family and spend time with our moms, for which we thank God for the cherished moments we get with them.
Pierz, Minnesota
Morrison County 145 Cows
Explain to us what a typical day looks like for you on the farm. Typically, I do morning chores — milking, calves and whatever else needs to be done. I also get the kids to school, which can be very hectic.
How do you balance farm work and being a mother? This is not an easy task to do. I just try to go where I am needed after taking care of the children.
What’s the best thing about being a dairy farm mother? Being able to spend so much time with my family, even though a lot of the time is work.
What are the advantages you have experienced of raising your kids on a farm? Having the kids with me most of the time makes us a very close-knit family. It is exciting to watch them grow and learn.
What is one thing your mom taught you that you incorporate into your daily life? To be positive in whatever life throws at you.
Tell us about your farm, family and plans for Mother’s Day. Chris and I milk 140 cows on our farm. We raise our own replacements and farm around 150 acres of corn and 80 acres of alfalfa. We have six kids who help keep up the farm — Luke, Kloe, Gavin, Ashtin, Zaryn and Camden. Mother’s Day, I am hoping to spent time with all of us together.
What’s the best thing about being a dairy farm mother? Living in the country and being able to raise our kids outside. Our kids love helping with new baby calves; if they nd one out in the pen, they come running to nd Samuel and let him know there is a new baby. It is also fun to work with my husband, getting to bounce ideas around of how to make our operation work better and all of our fun ideas for future projects. However, I’m still not sure if we will ever be good at working cattle together or if I’ll ever understand his hand gestures.
What are the advantages you have experienced of raising your kids on a farm? They are not afraid to get dirty. Their knowledge is always growing, and they never cease to amaze us on how in-depth their questions are regarding anything. All three of our kids enjoy helping Samuel x equipment out in the shop, even if some of our wrenches end up missing; it is good for them to be out and trying to gure things out for themselves.
What is one thing your mom taught you that you incorporate into your daily life? Tips on how to raise our kids, recipe sharing and reading books. My mom is a daycare provider and has plenty of experience raising babies and kids that have helped us along the way. We both will send each other recipes we nd and let each other know if the recipe turned out. I wish I had more time to read books, but I have denitely been a big reader throughout my life.
Tell us about your farm, family and plans for Mother’s Day. We own and operate an organic dairy farm, milking around 60 cows in a tiestall barn, along with raising beef cattle and chickens; meanwhile, we farm 330 acers in crops and 220 acres in pasture land. For now, we rent all the acres we manage aside from our farm site. Samuel and I have three kids: Jerrica, 6, Levi, 4, and Dallas, 2. When we rst started dating, Samuel had just started milking his own cows while renting a farm site, and four years later, we bought our own farm site and started remodeling the barn. A year and a half later, we brought the cows home and are very blessed to be here after all of the hard work put in and the family who helped us accomplish our goals. Now almost six years later, we are slowly growing our herd, and it has been a fun process to watch. Our plans for Mother’s Day consist of singing in our church choir for Mass after morning milking. Afterward, we will hopefully try to work on digging our garden and working on little projects I would like done on my honey-do list. Samuel usually takes me out for supper for occasions such as Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, etc., but it oftentimes is not on the exact day but rather within a week or so, depending on farm and family schedules when we can make it work out.
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McCormick MC120 FWA, 2,600 hrs ..$57,000
TILLAGE
CIH Tigermate II, 26’..........................$28,000
CIH Tigermate II 26’ w/rolling basket $32,000
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Midsota wagons ON HAND!
“We were using Udder Comfort™ spray bottles as needed in the parlor. Then we got the Udder Comfort Battery-Operated Backpack Sprayer at the 2023 World Dairy Expo and are able to do several proactive applications in the 2 weeks before they calve,” says Sarah Roy, partner with her father Doug Warner at Norwood Centennial Farms, Charlevoix, Michigan. The closed all-A2 Holstein herd includes polled. Recent production is 124.6 lbs. energy-corrected milk and 150,000 SCC.
“Applying Udder Comfort in the pens as they’re getting ready to calve puts us ahead of the game. We spend way less money and time on treatments, have far fewer issues, and are not needing as much spray in the parlor now,” she says.
Doug lives on the farm, operating the 160-cow dairy with good employees. Sarah manages the business side, navigating the future with consumer-facing diversification.
“Udder Comfort is worth its weight in gold. In today’s world of product ads, this one lives up. Using it proactively before calving makes a noticeable difference, especially for heifers. Everything is new to them. Now they are less anxious, loosened up, and ready to go,” she says.
How many times a day do you milk, and what is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? We milk three times a day. Our current herd average is 31,375 pounds of milk, 1,341 pounds of fat and 962 pounds of protein. Our April test average was 105 pounds of milk with a 4.1% fat test and a 3.2% protein.
Describe your housing and milking facility. The milking herd is housed in a sandbedded, tunnel-ventilated, three-row freestall barn, constructed in 2015. We milk in a double-8 parallel parlor that was retrotted into the tiestall barn. Our heifers are housed in a bedded pack barn, and calves are all raised in hutches until six months of age.
Who is part of your farm team, and what are their roles? Our farm team includes Elijah, who is the herdsman. His role is managing cows, heifers and calves. He is in charge of feeding, breeding and herd health, and he assists with crop decisions. Ashlie and Jamie are the main milkers on the farm and also feed calves and assist where necessary. Dominic helps with chores and does most of the cropping.
What is your herd health program? We have biweekly herd health visits with Valley Veterinary Clinic. Cows are given three
rounds of J-VAC vaccine. At 21 days fresh, they receive Bovi-Shield, and everyone is poured with Eprinex in the fall. Cows are bred off
of CowManager from 65-80 days in milk, then enrolled in an Ovsynch program.
What does your dry cow and transition program consist of? Dry cows have a dry period of 60-70 days and are housed in the freestall barn. Their ration consists of straw, triticale silage, alfalfa haylage, corn silage and a mineral mix. They are moved to a sawdust-bedded pack 14 days prior to their due date and fed the same ration with X-Zelit and a pre-fresh protein mix. They calve on the pack and are given 10 gallons of warm water to drink. From there, they go with the rest of the herd and are monitored for any health issues.
What is the composition of your ration, and how has that changed in recent years? Our ration is comprised of a protein mix, higholeic soybeans, high-moisture corn, alfalfa and Italian ryegrass haylage, whey permeate and corn silage. Italian ryegrass was implemented into rotation in 2019. Whey permeate was added in 2023 and high-oleic soybeans in 2024.
To speak to someone right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Veterans, please press 1 once you are connected. Crisis counselors are available 24/7, and this service is always free and confidential.
If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or just need a welcoming ear to talk to, please call the 24/7 Wisconsin Farmer Wellness Helpline at 888-901-2558.
TUGS is a community nonpro t dedicated to promoting mental wellness and ending the stigma around seeking help for suicidal ideation. It’s OK to not be OK.
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IOWA Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290
United Dairy Systems, Inc.
West Union, IA 563-422-5355 Monticello, IA 319-465-5931
WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201
Bob’s Dairy Supply Dorchester, WI 715-654-5252
Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713
DeLaval Dairy Service Kaukauna, WI 866-335-2825
Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321
Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106
Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0268
Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470
MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Brookings, SD 800-636-5581 Advanced Dairy Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Pierz, MN 320-468-2494 St.
Advanced Dairy Spring Valley, WI; Mondovi, WI; West Salem, WI; Mora, MN; Pierz, MN; Wadena, MN; St Charles, MN
Central Ag Supply Juneau, WI; Baraboo, WI
Eastern Iowa Dairy Systems Epworth, IA
Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI
Fuller’s Milker Center Lancaster, WI; Richland Center, WI
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J. Gile Dairy Equipment, Inc. Cuba City, WI
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United Dairy Systems West Union, IA; Monticello, IA
By Sherry Newell Staff writer
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.
It was a nail-biter for two dairy cattle evaluation and management teams as the top teams in the FFA Career Development Event waited for the outcome of their contest at the State FFA Convention April 29. The Top 5 teams were identied late April 28, the day of the contest, and they waited until the convention’s nal session to learn their ranking.
Even after St. Charles FFA was announced as the rst-place team over Melrose, it was not yet over. As the CDE results were held for review for one week, as is customary each year, the outcome changed twice. In the end, St. Charles retained their win by one point.
“It was not a very good feeling (as we waited),” said Brianna Brogan, a high school junior and the oldest of three Brogan siblings on
the plaque they received for winning the Minnesota FFA dairy ca le evalua on and management Career Development Event April 28 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The St. Charles students narrowly won the CDE over the Melrose team.
the team. “We spent 12 hours in second.”
Brianna, her sister, Emily, and brother, Will, are the children of Scott and Angie Brogan, who farm with Scott’s brother, Keith, and father, Gerard. The family milks 650 cows. All three of the younger Brogans help with calf raising and eld work.
The fourth St. Charles FFA member on the dairy cattle evaluation and management team was Avery DeCook.
Monika Frericks of the Melrose FFA received rst place individual.
The Brogans’ uncle, Keith, is their coach for both FFA and 4-H, where the Bro-
gan youth have also excelled. Emily, a high school sophomore, won the state 4-H dairy judging contest during her eighth-grade year, and topped the FFA event individually once as well. Brianna, a high school junior, was second individual at this most recent contest, and her team has been in the Top 10
the last three years.
Some skills — placing classes and giving reasons — are the same in 4-H and FFA. But in FFA, there is a team activity focusing on dairy management.
“We spent a lot more time on that this year,” Brianna said. “The team test is a lot more background you need to know.”
Emily said their coach was clued in about their possible FFA win and made it to Minneapolis to watch the awards.
“I think he was surprised because in practice we don’t always do the best,” she said. Still, the team has always had a strong showing in the FFA contest.
“I’m hoping one of these years we can win 4-H,” Emily said. “We’ve been second.” Their FFA dairy judging will be over after competing nationally and they will need to nd new Career Development Events.
For Brianna, that may be marketing plan, where she might develop a plan for a dairy product. Emily is thinking about livestock evaluation or agricultural technology and mechanical systems.
Monika Frericks of the Melrose FFA receives the rst place individual plaque from Valerie Brekke of Associated Milk Producers Inc. in the Minnesota FFA state dairy ca le evalua on and management contest April 29 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Frericks’ Melrose team included Grace Herdering, who placed third as an individual, Jaiden Smith and Dan Frericks.
Will plans to do creed speaking next year. However, creed speaking is only for freshmen.
“Then I’ll have to nd a new team,” he said.
In other FFA convention awards, Brianna was honored as a top-three nisher in the dairy production placement prociency. Porter Kuechle of Eden Valley-Watkins was the winner, while Blake Siewert of Lake City was
second.
Kamrie Mauer of the Sibley East FFA Chapter won the dairy production entrepreneurship prociency.
William Bastian of the GibbonFairfax-Winthrop FFA Chapter was named star in production placement. Bastian earned the title by virtue of his work on his family’s dairy farm near Fairfax.
res of both le ram uri tim ea s a wrapper, atically ng perfectly e. Its l for
By Michelle Stangler Staff Writer
PRINCETON, Minn. — April 28 was a typical day for Richard Reiman, a dairy farmer with 55 years of experience, until a surprise visit turned it into one that he will remember for some time. His son drove several hours to pick him up and take him to the Minnesota State FFA Convention in Minneapolis, where Reiman received an honorary state FFA degree.
“When the oldest son showed up, I gured it had to be some kind of importance,” Reiman said. “(His kids) had something in store for me, but I didn’t have any idea what it would be.”
Reiman knew his daughter was going to be at this year’s convention and was grateful to be invited to attend. When Reiman entered the convention hall, he found a seat that was reserved just for him.
The honorary state FFA degree is the highest honor given by the Minnesota FFA Association to recognize individuals who have provided service to FFA at the state level. Only a select few are chosen to receive this distinction each year, and for Reiman, the surprise made it all the more meaningful. Reiman’s daughter, Kristin Duden said her father was all smiles and happy to attend when he was getting ready, according to her mother and Reiman’s wife, even though he did not yet know why.
Reiman was an active Princeton FFA member in Minnesota from 1968-1971 and one of the rst recipients of the degree from this chapter.
“The memories are there,” he said.
His three children — Joel and David Reiman and Kristin Duden — nominated their father for the award to honor his commitment to support FFA members and provide opportunities for young adults.
“It was pretty good just to look
out into the crowd and see all of them blue jackets looking at me,” Reiman said. “Everybody was amazed at how good of condition (my FFA jacket was in).”
Reiman’s contributions span many years. During his time in the National FFA Organization, he served as a local chapter ofcer, including vice president and secretary. Today, he continues to give back through involvement with the local FFA alumni chapter. His daughter serves as an assistant FFA advisor to the chapter where it all began for their family.
“It’s awesome to be carrying on a tradition,” Duden said, “He’s the one who led the charge of being active in FFA.”
Reiman still helps on his family’s multi-generational dairy farm, now owned by Duden, where they milk about 45 Holstein and Jersey cows at Brickton Genetics near Princeton. He is proud that all three of his kids continue to work in agriculture today after being raised on that same dairy farm.
Reiman often helps his daughter with FFA members who she mentors, including preparing for Career Development Events, which prepare students for future careers.
Reiman said he enjoys giving of his time and investing in the next generation of involvement in agriculture. He takes pride in knowing the organization showcases the many possibilities within the agriculture industry.
“I have some (kids) come out here and I give them the opportunity to drive the machinery,” Reiman said.
Duden said her father is a man of few words, a quiet but impactful leader.
“He may not be up front leading, but he’s always that steady support and always encouraging,” she said.
Though the work has not always been easy, Reiman’s passion for farming and helping others has not wavered. Even when he underwent open heart surgery, he was back milking cows a month later.
Reiman’s service continues to this day as he remains a mentor, volunteer and advocate for FFA and the agriculture industry.
“After all these years of farming,
it means quite a bit to me to get it (this award) because I can see all the FFA kids’ work (for this organization),” Reiman said.
Have you checked the weather app lately? Are you ready for the warm weather on the horizon? Heat stress occurs when cows generate and absorb more heat than they can easily get rid of through respiration, sweating and air — wind or fan — blowing on them. Numerous research studies have shown that implementing key cooling strategies can help farmers maintain a stronger bottom line. Heat-stressed lactating cows have lower dry matter intake, milk production and pregnancy rates. Excessive heat stress can also lead to other health problems such as lameness, increased days open and greater disease incidences. Late lactation and dry cows with heat stress have a shortened gestation period, calves born with lower birth weights and reduced milk production in the following lactation.
By Karen Johnson University of Minnesota
In general, mild heat stress in cattle starts around 72 degrees and 50% humidity. The temperature-humidity index is used to estimate the level of heat stress cows will experience based on temperature and humidity. The table shows the levels of heat stress, THI, respiration and body temperature.
Now is a great time to prepare. Wellventilated barns or pole sheds are effective in providing the necessary shade cows need to reduce the direct solar radiation load. Whether your facilities have a tunnel, cross or natural ventilation system, know
how you can maximize the air exchange to remove moisture, gases, heat and other pollutants from the area the cows are housed in. Increasing the air velocity can also help get rid of heat. The addition of bafes and high-speed mixing fans can increase the air velocity. Make sure the fans are positioned properly to achieve the goal of the system on your farm. Another springtime chore that often gets overlooked is fan maintenance. Make sure to clean the fans thoroughly. Dirty fan blades, louvers and guards can reduce air ow by as much as 30%-40% and put a larger load on the motor. A stiff brush will remove dust and dirt from many fan parts. Compressed air nishes the hard-to-reach areas. Never use water to clean the electrical components of fans for safety reasons. Assess if each fan is in proper working order. Evaluate parts for unexpected wear and replace if necessary. If the fan doesn’t move freely, the motor’s bearings may need to be replaced. Keep a close eye on electrical wiring, fan blades, louvers, belts and guards. Make sure all electrical wiring and cords have proper insulation to prevent re and safety hazards. Lubricate fans as recommended by the manufacturer. Also, inspect and clean other ventilation components such as building air inlets and barn thermostats.
Water is a friend to farmers when it comes to hydrating our cows to help them
regulate their body temperatures. In dairy barns, the recommended space requirement is two linear inches of water space per cow. As the temperature rises, increasing the space provided is recommended as water intake increases by 20% or more during summer. Cows tend to drink large amounts of water following milking. Make sure that there is always an adequate amount of clean and cool water available. In many barns, water is also used for sprinklers or misting systems installed in feeding or holding areas. Inspect and clean your system, paying special attention to the lters and nozzles. Sprinklers are meant to wet the cow’s skin; then, her body heat will evaporate the liquid present on the skin. Five- to 15-minute wet-dry
Dana Adams adam1744@umn.edu 320-204-2968
Luciano Caixeta lcaixeta@umn.edu 612-625-3130
Gerard Cramer gcramer@umn.edu 612-625-8184
Marcia Endres miendres@umn.edu 612-624-5391
Brad Heins hein0106@umn.edu 320-589-1711
Nathan Hulinsky huli0013@umn.edu 320-203-6104
Karen Johnson ande9495@umn.edu 320-484-4334
Emily Krekelberg krek0033@umn.edu 507-280-2863
Claire LaCanne lacanne@umn.edu 507-332-6109
Brenda Miller nels4220@umn.edu 320-732-4435
cycles are recommended with air movement to speed evaporation and move heat away from the body. The misting system is designed to cool the air by evaporating water drops, using the heat in the air, and it works best in arid climates. Circulation fans are essential to enhance evaporation and improve air exchange within the barn. If you decide to implement one of these systems, make sure that your barn can handle the extra water. These strategies, including shade, air exchange, fan maintenance, water and sprinklers or misters, can help to manage heat stress this summer. For more information, check out your state’s extension dairy resources.
Isaac Salfer ijsalfer@umn.edu 320-296-1357
Jim Salfer salfe001@umn.edu 320-203-6093
Mike Schutz mschutz@umn.edu 612-624-1205
Melissa Wilson mlw@umn.edu 612-625-4276
Isaac Haagen hagge041@umn.edu 612-624-7455
Michael Boland boland@umn.edu 612-625-3013
Sabrina Florentino slpore@umn.edu 507-441-1765
Scott Wells wells023@umn.edu 612-625-8166
Erin Cortus ecortus@umn.edu 612-625-8288
Melissa Runck mkrunck@umn.edu 507-836-1143
By Rachael Schulte, Guillermo Arcega Castillo, Michelle L. Schultze and Scott Wells
H5 inuenza A viruses cause highly pathogenic avian inuenza (or bird u) in commercial poultry and backyard poultry ocks, with sudden onset of severe illness and death. These ocks are often depopulated following detection to prevent transmission to other poultry operations. In March 2024, a strain of H5 inuenza A virus, H5N1, was detected in dairy herds for the rst time in Texas. Since that time, the virus has also been detected in over 1,000 dairy herds across multiple states. Unlike in poultry, the virus in cattle causes mild or no clinical signs, and the most common signs are reduced feed consumption, reduced milk production, abnormal milk and nasal discharge. This virus can also cause illness in farm workers. It is important to consider how to reduce the risk of spreading this virus in your operation.
Inuenza A 101
Inuenza A viruses can be identied by their H and N surface proteins. Previous outbreaks in U.S. poultry ocks have been caused by various N types of H5 inuenza A viruses. Waterfowl are considered a primary natural reservoir for the virus, meaning the virus maintains itself in these birds, often without causing illness, which serve as a source of infection to others. The current H5N1 outbreak in poultry was detected in the U.S. in 2022 and has since been detected in multiple species of wild birds and mammals. The genotype detected in cattle in March 2024 was H5N1 B3.13, which appeared to occur from a spillover event from wild waterfowl that then spread among cattle herds at least partly through cattle movements. In February 2025, another H5N1 inuenza A genotype — D1.1, common in wild birds — was detected in cattle in western states, which may indicate another spillover event occurred from wild waterfowl into cattle.
What is known about the transmission of the H5N1 inuenza A virus in cattle?
Effective vaccines are not available, so prevention and control of this disease depend on reducing exposure of susceptible cattle to the virus or reducing transmission. Since this is a newly detected disease in dairy cattle, incomplete information is known about spread. The H5N1 inuenza virus has been detected in cattle, poultry, wild birds, humans and multiple other mammals, but how is the virus introduced to dairy herds, and how does the virus spread within a cattle herd?
H5N1 inuenza A introduction to dairy herds
H5N1 is known to have spread from wild birds to cattle in early 2024, but what is unknown is how that transmission happened. Cattle feeders on farms attract grain-feeding birds, whose infected droppings may serve as a source. This type of introduction has not been commonly demonstrated in dairy herds but is certainly possible. Movement of infected cattle to uninfected herds is another known transmission risk, though multiple infected herds have reported no previous movement of cattle. Potential transmission pathways of H5N1 inuenza in commercial poultry have also in-
cluded shared use of equipment, vehicles and workers between farms, as well as airborne transmission from nearby commercial poultry ocks. It is not known if these may be important pathways for dairy herds.
H5N1 inuenza A spread within dairy herds
In dairy cattle, H5N1 inuenza A virus concentrates in mammary glands, which makes raw milk the best sample for testing as well as a high-risk material for transmission. Anything exposed to unheated milk can potentially spread the virus. The importance of milk-borne transmission from milking procedures or risks of spreading to calves through consumption of unheated colostrum or milk is unknown. Other potential within-herd transmission pathways include direct contact between animals through respiratory droplets, urine and feces. Farm cats and humans working in the parlor are also at risk. Most reported human cases to date are those with direct contact with milk or cows in milking parlors.
What information is needed to improve understanding of transmission?
With limited information about the spread of this virus to and within dairy cattle herds, many important questions need to be addressed: How are dairy herds infected? How does the virus spread within a herd? Addressing these questions through research is incredibly important to better understand how this virus is spreading and to support improved biosecurity measures to minimize spread to and within the farm.
How to minimize introduction to your herd
When creating a biosecurity plan, one should consider effective measures that minimize risks of pathogen introduction to the farm. For H5N1 virus, one known risk of introduction is infected cattle movements, so consider adding protocols to minimize this risk, such as isolating new additions. Other pathways of introduction of the virus are less clear at the present time, complicating development of effective biosecurity plans. Even though these pathways are less clear, you can take steps to protect your operation. Consider your own situation to identify the highest potential risks and control through biosecurity practices, relative to potential transmission pathways present.
Key points
1: H5N1 inuenza A virus is highly contagious, can cause severe illness and death in poultry and can cause illness in dairy cattle, farmworkers and other animals.
2: Spread of this virus can occur through multiple exposure pathways from infected to susceptible animals.
3: Adapting herd biosecurity to reduce potential exposures is the best defense currently while research is underway to ll in knowledge gaps.
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By Amy Kyllo amy.k@star-pub.com
When Tom Holst retired and sold his 190 dairy cows in the spring of 2023, he knew it was time to fulll a lifelong dream that started in high school: hiking the John Muir Trail.
The John Muir Trail in California spans 211 miles with 10 mountain passes through the Sierra Nevada mountain range, as well as multiple river crossings. The trail is remote, requiring hikers to carry everything. For Holst, this meant food, a sleeping bag, a ground pad, a tent and a camp stove.
The altitude varies from 4,051 feet in the Yosemite Valley, where Holst started, to 14,550 feet at Mt. Whitney near where Holst completed the trail.
“The beauty was just beyond your wildest imagination,” Holst said. “I had no idea how beautiful it would be, absolutely spectacular.”
Holst hiked the rst 16 days solo and the nal ve days he hiked with his son, Mike.
Conditions are primitive. The trail has no designated camping spots, showers or warming houses. Because of space constrictions, Holst had no changes of clothing.
Holst also had no re to warm up with. The Pacic Crest Trail Association recommends hikers consider not using a re because it is prohibited in some areas of the trail and the rewood supply is depleted because of the volume of hikers.
“I don’t think a day went by when I didn’t think to myself that, ‘This is awful, why did I ever want to do this?’”
Holst said. “I (also) don’t think a day went by when I wasn’t absolutely overwhelmed by the beauty that surrounded me, and I would think to myself, ‘I am so grateful that I’ve got this opportunity.’”
Holst had done physically challenging adventures before. He has gone to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness every year save one since 1986 and has completed four marathons. To help prepare for the trip, he hiked the rolling hills of rural Lanesboro, where his farm is located, carrying a 40-pound pack on his back.
During the hike, there was little cell phone reception. Holst called his wife, Sue, twice during the trip and was also able to send a few text messages.
“You are absolutely disconnected,” Holst said. “For 21 days, the outside world basically ceases to exist.”
Holst said disconnection was a powerful part of the experience.
“Your mind is just free to
roam far and wide,” Holst said. “That’s something I don’t think we do enough of. … We’re so busy meeting our deadlines and doing our job and worrying about this, that and everything else.”
The alone time was also challenging.
“This was like the world’s cheapest therapist,” Holst said. “You were forced to take a reckoning with your life. … You can’t run from yourself
when you’re out on the trail. … It provided me an opportunity to maybe deal with some things in my past that I had been running from for years. … You don’t go there with the intention of digging up all that stuff, it just happens.”
During the trek, Holst said he met 5-10 other hikers each day. They always stopped to
10 mountain passes on the John Muir Trail.
(Below) Tom Holst looks at a map of the John Muir Trail April 11 at his home near Lanesboro, Minnesota. Holst hiked the trail in 2023 and will be hiking it again this year at 61.
talk. Afterwards, he ruminated on the conversations for several hours.
“Everybody was going through the same thing,” Holst said. “We all had that same set of interests, and we were all craving some outside company.”
Holst was signicantly older than the average hiker at 59. He said most hikers he met were in their 20s.
The cold was a challenge Holst faced. Getting a permit to hike the trail is on a lottery system. Holst entered the trail Sept. 12, 2023. He estimates daytime highs ranged from the mid-30s to mid-60s. At night, temperatures dropped below freezing.
“I was cold a lot,” Holst said.
One night, it was so cold
his water bottles froze, and he could not use them the next day.
Partway through the hike, an impending snowstorm forced Holst off the trail and several miles away to a town. After the storm passed, hiking in 8 inches of snow had Holst’s feet cold and soaked. After ringing out his socks and hanging them up to dry, he was forced to put his feet in frozen socks the next morning.
On his journey, Holst had two food restocks. The danger of bears on the trail requires hikers to carry their food in bear vaults. Holst’s vault could only hold about a week’s worth of food. Several restocking locations miles off the trail allow hikers to ship themselves packages of food beforehand to pick up.
Holst only heated water to make food. His menu was two packages of instant oatmeal and a hot cocoa packet for breakfast. For lunch, he ate granola bars and trail mix. For supper, he heated water and poured it into a Ziplock bag lled with a freeze-dried backpack meal. These meals included cheesy chicken and broccoli, chicken alfredo and beef stroganoff.
“That makes it sound much more highbrow and gourmet than it really is,” Holst said. “The reality is, it’s mush in the bottom of the bag. … The food is calories to keep you going.” He also brought peanut butter.
Holst said he had mixed emotions about the hike. He spent the next year unpacking the experience mentally.
“When I got off the trail, I was happy to get off the trail,” Holst said. “I’d been gone for a long time, and I was tired of being cold and hungry. … (However) life is a lot simpler on the trail too, and you get out and you long for that.”
This fall, Holst, at 61, will again be hiking the John Muir Trail, this time with Mike hiking the entire trip with him. Holst plans to bring warmer clothes, an extra pair of socks, different footwear because the hiking boots he used last time put large blisters on his feet, and a better way to keep his dinner warm as it rehydrates.
“Doing it with (Mike) will be a really cool experience,” Holst said. “Who gets the opportunity to do a grand adventure with their son like that?”
I grew up watching my parents pour their hearts and souls into our dairy farm (and, of course, our family as well). They have worked so hard to turn this farm into something we are all truly proud to be a part of. It takes so much passion, perseverance and sacrice to be a part of the agriculture industry, and they embrace it with so much grace.
I attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and obtained a degree in dairy science with a minor in ag business. In 1988-1989, my dad attended Northeast Iowa Community College’s dairy program. I will also be getting married this June to Dylan Rickels, whose mom also grew up on a dairy farm. They are very connected and equally share an appreciation for the farming industry.
By Abby Fairbanks
Since I was a young girl, I have wanted nothing more than to come home and work alongside my parents every single day. I am only 23, and I already feel like I have a lifetime of accomplishments in just being a part of something this special.
Our farm is nestled in the rolling hills of Jones County between Cedar Rapids and Dubuque. We are one of only four herds left milking in our county. The majority of our neighbors are settled in a housing development on 3-acre lots with a pond. Some would look at this as a negative, but it has created an opportunity for many new friendships and has kept us striving to improve. My parents bought the lot that receives our water to give us an opportunity to be a part of the homeowners association, sit in on meetings and be included in their community.
I work full time with my dad, Doug Fairbanks, and my cousin, Josh Fairbanks. Along with us, we have two full-time milkers and some additional parttime help on the weekends. We milk around 400 registered cows, including our milking and dry cows, three times a day. Holsteins make up the majority of the herd, along with 70 Brown Swiss and a handful of Jerseys. We have multiple breeds to build on genetics and cow families. It also makes for a lighthearted, fun challenge. What is the fun if everything is black and white?
My ideal cow is a moderate-statured, strong cow with great feet and legs and a solidly welded-on udder. We strive for a high producing, long lasting and reproductively sound herd. My goals have always been oriented around hot sheets, production and animal husbandry rather than the ribbons on the wall or attending shows. We have some cow families that are more type-oriented and denitely have an appreciation for them. I nd economically it doesn’t t in with my goals and passions to pursue the show ring while still having respect for those who do.
Additionally, we bed the cows and dry cows with sand. Our somatic cell count is generally around 120,000-150,000. We treat very few cows; most cases can be milked through it. We designed and built a homemade sand lane to recover our sand and cut down on bedding costs.
Alongside our cow herd, we raise all our replacement heifers and market breeding bulls. The demand for bulls is very strong, with some people exiting the industry that used to raise bulls along with the use of sexed/beef semen. On the cow herd, we use a combination of sexed and conventional semen on 60%-80% of the herd, with the remainder being bred to beef.
Although my mother, Jody, is a biology teacher at the high school, she is also a vital key to the farm. She and I work together to feed all our baby calves twice a day. We also sell some of our higher-end, betterpedigreed animals on consignment sales.
The main focus has always been on the cows, but
my parents have worked hard to accumulate their 600 acres of farm ground, with 400 of that being corn, 100 alfalfa and 100 plenish beans. Our goal is to have as much crop input go back to the cows as possible while still maintaining a high-producing and high-component herd. If the timing and/or weather are off and we don’t get the perfect crop, we have the exibility of feeding it to the youngstock. We end every fall by planting 100-150 acres of cover crops. In the spring, we harvest the cover crops, haul manure and then notill beans into that.
That’s the overall background of our farm. I’m looking forward to touching base with all of you in the future to update you on the latest activities on our family farm.
Abby Fairbanks is the third-generation on her family’s farm. She works full-time with her parents, Doug and Jody, where they milk 400 cows near Anamosa, Iowa.
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It’s all because of that stupid cable TV.
Until some years ago, our TV signal came to us via a rooftop antenna. We received exactly four channels, one of which was Public TV.
I’m a big fan of Public TV, and not just because of “Sesame Street.” One Public TV program my wife and I especially enjoy is “This Old House.”
On “This Old House,” they x up — surprise — old houses. These renovations span many episodes, which is close to the natural order of things. It reects reality; that is, if your reality involves camera crews and the best power tools known to mankind.
We now have cable, which means we can watch numerous TV shows that are similar to “This Old House.” Similar, but evil.
For instance, there’s a channel called “Magnolia Network,” which embraces the ethic of homeowner DIY. DIY is supposed to mean do-it-yourself, but I think it actually means, “Divorce? Is yes.”
The problem is that many of the programs on “Magnolia Network” are just an hour long. Large and complex home improvement projects are carried out, from conception to completion, during that brief hour, which includes numerous commercial breaks.
This radically distorts perceptions regarding the difculty of do-it-yourself home improvement projects: “As you can see, Bob, any homeowner can quickly and easily build a space shuttle in the backyard using only a rudimentary set of hand tools.”
My wife is not a high-maintenance person. Plain and simple is good enough for her; were this not so, she never would have married me.
I took notice when she began to mention that our bathroom needed help. She had a point. The original bathtub my grandfather installed in 1963 — upgraded to a shower by me in 1983 — was beginning to look icky. Inspired by “Magnolia Network,” I decided to attempt a do-it-yourself bathroom upgrade.
Topping my agenda was an overhaul of our home’s water delivery system. Our plumbing had been cobbled together over many years and had evolved into a convoluted conglomeration that closely resembled the innards of the Death Star.
stood what the big deal is.
We guys have different standards than females. To me, a 5-gallon bucket with holes punched in the bottom is a good enough shower — not that I would ever need a shower, mind you.
I visited my friendly local plumber guy and described my situation. I left his shop with a pickup truck full of PEX pipes and ttings, along with visions of a sparkling new bathroom.
As they say in the military, no battle plan ever survives rst contact with the enemy. So it was with my plumbing project.
The top item on my lengthy action list was to remove a brass adaptor from a galvanized pipe. This hardware appeared to have been originally screwed together back in 1963.
Knowing that the adaptor wouldn’t listen to reason, I deployed my biggest, nastiest pipe wrenches. Shock and awe; I was shocked when the galvanized pipe broke and awed by the amount of water that was sprayed on me. My long action list was instantly rendered meaningless.
I quickly and methodically moved onto Plan B, which was to panic. Woe betides the husband who cannot restore water pressure to the house ere his wife returns home from work.
I’ve noticed that females are fussy about having a functioning toilet in the house. I’ve never under-
But alas, it was not to be. We went a full day without water pressure and much longer than that before we regained a functional shower. That sort of thing would never wash with modern young people, who seem to need several showers daily. Anything less would be considered a violation of the Geneva Conventions.
After water pressure was restored, I tore out the old tub and installed the new shower. As soon as the pipes were all hooked up, I ipped on the shower and ... everything worked. Not a single leak anywhere. I stood in the basement for a long time and simply watched the pipes not leak.
Next came the installation of some new drywall. Drywall is a substance whose sole purpose is to cause people to invent innovative curse words.
I was dreaming of perfection, but that fantasy quickly surrendered to reality. “Don’t worry, the mud will probably hold it together,” is my motto regarding drywall.
We eventually achieved the goal of acquiring a sparkling new bathroom. What began as a little 2-day plumbing project morphed into a monster that consumed most of two weeks.
Even so, thanks to the folks at “Magnolia Network,” I feel as though I can tackle almost anything. Anybody need help building a backyard space shuttle?
Jerry Nelson is a recovering dairy farmer from Volga, South Dakota. He and his wife, Julie, have two sons and live on the farm where Jerry’s greatgrandfather homesteaded over 110 years ago. Feel free to email him at jerry.n@dairystar.com.
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I don’t remember how it started, but my Zweber cousins have a book club. I am a member of this club as I love reading any and all books. Sometimes, I think they may wish I weren’t a member, as I enjoy picking rather long books. What can I say? We have an Audible account with quite a few credits banked up, and I have a lot of time in the skid loader to listen to books. I haven’t chosen “Les Misérables” yet, which takes somewhere around 60 hours to read. However, I think I’m up to pick the next book soon, and that is an excellent book. Similar to my Dairy Star articles, our discus-
sions of books rarely stay quite on topic. The conversation usually starts with us talking about the book we read, and then it just kind of wanders where it will to tangential topics. The book my cousin Laura picked last month was “Witchcraft for Wayward Girls.” Somehow, the discussion of a book wherein unwed pregnant teens in the late 1960s practice witchcraft drifted to the urban/rural divide in politics. The weird part was that the election of our current president was the start of a somewhat contentious debate, but the president wasn’t really the contentious part. We were debat-
Editorial disclaimer: The views expressed by our columnists are the opinions and thoughts of the author and do not reect the opinions and views of Dairy Star staff and ownership.
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ing whether rural areas should have the amount of inuence they do in politics, as there are so many fewer people there.
Depending on your viewpoint, the Senate and the electoral college are either essential to make sure our vast country isn’t run by the two most populous cities on opposite coasts of the country, or it’s a way to prevent the populist vote from choosing the president and deciding the laws. I’m going to guess the audience I’m writing for here, being largely rural and agricultural, is opposed to New York and Los Angeles running the show on a federal level. That said, there seems to be a lot of animosity between urban and rural areas currently, or at least when it comes to politics.
By Tim Zweber Farmer &
A Minnesota Public Radio article I read on Facebook talked about why the author thought rural areas have mostly voted Republican in recent history. I thought it was a well-thought-out article, and they interviewed a number of people from rural areas. The interviewees talked about not feeling heard by the democratic party that is seen to be elected and run by the urban areas of the state. They didn’t want to vote for candidates whose party would ignore them.
I made the mistake of looking at the comments section, curious if anyone wrote they felt a greater understanding of rural voters or if any rural folks added their thoughts on the article. The comments were nearly all about how stupid rural people are that they would vote for a party that would cut funding for farm programs and hold up promised grant funds. It seemed not only did no one gain any understanding, but they were even more upset that people weren’t ashamed of how they voted. Comment sections on the internet should in no way be taken as an indicator of most people’s views.
I’m not writing this to tell you how to vote. I’m concerned that urban and rural communities understand each other less as farming has become more consolidated. There are just fewer of us in agriculture and the rural areas than there had been in the past. Because of that, fewer and fewer people come from farms or know someone who farms. We need to step up and have those hard conversations in a respectful way with people from urban and suburban areas. We can’t just say, “They aren’t worth talking to, they’ll never understand.” It’s not about convincing people you are right or they are wrong about some political issue. It’s about explaining why you think about an issue the way you do and also listening to them about how they came to their conclusions. Together, you can lay down a few pieces in the process to build a bridge across that divide of understanding.
Until next time, keep living the dream, and be a bridge builder rather than a burner. Rural America has been wishing for the replacement of many of its literal bridges, and maybe the way to help make that happen is by maintaining and building the gurative ones.
Tim Zweber farms with his wife, Emily, their three children and his parents, Jon and Lisa, near Elko, Minnesota.
Spring in the Midwest is a time of renewal, a time of anticipation to sow new seeds and focus on the upcoming growing season. At NexGen, we are full steam ahead, planting crops in the eld and seeds in our market garden. The hours we have been busy sowing have given us time to also ponder, “What are the seeds that we are currently planting and tending to in the fertile soil of our minds?”
Our minds are magnicent gardens. They will yield whatever we plant. On a given day, we are bombarded by thousands of thoughts constantly streaming through our minds. We call this our inner dialogue. It is the
is to alter recurring negative thoughts to positive — from impossible to possible or cannot do to can do. Rewire your brain to change your life. You are either programming your brain for success or more of the same. Your selftalk has the power to fuel your growth or chain you to doubt. Choose words that lift you higher.
Watch what you plant in your mind. If we aren’t mindful of what we allow into our minds — watching, reading and listening to whatever comes our way without discernment — we risk planting weeds that will eventually take over the garden of our thoughts.
conversation we have with ourselves.
When we repeatedly focus on certain thoughts, we nourish them — much like sunlight and water help plants grow — encouraging those specic ideas to take root and ourish. Whatever we nourish will grow. Selfdeprecating thoughts will yield selfdeprecating behaviors. Self-condent thoughts will yield condent behaviors. Thoughts of kindness and grace to ourselves and others will, in turn, deliver actions of grace, kindness and patience.
We must be mindful of the thoughts we allow to be planted. The quality of our thoughts will ultimately determine the quality of our lives. Stephen Covey says, “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.”
The voice in our heads — or inner voice — plays a signicant role in shaping our thoughts, self-perception and overall well-being. Understanding its role and importance is critical for personal growth and mental health. Paying attention to what is being “said” and recognizing its patterns can help us to identify and challenge negative and unproductive thoughts.
When a thought arises, it res certain neural networks in the brain. These thoughts reinforce neural circuitry to create that exact reality. Recurrent negative thoughts are akin to the path that is walked by cattle through the pasture. The more the thoughts recur, the more the path is dened. Therefore, the goal
This season, we pause to reect and thoughtfully examine the sources of information that ow into our lives each day. Are we spending time on social media sites that are fueling negative thoughts of lack of worth or constant comparison? Are we watching television that constantly exemplies negativity, violence, competition and poor morals? Are we spending time in places or with people who cultivate the type of garden we want? What could be accomplished in our personal lives or on our dairies if we nd sources that provide kindness, inspiration, knowledge and self-worth?
Rather than waiting for something in the outer world to inspire and change our inner thinking, let us change our inner dialogue to create the immediate environment around us that we each desire. Use your thoughts to help move you to where you want to go. Recognize when negative self-talk creeps in and pivot to more productive and supportive thinking.
A good rule is: If you wouldn’t say the things your inner voice is telling you out loud to another friend, then it isn’t appropriate to say to yourself. Use positive self-talk to get into a mindset that creates a sense of resilience, momentum and resolve you need when challenges arise. Hang notes of specic goals, words or ideas in areas that you or your team view frequently for constant reminders that reinforce the desired neural networks you want to harvest. Visit with team members or close friends and family and ask them to help hold you accountable to the thought or seed you wish to tend to this growing season.
Tend to your most important garden. This season, try sowing and tending to a seed of positive change in either your personal life or a goal for your dairy business. Remember, seeds need constant sun and regular watering to fuel signicant growth for the future harvest. Your thoughts will need regular focus and attention if you aim for a bountiful harvest in the future.
Megan Schrupp and Ellen Stenger are sisters and co-owners of both NexGen Dairy and NexGen Market in Eden Valley, Minnesota. They can be reached at Nexgendairy@gmail.com.
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