Dairy Stream

Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement

In the second part of the Workable Workforce Series, we cover retention and engagement with employees. HR professional Joni Booth and dairy farmer Sandy Larson share experiences, recommendations and tips on retaining employees, incentives, retention interviews and keeping all level of employees engaged. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Joni and Sandy:

• 1:12: Importance of retaining employees and how to do it    
• 4:43: Putting employees in the right role   
• 6:41: How Sandy retains employees on her farm  
• 8:38: Do incentives work
• 12:35: Retention interviews  
• 18:53:  Retention interviews by groups
•  20:41: Community factors for employees   
• 24:44: Keeping employees engaged   
• 27:40: Confidential feedback
• 29:14: How Sandy keeps employees engaged  
• 32:04: Engagement for short versus long term employees  
• 33:35: Making employees feel a part of the team   
• 36:06: Do incentives or benefits keep employees engaged
• 38:57: Resources to keep employees engaged 

Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.

About the guests

• Joni Booth is on a mission to help create a better world of work. Formally trained as a financial analyst, she grew a passion for helping organizations optimize their human capital to achieve their business objectives. Throughout her career, she has worked with various global organizations across different industries, providing solutions that improve employee engagement, increase productivity, and drive overall organizational performance. Her expertise includes talent acquisition and management, performance management, employee experience, and workforce planning. 
• Sandy Larson is the 5th generation to lead Larson Acres, her family-owned dairy in Evansville, Wis.  Sandy works hard on employee engagement and management, business administration, and public relations.  She is a member of the Board of Directors for ALCIVIA, National FARM Farmer Advisory Council, and active member of the Rock County dairy organizations.  Sandy is the founder and advisor to the Rock County Ag Ambassador program, which employees a part-time person to advocate on behalf of agriculture in the county.   Additionally, Sandy is an active advocate for dairy within the community and through social media outlets. 

Dairy Stream has dedicated four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.

May 3: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and Onboarding Talent | LISTEN HERE

June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling

July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: Engagement and Retention

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on May 24. 

In this second part of the series, Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with HR professional Joni Booth and dairy farmer Sandy Larson about retaining employees and keeping them engaged. They dive into retention ideas and resources, what engagement looks like for short- and long-term employees and incentives.

Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.

About the guests

• Joni Booth is on a mission to help create a better world of work. Formally trained as a financial analyst, she grew a passion for helping organizations optimize their human capital to achieve their business objectives. Throughout her career, she has worked with various global organizations across different industries, providing solutions that improve employee engagement, increase productivity, and drive overall organizational performance. Her expertise includes talent acquisition and management, performance management, employee experience, and workforce planning. 
• Sandy Larson is the 5th generation to lead Larson Acres, her family-owned dairy in Evansville, Wis.  Sandy works hard on employee engagement and management, business administration, and public relations.  She is a member of the Board of Directors for ALCIVIA, National FARM Farmer Advisory Council, and active member of the Rock County dairy organizations.  Sandy is the founder and advisor to the Rock County Ag Ambassador program, which employees a part-time person to advocate on behalf of agriculture in the county.   Additionally, Sandy is an active advocate for dairy within the community and through social media outlets. 

Dairy Stream has dedicated four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.

May 3: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and Onboarding Talent | LISTEN HERE

June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling

July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and onboarding talent

Finding and sustaining a workable workforce is a challenge. It starts with recruiting and onboarding. HR professional Lori Culler and dairy farmer Laura Finger share experiences, recommendations and tips for recruiting, selecting and onboarding employees. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Lori and Laura:

• 1:38: Where should farms start with sourcing and recruiting talent  
• 3:44: Share the reality of the job  
• 5:23: Best place to post a job
• 6:33: How Laura recruits for her farm 
• 8:49: How to assess the talent pool
• 9:56: What to share about pay and benefits  
• 13:46: How to select the best candidate
•  18:26: Ensuring the farm and candidates expectations are met  
•  24:04: What is an effective onboarding plan   
• 25:43: Making the handbook ‘fun’
• 27:00: How to build a positive employee culture
• 28:00: First week is critical, don’t forget about 30, 60, 90 day check-ins    
• 31:22: How to check-in with new employees  
• 32:34: Biggest mistake with onboarding
• 33:35: Ensuring all the backgrounds and cultures of employees are thriving
• 36:58: The future of recruiting and onboarding  

Special thanks to Syngenta for sponsoring this episode.

About the guests

• Lori Culler is the founder of AgHires, an online job board and recruiting firm dedicated to the Agriculture, Horticulture, and Food Production industry. Lori grew up on her family's 3rd generation potato and grain farm operating today across four states. After graduating from the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, she began working in recruiting and management consulting. While hiring for her family’s operation, she quickly realized the lack of resources in the industry to find and attract talent which inspired her to launch AgHires. 
• Laura Finger and her husband Phil are owner operators of Finger Family Farm in Oconto Wisconsin.  They are the 5th generation on their dairy that milks 540 cows, raises all their own replacements and farms 1800 acres.  Laura has a Dairy Science Degree from Iowa State University and uses both cow knowledge and evolved people skills to lead a team of 20 employees with a variety of backgrounds ranging from local people, high schoolers, retirees and migrant labor.  Her main jobs are to raise calves and kids, manage the parlor and anything involving their team of people on the farm. 

Dairy Stream has dedicated the next four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.

• May 24: Workable Workforce Series: Retention and Engagement 
• June 14: Workable Workforce Series: Coaching and Counseling
• July 5: Workable Workforce Series: HR Management and Legal Matters

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Dairy Streamlet: Workable Workforce Series: Recruiting and onboarding talent

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on May 3. 

Dairy Stream has dedicated the next four episodes to focus on an asset on your farm, your workforce. The four episodes of the Workable Workforce Series will cover recruiting, engaging, coaching and HR legal items. The series is sponsored by Syngenta and Compeer Financial.

In this first part of the series, Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with HR professional Lori Culler and dairy farmer Laura Finger about the most critical step with developing your workforce. They cover how to recruit, select and onboard new employees.

Special thanks to Syngenta for sponsoring this episode.

About the guests

• Lori Culler is the founder of AgHires, an online job board and recruiting firm dedicated to the Agriculture, Horticulture, and Food Production industry. Lori grew up on her family's 3rd generation potato and grain farm operating today across four states. After graduating from the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, she began working in recruiting and management consulting. While hiring for her family’s operation, she quickly realized the lack of resources in the industry to find and attract talent which inspired her to launch AgHires. 
• Laura Finger and her husband Phil are owner operators of Finger Family Farm in Oconto Wisconsin.  They are the 5th generation on their dairy that milks 540 cows, raises all their own replacements and farms 1800 acres.  Laura has a Dairy Science Degree from Iowa State University and uses both cow knowledge and evolved people skills to lead a team of 20 employees with a variety of backgrounds ranging from local people, high schoolers, retirees and migrant labor.  Her main jobs are to raise calves and kids, manage the parlor and anything involving their team of people on the farm. 

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

The future of dairy processing

Dairy processing is a competitive industry and Wisconsin is home to a world-class facility – the Center for Dairy Research – driving the development of new products to meet consumer demands, both domestically and abroad. Ken Heiman, owner of Nasonville Dairy, and John Jaeggi, coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program and coordinator of the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR), share processor challenges, how CDR can help and the future of dairy processing. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Ken and John:

• 1:55: Past challenges at Nasonville Dairy
• 4:15: How CDR supported Nasonville Dairy
• 5:53: Number of projects that CDR works on
• 6:45: What has been the most common challenge
• 7:47: CDR support during the pandemic
• 10:15: CDR support in a timely manner
• 11:24: Does the manufactures and supplier provide adequate support
• 13:46: Challenges with exports and regulation
• 17:26: Importance of dairy competitions
• 22:28: How to ask CDR for help
• 23:25: Wisconsin processors get priority, international support
• 25:26: How dairy farmers ask CDR for support
• 26:56: Do dairy processors pay for CDR support
• 27:33: CDR confidential assistance
• 29:45: Future challenges in dairy processing
• 33:08: Ken perspective on future challenges

Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.

About the guests

• Ken Heiman is a Master Cheesemaker who owns Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield, Wisconsin, is an encyclopedia of all things dairy – from cheese’s ancient roots in Egyptian tombs and Greek mythology to the exact time it takes his plant to turn a tanker load of milk into feta. Also, a true Wisconsinite who got his cheesemaker’s license before his driver’s license.

• John Jaeggi is the coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program at John is responsible for the coordination and execution of trials and application extensions. In addition, John lectures and conducts lab sessions for numerous CDR and company contracted short courses. John has a B.S. in Business and Economics. He is a third generation licensed Wisconsin Cheesemaker with over 45 years of experience in the industry. He has also been a technical judge in many contests including the United States and World Championship Cheese Contest.

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Dairy Streamlet: The future of dairy processing

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the April 12 episode. 

Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Ken Heiman, owner of Nasonville Dairy, and John Jaeggi, coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program and coordinator of the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program at the Center for Dairy Research (CDR), about processor challenges, how CDR can help and the future of dairy processing and research.

Special thanks to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.

About the guests

• Ken Heiman is a Master Cheesemaker who owns Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield, Wisconsin, is an encyclopedia of all things dairy – from cheese’s ancient roots in Egyptian tombs and Greek mythology to the exact time it takes his plant to turn a tanker load of milk into feta. Also, a true Wisconsinite who got his cheesemaker’s license before his driver’s license.
• John Jaeggi is the coordinator of the Cheese Industry and Applications Program at CDR, John is responsible for the coordination and execution of trials and application extensions. In addition John lectures and conducts lab sessions for numerous CDR and company contracted short courses. John has a B.S. in Business and Economics. He is a third generation licensed Wisconsin Cheesemaker with over 45 years of experience in the industry. He has also been a technical judge in many contests including the United States and World Championship Cheese Contest. 
  
  

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Farmers versus Foodies: Who will call the shots for agriculture

Food system outsiders are paving a path and it could be taking agriculture in the wrong direction. Ray Starling, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research shares the realities of the food system outsider problem and how we can protect our future. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Ray:

• 1:39: Farmer vs food system outsider problem
• 5:42: Ah-ha moment and why be so public about this topic
• 8:37: Cultural trends impacting the problem
• 11:48: How the problem impacts public policy     
• 13:38: How outsiders are leveraging the legal system
• 18:07: When’s the right time to act
• 24:40: Is this a worldwide problem
•  26:16: Importance of exports  
•  27:36: What part of agriculture is the most vulnerable to the problem  
• 30:50: How can we bridge the gap between farmers vs food system outsiders
• 34:42: What is the process to fix the problem
• 40:18: How to safeguard the future of agriculture   
• 42:00: How to protect animal agriculture from a national and international standpoint
• 42:56: How much time do we have to turn this problem around

Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode.

Ray will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 4-5 in Arlington, VA. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1 at bit.ly/AAA23Summit.

About the guest

Ray Starling is an attorney, public policy professional, law professor, ag system thought leader, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture, and farm kid from Autryville, North Carolina with a tremendous passion for the agriculture industry.  With almost three decades of experience in navigating how public policy impacts farmers and agribusiness leaders, Ray has seen a lot, but readily admits we are in the midst of a new era of outside influence in agriculture.   

In his role as Executive Advisor for Aimpoint Research, Ray Starling serves as invaluable resource on public policy and legal developments that have the potential to impact the agri-food value chain.  He continues to serve as general counsel for the NC Chamber of Commerce and president of the NC Chamber Legal Institute as well.  The NC Chamber is the leading business advocacy organization in North Carolina. Its core business is to work in the legislative, regulatory, and political arenas to proactively drive positive change, ensuring that North Carolina is one of the best places in the world to do business.  That work paid off recently when North Carolina was named by CNBC as “America’s Top State for Business,” including agribusiness.   

Prior to joining the NC Chamber team, Ray served as the Chief of Staff to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue where he coordinated execution of the Secretary's policy agenda for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the time, the agency employed over 100,000 public servants, and received a budget of over $160 billion annually.  Ray focused on regulatory and deregulatory initiatives and acted as a point of contact for stakeholders throughout agriculture and rural communities.  

He has also served as the principal agriculture advisor to the President of the United States at the White House, as a staff member of the National Economic Council.  Ray has served as chief of staff, lead agriculture advisor, and chief counsel for U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, and was general counsel to Tillis when Tillis was Speaker of the House in the North Carolina legislature. Early in his career, Ray was general counsel to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, serving alongside the state’s beloved elected Commissioner of Agriculture, Steven Troxler. 

Licensed to practice law in North Carolina, Ray has private practice experience and has taught agricultural and food law for several years. He has a bachelor's degree in agricultural education from North Carolina State University (magna cum laude) and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (with honors). He grew up on a Century Farm in southeastern North Carolina and credits that experience as having more to do with his career path than any other influence or opportunity. His parents continue to farm as does his eldest brother. Ray was a National FFA Officer and is a former 4-H member. He has received numerous honors and awards during his career, including being selected for a Marshall Memorial Fellowship, the flagship leadership development program of the German Marshall Fund.   

He has spoken to hundreds of audiences across the United States, and is known for his folksy storytelling style, and perhaps for his southern accent, all combined with insightful information that drives audience members to think about how we navigate the turbulent future of agriculture.   

Ray resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife, Dr. Tina Starling, and daughter, Victoria. 

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Dairy Streamlet: Farmers versus Foodies: Who will call the shots for agriculture

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on March 22. 

Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Ray Starling, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research about the food system outsider problem and how we can protect the future of agriculture.  

Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode.

Ray will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 4-5 in Arlington, VA. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1 at bit.ly/AAA23Summit.

About the guest

Ray Starling is an attorney, public policy professional, law professor, ag system thought leader, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and farm kid from North Carolina. With almost three decades of experience in navigating how public policy impacts farmers and agribusiness leaders, Ray has seen a lot, but readily admits we are in the midst of a new era of outside influence in agriculture. He is currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and also an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research.  

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

PFAS contamination and possible implications for dairy

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have recently made headlines and there has been some focus on the dairy community. Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation, shares the basics of PFAS, her experiences working with contaminated dairies and future legislation. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Courtney:

• 1:36: PFAS and the original intention
• 4:21: Where are PFAS commonly found
• 5:15: Clean-up of PFAS contaminated areas
•  6:17: How a farm can get in contact with PFAS   
• 7:52: Testing for PFAS 
• 10:46: PFAS testing in Maine, Michigan and New Mexico
• 11:45: Should the focus be more on PFOA and PFOS
• 12:50: Who should be most worried about PFAS on the food supply chain
•  15:05: Courtney’s experience with dairy farms impacted by PFAS
• 16:25: PFAS contamination, now what
• 18:00: Media narrative with PFAS contamination
• 19:30: How widespread is PFAS  
• 20:57: What actions are being taken to regulate PFAS
• 24:36: If a farm experiences a PFAS contamination tomorrow, what does a farm do?
• 25:31: Research support to understand PFAS
• 26:33: Wisconsin receiving PFAS funding, what will it be used for?
• 27:47: How can all industries work together now on PFAS
• 29:30: PFAS in the next farm bill
• 30:39: What is still unknown about PFAS

Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.

About the guest

Courtney Briggs serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Senior Director of Government Affairs. Her issue portfolio encompasses Clean Water Act and conservation issues. Courtney’s work focuses on specific issues such as Waters of the United States, nutrient reduction strategies and NRCS conservation compliance. Courtney came to the American Farm Bureau Federation in November 2021. Prior to joining AFBF she served as Senior Federal Legislative Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For over a decade, Courtney directed the federal lobbying on environment, transportation and land use policies. Courtney currently serves as Chair of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, a multi-industry coalition that focuses on Clean Water Act issues. Prior to joining NAHB, she spent 5 years on Capitol Hill working for Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Courtney grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and graduated from Villanova University with a degree in political science. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two young children. 

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Dairy Streamlet: PFAS contamination and possible implications for dairy

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the March 1 episode. 

Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation, about the basics of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), contaminations on dairy farms, implications and future legislation.

Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.

About the guest

• Courtney Briggs serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Senior Director of Government Affairs. Her issue portfolio encompasses Clean Water Act and conservation issues. Courtney’s work focuses on specific issues such as Waters of the United States, nutrient reduction strategies and NRCS conservation compliance. Courtney came to the American Farm Bureau Federation in November 2021. Prior to joining AFBF she served as Senior Federal Legislative Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For over a decade, Courtney directed the federal lobbying on environment, transportation and land use policies. Courtney currently serves as Chair of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, a multi-industry coalition that focuses on Clean Water Act issues. Prior to joining NAHB, she spent 5 years on Capitol Hill working for Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Courtney grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and graduated from Villanova University with a degree in political science. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two young children.
  
  

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.