PDPW Dairy's Bottom Line -- June 2023

Diverse products add value to dairies

PDPW

Opportunities to diversify abound for dairy producers –and it’s a sure-fire way to develop new skillsets and engage with customers on a different level. According to two dairy producers who addressed 2023 PDPW Business Conference attendees, the key is finding a niche that complements one’s interests and available resources.

In the “More than a side hustle” conference session, dairy producers Ken Smith of Remington,Virginia,and John Rosenow of Cochrane, Wisconsin, shared their experiences establishing businesses for the purpose of generating additional revenue streams.

The panel discussion was facilitated by Katy Schultz, dairy producer and owner of Tri-Fecta Farms Inc.as well as a managing partner in the farm-to-table beef market Tri-Fecta Farms Family Market.

Smith designed and built in 2006 an ice cream shop after purchasing an old building on a highway intersection near his farm His son Ben Smith bought the family’s 1,000cow dairy, Cool Lawn Farm, which allowed his father to focus his energy into refurbishing the property he

bought. It’s now the Moo Thru drive-through ice cream parlor.

“The idea came to me as I was sitting at a stoplight at that corner,” Ken Smith said.

“One of the benefits of developing the ice cream business is we knew people would come to us for it.On any given weekend people drive down that road with money in their pockets to spend We thought it made sense to make good use of their intentions.”

He also had a hunch he’d be able to associate with happy customers more often than not, he said.

“I’ve never seen a grumpy person standing in a line for ice cream,” he said with a smile.

Originally based in Remington, Virginia, Moo Thru Ice Cream is now sold from 10 locations The Smith family’s business also offers ice cream-truck services and franchising opportunities

Moo Thru

Before beginning construction on the ice cream parlor, the Smiths attended ice cream-production classes at Penn State University They worked through a number of base recipes before copyrighting their own. Smith said recipe creation is a learning curve they continue to work on. They make it a point to stop and sample ice cream whenever they travel – a pretty fantastic tax-deductible expense.

A key point in business growth occurred when a Washington, D C , television station broadcast a morning news segment live from the Smith location. And adding a

2023-2024 PDPW Board

President John Haag Dane, Wis. 608-576-0812

jahaag5@gmail.com

Vice President Janet Clark Rosendale, Wis. 608-341-6709 vafarmsllc@hotmail.com

Secretary Corey Hodorff Eden, Wis. 920-602-6449 corey@secondlookholsteins.com

Treasurer Brady Weiland Columbus, Wis. 920-285-7362 bweiland11@hotmail.com

Directors

Patty Dolph Lake Mills, Wis. 920-988-2425 dolphpatricia@gmail.com

Ken Feltz Stevens Point, Wis. 715-570-6390 feltzfarms@hotmail.com

Paul Lippert Pittsville, Wis. 715-459-4735 lippert4735@gmail.com

JJ Pagel Kewaunee, Wis. 920-493-0879 johnj@pagelsponderosa.com

Laura Raatz Oconto Falls, Wis. 715-853-8140 laurawagner1608@gmail.com

Advisers

Eric Birschbach 608-576-9204 agsitecc@gmail.com

Curtis Gerrits 715-928-9241 curtis.gerrits@compeer.com

Josh Mullins 715-305-3705 josh@mullinscheese.com

Roger Olson 920-362-4745 roger.olson@zinpro.com

Dairies

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drive-through to the parlor led to further growth, especially during the COVID pandemic. The business has since further expanded by building an ice cream plant separate from the store.The business also currently operates out of additional locations as well as a food truck. Franchise opportunities further expand their “ice cream income.”

Smith’s daughter,Taylor Smith Gough, and four employees make the ice cream sold at the Moo Thru locations.Their attention to detail and quality has paid off, Ken Smith said. Northern Virginia magazine lauded Moo Thru as having the best ice cream in Virginia And about 300,000 people stop at the store every year.

Operating a retail business means adjusting to customer schedules and hiring additional team members to accommodate customer preferences.

“This is definitely a different type of work than dairy farming,” Smith said.

Their weekends are now committed to the ice cream business to cater to customers’ traveling and relaxation schedules.

“Weekends are when people are out enjoying their life and we want to be available to them during those times,” he said.“I’m happy we can supply this niche market.”

Visit moothru.com for more information.

Compost turns over new revenue

More than 1,000 miles northwest of the Moo-Thru Ice Cream store, John and Nettie Rosenow own and operate Rosenholm Dairy in Buffalo County,Wisconsin. After a barn fire in 1989 they rebuilt their dairy, with the addition of a composting facility to manage their dairy’s manure.

In the late 1990s they became more serious about pursuing commercial opportunities for composting. They began to call

their quality compost “Cowsmo Compost™.” They built a 2-acre hard-surface site and invested in a compost turner They have continued to grow and invest in facilities. They currently offer yearround sales of compost and potting soil directly as well as through retailers in 22 states; organic-vegetable growers and landscape suppliers are their primary markets.

Cowsmo products meet all standards for organic production and have become a leader in the organic market, the Rosenows said. The 600-cow Rosenholm Dairy shares its sustainability story at www.cowsmocompost. com as well as on its packaging

The website addresses Rosenholm Dairy’s environmental practices including no-till, contour, and filter and buffer strips on its hilly Wisconsin farmland. The website also references the fact that they bed their cows with sawdust from a local furniture manufacturer

Cowsmo Compost faced challenges in the beginning of introducing its product to potential customers After initial efforts and employees didn’t pan out, John Rosenow began focusing on the sales and marketing efforts himself

“The first few years we sat by the phone – but it didn’t ring,” he said. “When I took over the marketing, I decided to get in a truck filled with compost and offer to give some to potential customers. I discovered that selling calls for a different skillset than what I used as a dairy farmer and I liked it.”

Engaging with potential customers at home and garden shows has proven an effective marketing strategy. At the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show they handed out 4,000 samples of Cowsmo compost for customers to see first, and then purchase later at retailer locations.

“Handing out samples so potential customers can see firsthand it’s free of weed seeds and it doesn’t smell like manure has been really important,” Rosenow said.“It gets their attention.”

Visit www.cowsmocompost. com for more information.

Dairy checkoff makes important impact

Janet Clark

I didn’t always pay much attention to the role promotion plays in advancing our industry. My expertise as a dairy farmer is focused on caring for our animals and managing our business operations. Thinking about how the cheese made from our cows’ milk is marketed or what our promotion group was working on wasn’t at the top of my ever-growing to-do list.

But serving on the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin bo ar d has opened my eyes to the power of promotion to put our dairy products at the center of the table for families around the world. Seeing partnerships in action has helped me appreciate the full spectrum of checkoff-program initiatives. I recognize how the stories of farmers like me fit into the big picture – and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned about the value our dairy checkoff generates

Demand turns into dollars

Total dairy consumption has increased since 1983,when dairy farmers voted in favor of a milk-marketing order and created the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Now operating as Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, the marketing board was created to build awareness and demand for Wisconsin-dairy-farmer milk. Since then 15 cents of every 100 pounds of milk has been directed to state and national dairy-industry promotion. The professional efforts of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsinstaffarean often-unseen extension of the teamwork it takes to put our products on shelves. Wisconsin cheese can now be found in 99 percent of

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grocery stores nationwide and in 140 countries

As a next-generation farmer who started after the checkoff program was already in place, I’ve taken for granted the impact it’s had on product innovation and building Wisconsin-cheese identity during the past 40 years. Consumer consumption of cheese doubled during that time and butter recently reached a 50-year record New-product development funded through checkoff dollars has spurred innovation and increased specialty sales. Keeping dairy perceptions positive has helped us weather economic challenges. Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin messaging around sustainable solutions positions us for the future.

Messages reach valuable audiences

Sharing the story of Wisconsin milk happens through strategic initiatives to cultivate a wide variety of partners As a Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board member, I’ve gained a front-row seat to programs designed to strengthen relationships with bulk buyers and individual consumers.

More than 4,650 Wisconsin dairy products now carry a “Proudly Wisconsin” badge, developed by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and considered an indicator of quality in the marketplace.Consumersareencouragedtolookforthatlabelthrough in-store demonstrations, digital ads, in-store sales materials, and earned and free media via public relations. Storytelling helps shoppers understand they’re supporting real farm families like mine. Retail-grocery-store programs such as “Cheese is Our Love Language” in February, “Wonders of Wisconsin” in May

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Janet Clark

PEOPLE PERSPECTIVE

Connect with human aspect of change

Richard Kyte

The news is dominated by the depiction of dire events suggesting a gloomy future. But the most underreported news story of the past century is that the world is becoming better in just abo ut every measurable way.

Much of the improvement in living conditions is due to progress in agriculture.

•The world’s dairy farmers produce twice as much milk now than they did 50 years ago.

•Corn yields in the United States have increased from 85 bushels per acre in 1980 to currently 162 bushels per acre.

•In 1990 there were more than 650,000 deaths worldwide from malnutrition.By 2019 malnutrition deaths had decreased to about 200,000.

•Since 1950 the global child-mortality rate has decreased from 22.5 percent to 4.5 percent.

•Life expectancy for most of human history has been 25 to 35 years, depending on where one lived. But life expectancy around the globe has been steadily increasing since 1900. Now populations around the globe have a life expectancy ranging from 60 to 80 years.

and “The More the Merrier” holiday-sales promotion generate lifts in sales throughout the

But all of that comes at a cost. Objectively speaking there has never been a better time to live on planet Earth. And yet people

are feeling worse about their lives than ever before. Why the discrepancy?

Technology gives us better results. But it also reduces our dependency on one another, which means we are less likely to develop strong social connections. And it turns out we need robust social connections to have a life we feel good about.

Therearecurrentlylotsofpeople, especially in the developed world, who are not feeling good about their lives. During the past three decades the rates of stress, anxiety, loneliness and suicide have been steadily increasing.

Think of it this way; every advance in technology promises to give us more power and more

year on a national scale – in tens of thousands of stores reaching millions of cheese-buying shoppers.

The groundwork laid by the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin team helps position Wisconsin producers as suppliers of choice within the food industry. New-product development and joint promotions with restaurant chains such as Culver’s and Domino’s open incredible opportunities for Wisconsin dairy products. Sponsored content with trusted gourmet-food media outlets such as Food52 and SAVEUR help promote the “Wisconsin Cheese” brand.

Promotion grows positive connections

Checkoff promotion doesn’t just drive global business; it also encourages dairy-industry connections in our communities. The “Adopt a Cow” school program has engaged 60,000 students in following a day in the life of a real dairy calf. “Breakfast on the Farm” events attract grassroots groups during National Dairy Month. Proactive outreach builds trust and grows demand.

Even if marketing isn’t at the top of our to-do lists, we each have our own role to play in supporting checkoff efforts. By sending cheese sticks as snacks to my kids’ sporting events, I’m sending a message about the nutritional benefits of dairy. Thanking a mom who’s loading gallons of milk into her grocery cart opens the door to rewarding conversations Sharing my story connects a commodity to a family farm.

I try to do my part in promotion and I’m paying much more attention to the big picture. Thanks to the dairy checkoff, we have a dedicated team working to move Wisconsin milk and tirelessly advocating for our industry – and I’m so grateful!

Visit WisconsinDairy.org for more information.

Janet Clark is a dairy farmer from Rosendale, Wisconsin, where she and her family own and operate Vision Aire Farms. She is the vicepresident of the PDPW board and a board member of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, a mission sponsor of PDPW Email hello@WisconsinDairy. org to contact her

Richard Kyte

Technology gives us better results. But it also reduces our dependency on one another, which means we are less likely to develop strong social connections.

freedom We’re told we will be able to do more with less and we will be able to do it in a more-convenient fashion

Smartphones are a great example; most of us have the power at our fingertips of what was once considered a supercomputer. We can access all kinds of information in just a few seconds – like weather predictions, repair instructions or the distance to the nearest gas station. And it’s available to us whenever we need it.

But that also means we don’t need to stop and ask for directions when we’re traveling. We don’t need to ask a neighbor for advice on how to wire an

electrical outlet or go to the local watering hole to learn the news. We are becoming more and more self-sufficient And more and more lonely.

In “The Land Remembers,” Ben Logan recalls the winter evening his father brought home a new kerosene lantern that lit the entire room. The family lived on a small Wisconsin farm during the Great Depression, yet even in those days advances in technology were changing the ways they interacted with one another

With the bright new lantern the kids didn’t need to sit at the dining room table to read their books the way they needed to

PDPW Accelerate amplifies internships

Despite any past or present labor shortages, highly trained, skilled and motivated individuals are always in demand.Within specialized dairy and agricultural job markets there are positions for which there is stiff competition between potential employees.

With the objective of building the skillsets of student interns to help them be successful in the workforce, PDPW Accelerate™ will take place July 26 at the WildernessResort,45HillmanRoad, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

Designed to take place during the course of one’s summer internship – with the encouragement of the employer – the interactive program aims to help attendees build important tools

•understand how personality types impact team dynamics

•examine individual roles in a team

•understand how to best communicate with colleagues

•recognize when and how to adapt to different roles when needed

•effectively convey and receive meaningful feedback

•set themselves apart during any interview process for an eventual full-time job

Trainer Michael Hoffman will employ group activities and interactive discussions with the ultimate goal of positioning agricultural interns to be a step ahead of the pack when they graduate.

The training is accredited and approved for as many as 5.5 continuing-education credits through Dairy AdvanCE. Visit www.DairyAdvance.org for more information.

Visit www pdpw org for more information including registration details and program duration.

with the old Ray-o-vac His mother, always attentive to the conditions of their lives, was concerned

“‘I’m not sure I like that new lamp,’ she said.

“Father looked at the empty chairs around the table

“‘Want to go back to the old lamp?’ he asked.

“‘I don’t think it’s the lamp,’ she said ‘I think it’s us Does a new lamp have to change where we sit at night?’

“Father’s eyes found us, one by one Then he made a little motion with his head. We came out of our corners and slid into our old places at the table.”

The greatest ethical challenge of our age is learning how to maintain social connections when we don’t need them to do our work We tend to think we can fix social problems by developing new rules for behavior, issuing codes of conduct or implementing training sessions But none of that works if the majority of people don’t already

have a deep concern for the common good that grows from love and respect for one another.

That love and respect is not shaped by rules or lessons. It grows quite naturally when we spend time in the company of others, learning more about them and seeing the many ways our lives are interconnected.

The next time somebody complains the world is becoming worse because of social media, smartphones, televisions or computers – remember the wise words of Ben Logan’s mother. It’s not the technology; it’s us.

We can always choose how to spend our time And spending time in the company of others not only makes us feel better about our lives, it’s good for our communities as well

Richard Kyte is the Endowed Professor of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University. Email rlkyte@ viterbo.edu to reach him.

Conservation can increase field productivity

Matthew Oehmichen

When it comes to creating best-practice land management with a grower, I find it fascinating how crazy ideas become agronomic practices. As my years in this industry have gone by I’ve seen chang es in beliefs on such practices as interseeding, cover cropping, minimum tillage and diversity of crops in the rotation. As those practices were incorporated into increasingly more acres, I foresaw an important question.

“How do I know this is doing anything?”

When growers expand the number of acres on which they establish systems that include

cover crops or interseeded companion crops, they want to know if they’re maximizing

their crop management and increasing the productivity of their fields. From what I’ve seen

in field trials and plots in Marathon County, Wisconsin, I believe they are.

Conservation practices can bring more productivity to fields, especially when combined with fertility. “Practices” is the operative word because using multiple approaches during the course of a season helps create the benefits of nutrient cycling. Nutrient cycling occurs when energy and matter are consumed and released back into their environment. It’s the process whereby forests and prairies become self-sustaining. As plants grow they take nutrients from the soil. When their life cycle is complete, the plants decompose and release those nutrients back to the soil.

But in a cropping system the crop is harvested,thus removing the nutrients from the soil.With a crop’s removal the nutrient

GO WHERE THE GRASS IS GREENER SS

Contributed

Planting cover crops is a sound conservation practice as well as an excellent way to return nutrients to the soil.

Matthew Oehmichen

cycle is immediately disrupted. That’s where continuous cover and crop diversity come into play to alleviate the strain caused by continuous loss of fertility.

Fertility can be assessed in multiple ways including tissue sampling, soil tests, pre-plant and side-dress nitrate testing, and cover-crop-biomass testing. The cover-crop-biomass test from AgSource is the one I use most often.

I put conservation practices to the test in 2022, with assistance and resources from University of Wisconsin-Discovery Farms, our local watershed group Eau Pleine Partnership for Integrated Conservation and several growers with whom I work. On a nitrogen-use-efficiency trial we were able to produce corn silage that yielded 25.8 tons per acre on only 60 credits of nitrogen with 277 percent nitrogen efficiency using no-till and terminated cover crop. Comparing nitrate

soil tests at pre-plant and preside-dress, the plot gained 80 percent more nitrogen – even though we didn’t add any.

How could that have happened? The cover crops stayed active through the winter and into spring, drawing up nitrogen. When the crop was terminated it gradually released it. The cover-crop mix had a carbon-nitrogen ratio of 12:1 to 15:1, which means nutrients were released from the decaying cover crop gradually through spring and into summer That fed the corn just enough along the way, instead of all at the beginning.

In a separate instance, that phenomenon of fertility uptake was seen again in a wheat field harvested for grain and straw. It was then planted with a wheatbrassicas-spring-peas cover-crop mix. Comparing biomass, cover-crop tests taken 12 days apart – Sept. 28 and Oct. 9

the cover crop gained 287 percent dry matter per acre

along with extra fertility. In that span the cover crops also brought in 101 credits of nitrogen, 28 credits of phosphorus and a massive 164 credits of potassium.

To put that into context, that’s about the equivalent of 100 pounds of urea, 50 pounds of monoammonium-phosphate fertilizer and 98 pounds of potash. And all that happened within less than two weeks of growth, sampled at the end of September and in early October

What makes this all more fascinating is that the mix performed better than a single-species seeding. In the same field the combine head left a thick strip of volunteer winter wheat. In a snapshot of time in early October, the diverse mix had more accumulated fertility – most notably, 38 more credits of nitrogen and 49 more of potassium. The difference is the diversity of growth and root types interacting with the soil

EARLYDETECTION, MORE CONTROL

profile and potentially creating more synergy in nutrient scavenging. Also amazing is that the carbon-nitrogen ratio of each cover-crop seeding was 9:7 to 12:1. That means those credits will be released almost immediately as they decay

With such numbers as those any grower would be ready to increase field productivity by recycling nutrients. But to reach those levels the system first needs to be built with minimum soil disturbance and a diversity in rotations – along with continuous cover and manageable residue to feed the soil biology. To maximize a field’s productivity while claiming good land stewardship, stack those practices together.

Think of it as a Field of Dreams moment. “If you build it, they will come.”

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Matthew Oehmichen is part owner of Short Lane Ag Supply of Colby, Wisconsin; email matt.shortlane@ gmail.com to reach him.