Dairy Business Association (DBA) President Greg Siegenthaler welcomed more than 300 people to the annual Dairy Strong conference on Jan. 15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
“It means a lot that you’re part of the discussions here today so that we may lead our industry forward,” Siegenthaler said in his opening remarks.
Brett Sciotto echoed the need for collaboration in his keynote address.
“We live in the midst of a storm, and what we do to approach that storm in the right way will determine our long-term future,” Sciotto said. “We’ll have to work together because the world is challenging our agricultural dominance. Our politics and our markets are challenging our resiliency.”
Last year, 50% of American farmers and ranchers were not profitable, and only 45% are confident that they can make a profit in the next five years.
As the founder and CEO of Idealyst Innovation and former military intelligence officer, Sciotto encouraged the audience to shape the future and not just react to it.
Keynote speaker Brett Sciotto of Idealyst Innovation said the future of the dairy industry lies in collaboration and adaptability. Image courtesy of DBA.
It is easy in agriculture to be consumed by forces and factors out of our control – and use that as a reason to not be bold.
“This is the year that all of us can move the needle by working together, by coming together and removing the barriers that we can control, so that we can move forward and achieve our greatest potential,” he said.
In general, agriculture struggles with bringing more and more to the marketplace when the consumer is looking for something else. America is importing more and more products consumers want because they aren’t finding it here.
“Adaptability is the ultimate superpower that we’ll need to win in the future,” Sciotto said.
To better be able to control the variables you can control, he provided these five points that are paramount to a strong business structure: Align your operations with a long-term vision, keep finding new ways to diversify revenue, automate your systems, use risk management tools and optimize asset utilization or return on investment (ROI).
The afternoon keynote speaker, Ben Leibl, public relations specialist for Kwik Trip Inc., shared how a culture of compassion helped the Midwest convenience store chain grow to 920 stores that serve roughly 12 million people per week.
“Our CEO has always said that we take care of people,” Leibl said. “It doesn’t matter who it is, if it’s our co-workers, our guests, suppliers, lenders. If we take care of people, we will be successful and we will be around for a long time to come.”
Through a series of anecdotes, Leibl shared how he witnessed this mission carried out in personal experiences, as well as in customer service.
In one example, an employee resolved a customer’s mistake that resulted in a minor loss to Kwik Trip but yielded a happy customer. The bigger picture was in view. “It’s not about winning the argument, it’s about winning your loyalty,” Leibl said.
Treating people how you would want to be treated gives a sense of purpose to their 39,000 co-workers across seven different states.
“They know that what they do matters every single day when they show up to work because when they have a sense of purpose, they can show kindness and compassion to all the guests that they interact with,” Leibl said.
Within the company, this is exemplified through hiring people who fit the culture, providing two weeks of leadership training to new leaders, having direct leaders checking in with their team members on a daily basis and highlighting good acts of service every chance they get.
“I truly believe that servant leadership is the secret to life,” Leibl said. “It’s a mindset change. Find ways to build others up around you.”
In addition to the two keynote presentations, the conference included breakout sessions focused on a broad range of topics from sustainability to policy.
Awards
DBA honored Chuck Ripp of Ripp’s Dairy Valley with the association’s Advocate of the Year Award for his contributions to Wisconsin’s dairy community.
Chuck Ripp of Ripp’s Dairy Valley was honored with the association’s Advocate of the Year award. Image courtesy of DBA.
Ripp and his brothers, Troy and Gary, farm together in Dane, Wisconsin. Ripp has been farming his entire life and leads by example, encouraging other farmers to speak up and share their stories with lawmakers. He is passionate about using sustainable farming practices and has been actively involved in Yahara Pride Farms, a farmer-led watershed conservation group, since its inception over 10 years ago.
Through his dedication and consistency, Ripp’s commitment to representing the dairy community is clear through the connections he’s made with lawmakers and his desire to make sure policymakers are aware of the difficulties farmers face today.
DBA, in collaboration with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, honored Tom Zwald and Steve Schalla of Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin, with the association’s third annual Community Outreach Award. This award recognizes farmers who are actively involved in their community and share stories and positive messages about dairy farms and their products.
Tom Zwald and Steve Schalla of Bomaz Farms were presented with the association’s third annual Community Outreach Award. Image courtesy of DBA.
Over the last decade, Zwald has played an active role in his community, engaging with the St. Croix County board and serving as chairman of his township board since his election in the spring of 2025. He has been dedicated to cultivating communication and knowledge sharing between local farmers and local government members to highlight what modern-day dairy farming looks like today.
In 2018, Zwald was among the founding farmers of the Western Wisconsin Conservation Council, a farmer-led watershed conservation group committed to being stewards of the land and water in their community. His commitment to sustainability and bettering his local community is evident from the use of conservation practices and best management practices implemented on Bomaz Farms.
Schalla has participated in numerous events, including Dairy Day at the Capitol, advocating on behalf of dairy farmers throughout the state. He’s always welcoming to community members and government officials interested in touring Bomaz Farms and takes pride in showcasing what sustainable agriculture looks like today.
Organization updates
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative board of directors. Image courtesy of DBA.
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative board of directors. Image courtesy of DBA.
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative
Three dairy farmers were re-elected to the Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative board of directors. They include:
- Michael Crinion, Ash Grove Dairy LLP, in Lake Benton, Minnesota. He continues to serve as Edge’s vice president and also serves as the Chair of the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action.
- Heidi Fischer, Fischer-Clark Dairy Farm Inc., in Hatley, Wisconsin, was re-elected to serve another term as president.
- Josh Meissner, Norm-E-Lane Inc., in Chili, Wisconsin, was re-elected to the board. He continues to serve as board secretary.
Other board members: Jamie Witcpalek, Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy, treasurer; Justin Peterson, Creamery Creek; Brady Janzen, Riverview; Jay Stauffacher, Highway Dairy; Christina Zuiderveen, Black Soil Dairy; Mitch Davis, Davis Family Dairies, adviser; dairy economist Dr. Marin Bozic, Bozic LLC, adviser; and Brody Stapel, Double Dutch Dairy, president emeritus.
Dairy Business Association board of directors. Image courtesy of DBA.
Dairy Business Association board of directors. Image courtesy of DBA.
Dairy Business Association
The Dairy Business Association elected one corporate member and two dairy farmers to its board of directors.
- Christopher Schneider, senior agriculture banking officer at Nicolet Bank, was re-elected as a corporate board member and continues to serve as board treasurer.
- Cody Carpenter of Redrock View Farms in Darlington, Wisconsin, was elected to the board.
- Kevin Krentz of Sheadview Dairy in Berlin, Wisconsin, was elected to the board.
Jesse Dvorachek of Wayside Dairy was recognized as an outgoing board member.
Other DBA board members include Greg Siegenthaler, Grande Cheese, president; Travis Speirs, Shiloh Dairy, vice president; Steve Schalla, Bomaz Farms, secretary; Spencer Frost, Frost Farms; Amy Penterman, Vine Vest Partners; Duane Ducat, Deer Run Dairy; and Lee Kinnard, Kinnard Farms, president emeritus.
Farmers for Sustainable Food board of directors. Image courtesy of DBA.
Farmers for Sustainable Food board of directors. Image courtesy of DBA.
Farmers for Sustainable Food
Farmers for Sustainable Food elected three directors to its board, including one farmer-led group director, one general member director and one farmer member director.
- Farmer-led group director: Paul Cornette, Cornette Dairy in Luxemburg, Wisconsin, was re-elected to the board and continues to serve as board president. He represents Peninsula Pride Farms, a farmer-led watershed conservation group in Door and Kewaunee counties.
- General member director: Bryan Stanek, managing director at Compeer Financial, was re-elected to the board. Stanek will serve as board treasurer.
- Farmer member director: Jeremy Heim, Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy and Heim Brothers Custom in Algoma, Wisconsin, was elected to his first term on the board.
Lee Kinnard, Kinnard Farms, was recognized as an outgoing board member.
Other board members: Mike Berget, Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance; Dr. Paul Rapnicki, Grande Cheese, secretary; Mark Loehr, Sheboygan River Progressive Farmers; John VandenBoom, Calumet County Ag Stewardship Alliance, vice president; Drew Kessler, Houston Engineering Inc; and Trevor Fleege, Agropur.
