When the second generation took over at Salisdairy Farm, they vowed to always have honest, open communication with the farm team and it has brought them success with profitability.

In January, I had the delight of watching a group of 20 farm employees and managers racing against the clock to change race car tires in Bob Parker’s “Pit Crew Challenge.”

Higher wages being paid across the country create a disadvantage for an industry that already fights to keep margins at a profitable point. Those who do a good job recruiting and taking care of qualified employees will have the upper hand.

As a nation that depends on immigrants and foreign labor to work in agriculture, the diversity of this population and their languages bring new challenges to the dairy industry.

In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast, host Kimmi Devaney visits with Kansas dairy producer Lee Holtmeier from Linn Willow Creek Dairy about their employee culture, what they do to mentor and empower employees, and how they keep employee turnover low. 

High-functioning family businesses need good conflict just as much as they need the right protocols for production.

To capture the full potential of genetics, facilities, feed and precision technology, dairies need to establish and maintain a strong culture of goal-driven management and human accountability.