For those of us in dairy, it’s hard to imagine not knowing where your milk comes from. But as younger generations become more removed from agriculture, most kids think milk and dairy foods come from a refrigerator and have no idea the care and commitment dairy farm families and others in the value chain put into bringing them to the marketplace.

Alan Koepke’s life, legacy and career in dairy farming set the standard and serve as a testament to the impact of continuous education on personal growth, business success and community development.

Sometimes, we look at neighboring farms that seem to have a “secret sauce” to their success. But just like great barbecue, there are no shortcuts and no single secret sauce recipe. Success on these top-tier farms is a series of repeatable elements that work together.

From running family farms to spearheading innovative agricultural practices, women have and continue to play a vital role in shaping the future of farming. This is especially evident in the dairy industry, where women are increasingly taking on leadership roles, driving sustainability and fostering community connections.

The Dairy Girl Network (DGN) celebrated its 10th anniversary at its biennial Forward TogetHER National Conference, Nov. 5-7, in Kansas City, Missouri. Dairywomen, and a few men, from across the industry gathered to connect, inspire and acheive through networking, interactive sessions and thought-provoking presentations.

I’ve been blessed to know many successful farmers, entrepreneurs and business leaders who always seemed to be a step ahead of the herd. What are the common threads among these folks? What core set of traits did they share? I came up with three traits and one overarching theme.

Many agricultural information meetings are planned for the purpose of sharing the latest (hopefully unbiased) research information. However, these meetings have the potential to offer more than just technical data.

It pays to get the most out of farm meetings because animal well-being and productivity are usually involved. Whether discussing nutrition plans, health protocols, farm management strategies and more, our experiences point to one overarching factor that maximizes meeting time: preparation.