Karen didn’t always think she would end up in agriculture, even as she was surrounded by it growing up. Life experiences and encouragement from her father gave her the push to go into a successful career in nursing. Now, farming full-time, she draws upon the nursing skills she gained.

An open mind to listen to others’ advice may steer you in the direction of a lifetime. Taking others’ advice led Nicole Morris to become a dairy science instructor at Modesto Junior College (MJC) as well as grow her social media platform beyond Instagram and into Tik Tok. Morris juggles those passions along with running J&M Dairy with her husband, Johnny. 

Laura Hernandez would not be where she is today if it was not for the support or guidance of her parents. They always told her to never give up and believe in what she can accomplish. Hernandez was consistently reminded that if you work hard, you can make it happen.

Katie Hammock has been passionate about the medical field for a long time and wanted to bridge that passion with her deep-rooted background in dairy farming. Hammock made this possible when she created emergency farm kits to sell to farmers. Her mission grew to educate, equip and empower farm families.

“This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever been part of. The energy in Victory Circle was electric,” says Abbie Herr, veteran milk presenter. “Everyone was so excited. This was Álex’s first Indy 500 win, and it was so cool to be part of that. You never really think about an IndyCar driver and a dairy farmer being in the same circle. It’s so hard to describe it. It’s been a whirlwind.”

In a quiet corner of Minnesota, in a home bursting at the seams, lives the Guinness World Record holder for the largest collection of cow-related items. What began as a simple admiration for dairy cows has transformed into a one-of-a-kind collection that spans over 21,805 unique items and fills every room of Ruth Klossner’s house.

Organic Valley recently named Shawna Nelson as its new CEO. Progressive Dairy Editor Kimmi Devaney interviewed Nelson to learn about her background, vision for the cooperative and current state of the organic dairy sector.

At Penn State Extension’s Women in Dairy Conference held on Nov. 19, Joanna Shipp, a seventh-generation dairy farmer from Virginia and chair of the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, reflected on what the next 20 years of dairy could look like in the U.S.

Stress often accompanies change because humans aren’t naturally adept at it. Since change is constant in our business (and lives), it is wise to identify how you can control your reaction to it. Katie Coyne knows this all too well. She is a well-known showmanship judge, owner of Mill Wheel Show Clinics and former Progressive Dairy editor.

Ever since 1894, Minglewood Dairy has upheld a tradition of exceptional care for their cows and land, evolving significantly over the past 130 years.