In today’s volatile marketplace, profit remains, but finding a way to it can be much more difficult than before. At its annual business conference this March, the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin paved a course to set its members on their own “Pathways to Profit.” In a pre-conference breakout session, a business coach and two dairy producers joined forces to help others find their own path during difficult economic times. Dr. David Kohl, business coach and president of AgriVisions LLC, said the key to finding profit is to manage revenues, inputs and interest rates and to find a balance amongst all three.

When the conventional way of dairy farming wasn’t working for Norm Nickerson and his sons, Chris and Joe, they decided it was time for a change. “Our philosophy is to keep it simple,” Norm says. “We carry it a little farther than other dairy farmers.” The Nickersons are graziers. They have four farms in south Florida, which are all divided into paddocks.