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Welcome to Millennial Ag, where agriculture is always on tap and no topic is off limits. Join Valene, a beef rancher and agriculture engineer, and Katharine, a proud daughter of dairy and dairy consultant as they navigate agricultural issues that rarely get talked about, while challenging viewpoints and rediscovering how to have powerful, respectful, and change-making conversations.
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In today's episode, we're discussing the significant changes in the political landscape following the recent election and what these changes mean for agriculture. We are excited to welcome back Tanner Beymer, Executive Director of Government Affairs at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Tanner is joining us to provide insight into the elect…
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In this week’s episode of Millennial Ag, Valene and Katharine dive into a thought-provoking conversation about the rapid evolution of politics over the last eight years and what agriculture can learn from it. The political landscape—whether you agree with it or not—has demonstrated an unprecedented ability to pivot, adapt, and evolve at lightning s…
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Episode 188 - We're Past Eradication: Dr. Barb Petersen on Facing Endemic Bird Flu in Dairy Cattle
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Episode Title: "Past Eradication: Dr. Barb Petersen on Embracing Endemic Bird Flu in Dairy Cows" In this eye-opening episode of Millennial Ag Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Barb Petersen, DVM, one of the pioneering veterinarians who first identified bird flu in dairy cows in Texas back in March 2024. Since that discovery, the virus has continued to …
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Episode 187 - "We Took Chances" - How English Dairy Farmers Mike and Donna Bowe Reshaped Their Dairy Legacy After Foot and Mouth Disease
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In this extraordinary episode, Millennial Ag takes you across the pond to the lush pastures of England, marking our first-ever recording on foreign soil. We are honored to bring you the powerful story of Mike and Donna Bowe, second-generation dairy farmers whose journey is a testament to resilience, pride, and unshakable determination. We're joined…
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Episode 186 - How Much Money Came In and Where Did It Go? - On End of Year Planning with Bill Lickley
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We're less than a week away from Christmas, and in amongst all the festivites and anticipation of rest and relaxation, we wanted to share a reminder for another important end-of-year tradition: end-of-year planning. We welcome back Valene's dad, Bill Lickley this week. A former ag banker, Bill takes us through the usual necessary financial steps to…
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Hard to believe, but the holidays are almost here! In this week's episode, Valene talks about how holidays impact beef markets. She gives us a good overview of how things generally work this time of year, but also weaves in some new developments in the industry. Beef packers are announcing big layoffs over the next two to three months, and it's got…
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Episode 184 - We Don't Fall to the Top of Mountains: Finalizing the Idaho Water Deal with Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke
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In this episode, we’re joined by Lt. Governor Scott Bedke to explore the story behind Idaho’s groundbreaking water agreement. This historic deal brought together senior and junior water users, two groups with conflicting interests, to address one of the most pressing challenges facing the state. The journey was far from straightforward. Senior wate…
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Episode 183 - What's Gonna Happen Now? We talk about what Trump's appointments may mean for American Ag
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In a short and sweet episode to wrap up our election coverage, we discuss what we've been thinking about in the week since America cast its votes. What does a second Trump Administration mean for American agriculture? We dive into what we've been pondering, touching on economic and trade policy (what's going to happen with tarriffs?) immigration po…
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You knew it was coming...we had to talk US elections before the you-know-what hits the fan. We're delighted to welcome back Tanner Beymer, Executive Director of Government Affairs at the National Cattlemen's Association. Tanner joins us anytime there's a ballot in sniffing distance, and he doesn't disappoint in this episode. In fact, he more than d…
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We are very excited for this week’s episode! The two of us were actually able to meet up in person to record an episode about one of Katherine’s favorite subjects: what’s going on in the dairy industry. Katherine just got back from the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin so we are diving into some of the important things that are lighting the dairy indus…
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In today’s episode, we are discussing a critical issue the production animal agriculture industry is currently facing, the ballot initiative in Denver regarding a slaughter ban. Joining us today to share insight into what is going on with this initiative is J.P. Dunn of Protect The Harvest. Together, we are digging into what this initiative is, who…
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This week, we have a very special guest joining us. Valene’s husband John is with us today for “Whiskey Hour.” John is a farmer and rancher and the co-owner of Midas the cow dog. Together we dive into the realities of farming in a challenging environment, particularly focusing on growing crops in the desert landscape, as well as the important role …
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In today’s episode, we are taking a look at using social media to engage with those outside of the Ag industry. Social media can be a great tool to foster understanding and relatability with those who may be removed from agriculture. Joining us to share all about using social media in the Ag industry is Tucker Brown of R.A. Brown Ranch. Tucker is s…
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In today’s episode, we are discussing corporate cowgirls and the importance of community for dairy women. We know that finding a supportive community to network and have important discussions with can be challenging within the dairy business as many dairy women live in rural areas. That’s why our guest, Bec Pfeffer and the Dairy Girl Network, are w…
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This week it is just us, Valene and Katharine, sharing our thoughts as we reflect back on our conversation with Barons author, Austin Frerick. The two of us still have questions after our interview with Austin and we are diving into those questions today. If you have not listened to episode 174 and episode 175, we highly encourage you to do so befo…
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We are back with part two of our two-part episode with Austin Frerick. Today, we are continuing our candid conversation on systemic issues within the agriculture industry and how these issues impact small farmers and consumers. Together, we are discussing the monopoly of markets, the illusion of choices for consumers, the impact of agricultural pol…
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Today is part one of a two-part episode; we are discussing systemic issues in the agriculture industry and how robber barons are impacting the ag industry as a whole. We are joined by a very special guest, Austin Frerick, who tackles some important and little-discussed issues within the food and agriculture industry. Austin is an expert on agricult…
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Today, we are covering the challenges of finding balance within the agriculture lifestyle. We often hear about work-life balance and self-care, but prioritizing these things within a farming family can be difficult. That’s where our guest, Megan Blaser, comes in! Megan is a certified Health, Life, and Transformational Coach and she is joining us to…
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This week, we host a guest very near and dear to our hearts. Katharine's dad John joins the podcast for what else? Politics. Katharine and John have ongoing conversations about politics, their observations, disagreements, and how their experiences are coloring what they're thinking. Despite the fact that John wishes Katharine would have a "more hon…
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Episode 171 - Smart Animals: On artificial intelligence in the livestock sector with Stuart MacLennan
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We welcome Stuart MacLennan to the podcast this week. Stuart is CEO of Peacock Technology, and one of the most passionate and forward-thinking advocates for the adoption of advanced technology to drive agriculture headlong into sustainable, long-term success. Stuart touches on all the current pain points in agriculture - scarcity and rising costs o…
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This week is a shorter episode, with just the two of us sharing some thoughts. Unless you've been living under a rock on Pluto, chances are you've seen at least some of the Olympics these last couple weeks. We've been impressed by the athletic accomplishments of the women competitors, but more than that, we've been completely blown away by the trai…
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We're delighted to welcome back Val's brother Cole, who joins us this week to discuss ag markets as they currently stand. It's been awhile since we've done a market update, and a lot has changed since then. Cole gives us a great overview of where the beef and dairy markets are at, as well as corn and soybeans. These tend to be the big players and t…
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This week, we're delighted to welcome Idaho's Lieutenant Governor, Scott Bedke. A farmer and rancher in the southwest corner of Idaho, and with his water source encompassing the three corners of Idaho, Utah, and Nevada, Lt. Governor Bedke is the water nerd we've been waiting for. We've briefly covered water issues in the western US before, but with…
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This week, we're joined by one of Valene's newfound compatriots from her YCC experience. Carlos Ochoa is a first generation rancher on the southern border of Texas. Always an outdoors kid, Carlos knew from a young age that he wanted to have a hands-on, outdoor kind of career. In college, he pursued a degree in agriculture management, and from there…
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This week, it's just Katharine and Valene, talking all about Val's experiences at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Young Cattlemen's Convention. YCC is an exclusive event, with just one young person selected from each state to partipate in the yearly 8-day experience. While Val is too modest to say so, it comes as no surpise that she was I…
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Episode 165 - Ag is Like Poker: Specialty Farming Challenges in NE Nevada with Dan Lotspeich
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This week, we're excited to welcome back Katharine's brother-in-law, Dan Lotspeich. (Dan first joined us in our January 2023 ag labor series. Take a listen if you missed it!) Dan is one-third of the dynamic trio (the other two being Katharine's mother- and father-in-law) spearheading a major effort to bring fresh and local food to Northeastern Neva…
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Episode 164 - Farming the Future: Jessica Langley on Carbon Credits and Markets in Agriculture
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This week, we dive into a discussion that's been a hot topic for the last several years. Joined by Jessica Langley, we talk about carbon credits and carbon markets and the opportunities they present for agriculture. We both have experience in helping get dairy digester projects off the ground in anticipation of those dairies being able to take adva…
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We're back this week with the hottest topic in dairy and animal ag right now - H5N1 Avian Influenza. If you haven't heard yet, you might be wondering why avian flu and dairy cows are appearing in the same sentence. Late last year and into early this year, dairy cows in Texas were presenting with strange symptoms. State and federal authorities start…
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Episode 162 - "Everybody Has a Little Froot-Loopedness" - Finding the Humor in Mental Health Struggles with Lowell Cerise
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"Everybody has a little froot-loopedness". In our first few moments of recording with this week's guest, we burst out laughing. We've been having heavy and deep conversations during our mental health series this year. We finish this series with more in depth discussions with our guest, but he brings a much-needed note of levity to conclude this mon…
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In the fourth episode of our May Mental Health Month series, we're joined by Sam Banta, a young, passionate farmer in Northeastern Nevada. Sam has experienced many struggles throughout her life that have made it crucial for her to develop real tools to manage her mental wellness. Listening to Sam is a real-world view into how someone manages her me…
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Episode 160 - Idaho Takes Real Action on Mental Health Recognition, Access, Help, and Healing
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Continuing this week with our May Mental Health Month series, we are joined by Idaho State Representative Chenele Dixon. Chenele represents District 24 Seat A. Chenele is a passionate champion for rural Idaho, and has channeled her energy into many worthy causes, chief among them as an architect for the state Behavioral Health Council. The Council,…
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Welcome to our first full length episode in our 2024 May Mental Health Series. Our favorite returning guest, Dr. Nora Feldpausch, graciously joins us again to share her many (excellent) thoughts and perspectives about mental health and agriculture. Nora says that agriculture is not just a job, it's almost a religion. We found ourselves nodding our …
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Welcome back listeners! We are so excited to be back with a regular schedule for Millennial Ag, where agriculture is always on tap and no topic is off limits. We're back with a splash and are continuing our annual tradition of a series on mental health topics as our country celebrates May Mental Health Month. In this week's episode, we share what w…
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In this special episode, we're thrilled to spotlight an inspiring program that embodies the spirit of community, compassion, and the beef industry- Beef Counts. Join us and our five special guests, Melissa Delgadilo, Liz Moore, Laurie Lickley, Shari Gulledge, and Morgan Wilson, as we delve into how this program, in collaboration with the Idaho Food…
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This week Valene and Katharine fly solo and dive into their respective industries. They share what things are currently looking like for producers. It has been a bit since an episode has launched with life happenings, but we are back and excited to bring some perspective of what has been happening!Katharine shares that dairy's prices are not lookin…
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Happy June Dairy Month! To highlight one of our two favorite categories of food, Marty McKinzie, Chief Growth Officer with DairyMAX, joins us to share everything his organization does to promote milk and dairy products. DairyMAX, a regional dairy promotion agency in the United States, takes its mission to ensure advocacy and access to dairy product…
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In the wrap-up episode for our May Mental Health series, we reflect on what we've learned from our three outstanding guests. We also share our perspectives and experiences with our own mental health challenges, and ask ourselves and our listeners on how we can take care of ourselves and each other better. Thanks for joining us for this series, and …
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In this third episode of our May Mental Health series, we are joined by returning guest Dr. Nora Feldpausch. An accomplished and practicing psychiatrist, Nora has a unique perspective on mental health. In her current role, she supports students at rural colleges across the US with a team of over 200 providers she has built from the ground up. Her d…
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In this second episode of our series for May Mental Health, we're joined by Daniel Hayes, a farmer from South Carolina. Daniel is a different kind of guest than we've had before - generally, our guests who come to speak with us about mental health and other struggles are women. It's difficult to find men who are willing to talk about their struggle…
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In the first episode of our series for May Mental Health Month, we're joined by Karen Hall, who is a middle school counselor in Southern Idaho. Karen presents a different perspective on mental health than we've had on the podcast before. She is seeing middle school students in crisis, dealing with mental health challenges exacerbated by the pandemi…
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Here we are! We made it! With great pride and excitement, we present to you the 150th episode of the Millennial Ag Podcast. We’ve been considering very carefully what we wanted this episode to be, and we thank you for your patience while we’ve been developing it. Over the last couple months, we’ve been talking to our friends, neighbors, acquaintanc…
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It’s almost here!!! We’ve made it all the way to Episode 150! We can’t believe how fast it’s crept up on us, and how we couldn’t have done it without you, our loyal and encouraging listeners! In preparation for this huge milestone, we’ve been taking a poll in the agriculture community to identify the top five (ish) issues in our industry. In this q…
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Since Katharine is in Wisconsin this week, Valene flies solo and brings Natalie Wyne from Colorado Premium. In light of St. Patrick’s day, they talk about anything and everything corned beef. They dive into the history, the process and even some of their favorite ways to cook it. We learn corned beef has evolved from the traditional corning with sa…
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Since we've had such an increase in followers following our ag labor series, we are reintroducing ourselves! This week, it's Katharine's turn. She gives a quick overview of who she is, where she came from, and what she's doing now. Then Valene asks a big question - what lights Katharine's fire in agriculture? She shares the hows and whyfors, and th…
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Our ag labor series has kickstarted an increase in followers of Millennial Ag, and with so many new faces around here, we thought it’d be a good time to reintroduce ourselves! This week, we bring you Valene! Sharp, funny, and flat-out awesome, you get an inside look at the Idaho and beef half of our podcast. She shares her background, what she’s up…
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This week, we take a different approach from our usual episode structure and welcome back all together our guests from the last four ag labor series. With their return comes the kind of synergy that sparks even better conversations and perspectives. Each of these gentlemen brought their own experiences and ideas for improvement and solutions in the…
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Episode 145 - Ag Labor Series #4 - Stop Beating Around the Immigration Bush with Rick Naerabout, IDA
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Double talk. Political correctness. Evading tactics. Idaho Dairymen’s Association has had enough. Rick Naerabout, IDA’s CEO, plunged into the deep end first thing this episode (and we stay there). He brings to light how many organizations - including his own - have long tried to stay above the fray in the immigration conversation, at least in the w…
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Episode 144 - Ag Labor Series #3 - Ag Labor Solutions Aren't Simple with Guest Dan Lotspeich
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This week, we welcome someone who might possibly be our most loyal listener (besides our parents: shout out to them!). We are delighted to host Katharine's brother-in-law Dan on this third episode in our ag labor series. Dan introduces himself in his role as one-third of the Lotspeich Family Farms team, located on the Lotspeich homestead in norther…
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In this second episode in our ag labor series, we're joined by Erik, a commercial heifer grower in the western US. This is an interesting episode - Erik first addresses the challenges that he, like all ag producers, is facing right now, but then he started in on a topic that doesn't seem to be covered whenever we talk about ag labor issues. Erik ma…
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This week, we kick off our series on ag labor. We're talking to a wide variety of people with skin in this game, and we start it off with a rockstar guest. Calvin Beasley is a third-generation farmer on his family's apple orchard in Indiana. Beasley's Orchard doesn't just produce apples - they have diversified into U-pick, several other different c…
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