Next Generation of Dairy
Next Generation of Dairy
Lauren Weigel is a senior at Marshfield High School in Wisconsin. A member of the Marshfield FFA, she was the chapter president this past year. ‘She did a fantastic job for us in all of her years of FFA,’ says Tim Heeg, FFA adviser. She is the fifth generation on a family farm established in 1881. Currently there are 65 Holstein and Brown Swiss cows being milked in a stanchion barn built after a previous barn burned July 17, 1970. The farm has 275 tillable acres. The family has started an apple orchard and plans to diversify into agro-tourism.
Next Generation of Dairy
Olivia Horn is a senior at Loyal High School in Wisconsin. An officer of the Loyal FFA, she lives on a third-generation dairy farm. She plans to attend Viterbo University to study biology.
Next Generation of Dairy
Paul Hoesly is a senior at Loyal High School in Wisconsin. An officer of the Loyal FFA, he lives on a third-generation dairy farm. He plans to continue dairy farming as well as attend school to become a diesel mechanic.
Next Generation of Dairy
Emily Osborn is a senior at Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School in Galesville, Wisconsin. She’s been active showing dairy cattle and competing in judging events. She helps do chores on a local farm.
Next Generation of Dairy
Ernie Nichols is a senior at River Ridge High School in Path Grove, Wisconsin. A member of the River Ridge FFA, he’s grown up on 160-cow dairy near Mount Hope, Wisconsin. He plans to attend Southwest Wisconsin Technical College to be an agricultural power and equipment technician, to continue to support the farming industry with his trade skill.
Next Generation of Dairy
Madeline Smith is a senior at Bay Port High School in Green Bay. ‘I’ve been involved in FFA for all four years in high school,’ she says. ‘I participated in dairy showing freshman, sophomore and junior years. I’ve grown up working on my family’s dairy farm and love everything about dairy. It is a great species to show and lots to learn about it!’
Next Generation of Dairy
Madeline Smith is a senior at Bay Port High School in Green Bay. ‘I’ve been involved in FFA for all four years in high school,’ she says. ‘I participated in dairy showing freshman, sophomore and junior years. I’ve grown up working on my family’s dairy farm and love everything about dairy. It is a great species to show and lots to learn about it!’
Next Generation of Dairy
Madeline Smith is a senior at Bay Port High School in Green Bay. ‘I’ve been involved in FFA for all four years in high school,’ she says. ‘I participated in dairy showing freshman, sophomore and junior years. I’ve grown up working on my family’s dairy farm and love everything about dairy. It is a great species to show and lots to learn about it!’
Next Generation of Dairy
Eric Breuer is a senior at River Ridge High School in Path Grove, Wisconsin. A member of the River Ridge FFA, he has grown up on his family’s small dairy near Patch Grove, Wisconsin. He helps in the field as well as with daily chores; he owns a handful of cows in the herd. ‘Eric’s ability to help on the farm while maintaining his involvement in athletics and FFA is impressive,’ says Madeline Esser, his FFA adviser. He plans to become a heavy-equipment operator.
Next Generation of Dairy
Makenna Koopmans is a senior at Cambria-Friesland High School at Cambria, Wisconsin. A Randolph Cambria-Friesland FFA officer, she grew up on a dairy farm – second generation – and has showed cattle at the county fair. She plans to major in accounting at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Next Generation of Dairy
Abbigail Schwark is a senior at Cambria-Friesland High School in Cambria, Wisconsin. She’s an officer with Randolph Cambria-Friesland FFA, and works on a dairy and produce farm. She’s showed cattle at the fair since she was 8 years old. She plans to major in animal science and minor in genetics at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Next Generation of Dairy
Carter Smits is a senior at Cambria-Friesland High School in Cambria, Wisconsin. A member of the Randolph Cambria Friesland FFA, he lives on a dairy farm. He plans to pursue an apprenticeship through Seneca Foods.
Next Generation of Dairy
Kaela Schoonover is a senior at Badger High School in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. She doesn’t live on a dairy farm but has five generations of farmers before her in her family. ‘I will be the sixth generation involved in agriculture – and most likely there will be many more,’ she says. A Badger FFA member, she’s served as the FFA vice-president of community development as well as in various FFA events – greenhouse sale, farm to table, Culver’s fundraiser, Wisconsin FFA Convention, National FFA Convention, Simple Dinner, Walworth County Discovery Barn and more. She works at Black Cat Dairy near Lake Geneva, and at Lake Geneva Animal Hospital as a kennel assistant. Her future plans are to stay in agriculture, and to continue to work on and around dairy farms.
Next Generation of Dairy
Lily Pfaff is a senior at Fort Atkinson High School in Wisconsin. She’s been involved in the dairy industry for the past two years, since she starting milking at a local farm. She’s currently working at two local dairy farms and plans to continue working within the dairy industry after graduation.
Next Generation of Dairy
Dylan Anderson, a senior at Pardeeville High School in Wisconsin, is a member of the Pardeeville FFA. He’s been working for the past three years at Levzow Dairy Farm near Rio, Wisconsin. He helps with feeding, milking, field work and other daily chores. He plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Stout this fall to major in mechanical engineering.
Next Generation of Dairy
Emma Lemke is a senior at Fort Atkinson High School in Wisconsin. She comes from a family milk-hauler business that has been around since 1943. Since the third-grade she’s been showing Holsteins at the Jefferson County Fair. She plans to continue showing and working with dairy cattle after graduation.
Next Generation of Dairy
Ethan Kuhls is a senior at Iowa-Grant High School in Livingston, Wisconsin. A member of the FFA, he held the office of student adviser at Iowa-Grant High School. He’s very active on the family’s dairy farm west of Livingston. He plans this fall to attend Southwest Wisconsin Technical College to pursue a degree in agribusiness management.
Next Generation of Dairy
Logan Haas is a senior at Fort Atkinson High School in Wisconsin. He didn’t grow up on a dairy farm but has been working on local dairy farms for the past four years, including at Hoard’s Dairyman Farm. He plans to continue being involved in farming after graduation.
Next Generation of Dairy
Samantha Pitterle is a senior at Watertown High School in Wisconsin; she’s a member of the Watertown FFA. She’s one of the best dairy judges in Wisconsin, says Mike Goss with the Watertown FFA. She’s known for her dairy-showing skills at World Dairy Expo, the Wisconsin State Fair and local shows. She plans to attend Madison Area Technical College to be a radiologist.
Next Generation of Dairy
Samantha Pitterle shows her Futurity Heifer in July 2018 at the Dodge County Fair. A senior in 2019-2020 at Watertown High School in Wisconsin, she’s a member of the Watertown FFA. She’s one of the best dairy judges in Wisconsin, says Mike Goss with the Watertown FFA. She’s known for her dairy-showing skills at World Dairy Expo, the Wisconsin State Fair and local shows. She plans to attend Madison Area Technical College to be a radiologist.
Next Generation of Dairy
Samantha Pitterle is a senior at Watertown High School in Wisconsin; she’s a member of the Watertown FFA. She’s one of the best dairy judges in Wisconsin, says Mike Goss with the Watertown FFA. She’s known for her dairy-showing skills at World Dairy Expo, the Wisconsin State Fair and local shows. She plans to attend Madison Area Technical College to be a radiologist.
Next Generation of Dairy
Whitney Weisensel is a senior at DeForest Area High School in Wisconsin. Her family houses her animals on the home farm; they also house some at a farm near DeForest where she worked. ‘She’s not your traditional dairy girl because she lives in town,’ says Gwen Boettcher, DeForest Agricultural Science Department and FFA adviser. ‘But as her adviser I can tell you she loves dairy cattle with a passion.’
Next Generation of Dairy
Luke Pertzborn, a senior at Reedsburg Area High School in Wisconsin, lives at Pertzborn Farms near Reedsburg. It’s a 200-cow farm where he’s learned many skills including mixing total-mixed ration and driving a Peterbilt silage truck. He’s served two years of a Youth Apprenticeship Program during high school working on the family farm. He has an additional job this summer working for C&C Chopping Company.
Next Generation of Dairy
Bryan Price is a senior at Dodgeville High School in Wisconsin. An FFA member, he plans to work on the family dairy farm.
Next Generation of Dairy
Bryan Price is a senior at Dodgeville High School in Wisconsin. An FFA member, he plans to work on the family dairy farm.
Next Generation of Dairy
Luke Pertzborn, a senior at Reedsburg Area High School in Wisconsin, lives at Pertzborn Farms near Reedsburg. It’s a 200-cow farm where he’s learned many skills including mixing total-mixed ration and driving a Peterbilt silage truck. He’s served two years of a Youth Apprenticeship Program during high school working on the family farm. He has an additional job this summer working for C&C Chopping Company.
Next Generation of Dairy
Luke Pertzborn, a senior at Reedsburg Area High School in Wisconsin, lives at Pertzborn Farms near Reedsburg. It’s a 200-cow farm where he’s learned many skills including mixing total-mixed ration and driving a Peterbilt silage truck. He’s served two years of a Youth Apprenticeship Program during high school working on the family farm. He has an additional job this summer working for C&C Chopping Company.
Next Generation of Dairy
Luke Pertzborn, a senior at Reedsburg Area High School in Wisconsin, lives at Pertzborn Farms near Reedsburg. It’s a 200-cow farm where he’s learned many skills including mixing total-mixed ration and driving a Peterbilt silage truck. He’s served two years of a Youth Apprenticeship Program during high school working on the family farm. He has an additional job this summer working for C&C Chopping Company.
Next Generation of Dairy
Barbara Dittrich is a senior at Cochrane-Fountain City High School in Fountain City, Wisconsin, and a member of the Cochrane-Fountain City FFA. She works on her family’s registered-Holstein dairy farm.
Next Generation of Dairy
Matt Cody is a senior at North Crawford High School in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin, and a member of the North Crawford FFA. He works on his family’s small dairy farm in Crawford County, milking cows morning and night as well as feeding. ‘Matt was a great asset to our newly formed FFA chapter this year,’ says MacKenzie Knutson, agriculture-education teacher and FFA adviser. ‘He’s also a very active member of National Honor Society. Working with both organizations, Matt took it upon himself to apply for a National FFA living-to-serve grant, which our chapter was awarded and used to purchase milk for families currently receiving school lunch.’
Next Generation of Dairy
Skylar Stanley is a senior at Brodhead High School in Wisconsin and a Brodhead FFA member. She’s been involved in the dairy industry her whole life. Recently she started a project called the “Gallon Challenge.” Each week she distributes 80 to 100 gallons of milk and 80 to 180 pounds of cheese to community members receiving free lunches.
Next Generation of Dairy
Elizabeth Katzman is vice-president of the Whitewater FFA Chapter in Wisconsin, which has been working with several Walworth County organizations and businesses to sell ‘Support Dairy’ yard signs to help Wisconsin dairy farmers struggling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of the effort, May 20, she raised $10,000. With sponsors paying for sign costs, she says, all that will be used to purchase Wisconsin cheese and other dairy products for the Whitewater Food Pantry and The Community Space. ‘Being from a dairy-farm family, I know firsthand how much work – and passion – goes into producing milk,’ she says. ‘To watch farmers dump thousands of gallons of milk – due to the shift in demand when schools and restaurants were forced to close – breaks my heart, especially knowing that our farm could be next.’ The FFA chapter hopes to create awareness for the vital role Wisconsin’s dairy industry plays in feeding our hungry world.
Next Generation of Dairy
Brenna Murry is a senior at Mosinee High School in Wisconsin. A member of the Mosinee FFA, she's a sixth-generation dairy farmer on her family’s farm, Freeman Creek Dairy near Halder, Wisconsin.
Next Generation of Dairy
Ernie Nichols is a senior at River Ridge High School in Patch Grove, Wisconsin. He grew up on small 160-cow dairy near Mount Hope, Wisconsin. He plans to attend Southwest Tech for ag power and equipment technician, to continue to support the farming industry with his trade skill.
Next Generation of Dairy
Emily Hairapetian is a senior at Gillett High School in Wisconsin and president of the Gillett FFA Chapter. She’s hard at work milking cows at a local farm, though she grew up in the city. She plans to attend Northeast Wisconsin Technical College to attend the dairy-science program.
Next Generation of Dairy
Sisters and Baraboo High School FFA officers Hannah Wieczorek, left, and Rachel Wieczorek pose with a Support Dairy sign at the Scott and Rebecca Klitzke dairy farm outside of Rock Springs, Wisconsin.
Next Generation of Dairy
Laura Gramer is a senior at Portage High School in Wisconsin. She has been an active FFA member during her time in high school; she’s also worked at a dairy farm this year as part of a youth apprenticeship. She plans to study dairy science this coming year.
Next Generation of Dairy
Wyatt Artac, a senior at Greenwood High School in Wisconsin, has been around dairy cattle since the time he was born. He’s helped where possible since he was old enough to do so safely. His tasks began with helping feed calves and scraping in his younger years. They evolved to filling mixer, fixing equipment, helping with milking and many other daily tasks that needed to be done. He spends several hours daily in the barn but he’s also involved with FFA, 4-H, football, church and other community activities. This past fall he joined the Greenwood Fire Department; he’s been involved in several trainings and has helped fight fires since then. For the past two years he’s been employed at Grassland Transportation in the plant and truck shop. His dairy experiences haven’t been limited to the barn; he’s exhibited at several shows including the Wisconsin State Fair, the Wisconsin State Jersey Show, the Central Wisconsin State Fair and the Clark County Fair. Beyond showing he has participated in dairy-judging competitions, and state and national meetings.
Next Generation of Dairy
Aleya Stibbe, a graduating senior from Richland Center, Wisconsin, serves as the 2019-2020 president of the Richland Center FFA chapter.
Next Generation of Dairy
De Soto FFA members Rachel Gianoli, Jenna Gianoli and Kenzy Kreuzer deliver a “Support Dairy” sign to a community member.
Next Generation of Dairy
Morgan Stolz is a senior at Cochrane-Fountain City High School in Fountain City, Wisconsin. She’s a member of the FFA and works for Salwey Brothers Dairy, a 150-cow dairy near Waumandee, Wisconsin, where she feeds calves and does chores.
Next Generation of Dairy
Brooklyn Coulthard is a senior at Cuba City High School in Wisconsin. She grew up on a four-generation dairy farm and has been in 4-H since fourth-grade, showing dairy cattle. She joined FFA in high school, continuing to show dairy cattle as well as sheep. She’s attended the National FFA Convention and the State FFA Convention where she was a delegate in 2018, the Parliamentary Procedure Leadership Development event and other career-development events. She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to major in biology.
Next Generation of Dairy
Bryly Clark is a senior at River Ridge High School in Patch Grove, Wisconsin. He’s been involved at ClarkView Farms, a 1,000-cow dairy near Bagley, Wisconsin. He started helping his dad with herd health and treated his first milk fever at age 12; he continues to learn new skills daily. Currently he’s been involved in operating the greenhouse for the hemp portion of the business. He plans to attend Southwest Tech for agribusiness science and technology-agronomy.
Next Generation of Dairy
Kate Webster is a senior at Gilman High School in Wisconsin. She has served as president of the Gilman FFA Chapter for the past three years and has participated in almost every contest at the local and state level. ‘I fell in love with the FFA organization,’ she says. ‘My parents have raised my sister and me on our small dairy farm. We milk about 70 cows year-round as well as grow and harvest our own crops. Farming has become a large part of my life and I can never be more grateful to have had such a crazy childhood.’ She plans this fall to attend the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to major in agricultural education, and to minor in animal science and Spanish. ‘My goal in the future is to become a great advocate for agriculture and the dairy industry wherever my degree will take me,’ she says.
Next Generation of Dairy
Lane Nett is a senior at Weyauwega-Fremont High School in Weyauwega, Wisconsin. He’s a member of the Weyauwega-Fremont FFA Chapter, a Star Farmer finalist and in the best-five of dairy entrepreneurship.
Next Generation of Dairy
Allison Gundrum is a senior at Slinger High School in Wisconsin. A member of the Slinger FFA, she’s worked more than 1,153 hours in the past two years at Stone House Dairy near Hartford, Wisconsin. She takes care of calves and young heifers six out of seven days each week, ensuring they’re healthy, fed correctly and have a clean area to live in. She’s learned how to administer vaccinations, monitor nutritional needs and operate a skid loader. She’s also developed her leadership and decision-making skills while managing calves on the farm. She’s the 2020 Slinger FFA proficiency-award winner for dairy production.
Next Generation of Dairy
Allison Gundrum is a senior at Slinger High School in Wisconsin. A member of the Slinger FFA, she’s worked more than 1,153 hours in the past two years at Stone House Dairy near Hartford, Wisconsin. She takes care of calves and young heifers six out of seven days each week, ensuring they’re healthy, fed correctly and have a clean area to live in. She’s learned how to administer vaccinations, monitor nutritional needs and operate a skid loader. She’s also developed her leadership and decision-making skills while managing calves on the farm. She’s the 2020 Slinger FFA proficiency-award winner for dairy production.
Next Generation of Dairy
Tiffany Neuheisel is a senior at River Valley High School in Spring Green, Wisconsin. The daughter of Tysen and Debra Neuheisel, she grew up on a 110-cow dairy farm owned by her father and grandfather. She’s the fifth generation of her family involved in dairy. Throughout her high school career she was active in duties on the farm and she conducted her Youth Apprenticeship program through the dairy. She was involved in the River Valley FFA chapter, holding the positions of vice-president 2017-2019 and president 2019-2020. She served on multiple committees in her chapter and organized many facets of the annual River Valley School Fair. She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a dual-course study in agricultural business and dairy science.
Next Generation of Dairy
Tiffany Neuheisel is a senior at River Valley High School in Spring Green, Wisconsin. The daughter of Tysen and Debra Neuheisel, she grew up on a 110-cow dairy farm owned by her father and grandfather. She’s the fifth generation of her family involved in dairy. Throughout her high school career she was active in duties on the farm and she conducted her Youth Apprenticeship program through the dairy. She was involved in the River Valley FFA chapter, holding the positions of vice-president 2017-2019 and president 2019-2020. She served on multiple committees in her chapter and organized many facets of the annual River Valley School Fair. She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a dual-course study in agricultural business and dairy science.
Next Generation of Dairy
Melissa Konkel is a senior at Big Foot High School in Walworth, Wisconsin. She was an FFA Star Farmer finalist; her SAE was dairy. She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison this fall, majoring in microbiology and dairy science.
Next Generation of Dairy
Melissa Konkel is a senior at Big Foot High School in Walworth, Wisconsin. She was an FFA Star Farmer finalist; her SAE was dairy. She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison this fall, majoring in microbiology and dairy science.
Next Generation of Dairy
Heidi Juedes is a senior at Marshall High School in Dane County, Wisconsin. She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Short Course and then return to the family farm.
Next Generation of Dairy
Heidi Juedes is a senior at Marshall High School in Dane County, Wisconsin. She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Short Course and then return to the family farm.
Next Generation of Dairy
Hannah Hockerman is a senior at the Westfield Area School District in Wisconsin.
Next Generation of Dairy
Hannah Hockerman is a senior at the Westfield Area School District in Wisconsin.
Next Generation of Dairy
Hannah Hockerman is a senior at the Westfield Area School District in Wisconsin.
