Dairy Stream

Learn more about BankFirst.

The Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration started in 2021 and is studying soil health and manure management and their effects on greenhouse gas reduction, water quality improvement and agronomic factors such as yield and forage quality on working dairies and research farms in major dairy regions.

Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests, Dr. Mara Cloutier and Dr. Dennis Busch, discuss the following topics: 

Strides and accomplishment since last Dairy Stream episode in 2022

Common design of the project

Research at UW-Platteville

Importance of nutrient management in soil health management

Most impactful conservation practices

Economics of new practices and processes

Baseline survey

Farmers adopting new practices

What’s next for the project

 About the guests:

Dr. Mara Cloutier is a research soil scientist and program director at the Soil Health Institute who oversees the organization’s scientific and data management contribution to the Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration project. 

Dr. Dennis Busch is a senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville whose work centers on applied agroecosystem research, with an emphasis on pasture- and crop-livestock systems, soil and nutrient dynamics, and long-term field experimentation. 

Resources:

Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration website 

Project video 

Frequently asked questions 

Wisconsin soil health assessment webinar 

Dr. Mara Cloutier video clip 

Dr. Dennis Busch video clip 

Dairy Stream Rewind: National-scale project examines dairy’s greenhouse gas footprint

Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.

This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

Learn more about BankFirst.

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on June 17.

Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests, Dr. Mara Cloutier, research soil scientist and program director at the Soil Health Institute, and Dr. Dennis Busch, senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, discuss accomplishments of the Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration Project (DSWR), focus and research areas at UW-Platteville, most impactful conservation practices, economics and the future of the project.

Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.

This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

Learn more about BankFirst.

Dairy Stream and the Menn Law Firm are proud to present the third annual “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today.

Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza and guests Bob and Tom Zwald, second and third generations at Bomaz Farms, discuss early influences, improvements to be better the farm, challenges, financial preparations and the future for the farm and dairy industry.

This three-part series is sponsored by the Menn Law Firm.

About the guests:

Bob Zwald is the second generation to operate Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin. Bob's is the general manager and oversees the cattle.

Tom Zwald is the third generation to operate Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin. Tom oversees cropping operations on the farm. They milk 1,500 cows and farm 2,500 acres.  

Season 1: How We Got Here (2024):

How We Got Here: Norm E Lane in Chili, Wisconsin

How We Got Here: Solhawk Dairy in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

How We Got Here: Verhasselt Farms in Kaukauna, Wisconsin

Season 2: How We Got Here (2025):

How We Got Here: Ocooch Dairy in Hillsboro, Wisconsin

How We Got Here: Melichar Broad Acres in Port Washington, Wisconsin

How We Got Here: Scheps Dairy in Almena, Wisconsin

Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.

This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

Learn more about BankFirst.

Dairy Stream and the Menn Law Firm are proud to present the third annual “How We Got Here” podcast series featuring dairy farmers sharing the history of their farm and steps they have taken to get to where they are today. The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on June 3.

This three-part series is sponsored by the Menn Law Firm.

About the guests:

Bob Zwald is the second generation to operate Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin. Bob's is the general manager and oversees the cattle.

Tom Zwald is the third generation to operate Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wisconsin. Tom oversees cropping operations on the farm. They milk 1,500 cows and farm 2,500 acres.  

Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.

This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

Dairy Stream Rewind with Lee Kinnard on July 23, 2025.

Farmers in Wisconsin have teamed up to create a farmer-led watershed group called Peninsula Pride Farms and it’s taking soil health to the next level. We are going to learn more about the farmer-led group, how they make informed management decisions, conservation practices to build organic matter and manure management practices. Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest Lee Kinnard of Kinnard Farms discuss the following topics: 

History of Peninsula Pride Farms

From field day to conservation idea

Making informed management decisions

Including everyone in conservation efforts

Conservation practices that make big impacts

Building organic matter

Importance of manure

Manure application methods

Adding other minerals to help with soil structure

Tools that support conservation

Manure management success stories

Conservation goals for Kinnard Farms

Conservation future trends

Special thanks to GLC Minerals for sponsoring this episode.

About the guest

Lee Kinnard is president and owner of Kinnard Farms located in Kewaunee County in Wisconsin. He manages the business, the people and the cows. Kinnard Farms consist of 9,250 cows, 7,800 heifers located in Colorado in partnership with four Wisconsin farmers, 11,500 acres, and has 21,000 acres with a nutrient management plan and currently provides jobs to 137 valued employees. Over the years, Kinnard Farms has grown due to Lee’s new ideas, methods and solutions that have a positive impact on animal care, regenerative agriculture and food production.  

Resources

Producer-Led Group Roadmap and more

Peninsula Pride Farms website

Kinnard Farms website

Farmer-led services through Farmers for Sustainable Food

Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream.  Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.

This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.