Women Leading Dairy: Challenges and Opportunities

Women show leadership at all levels of the dairy supply chain. On farms, women are either principal operators or decision-makers on over half of all farming operations. But women face unique challenges to reaching leadership positions, ranging from work-family expectations to developing professional networks to fighting attitudes of “that’s the way it’s always been.”

Catch up on a panel discussion from World Dairy Expo, co-hosted by NMPF’s Young Cooperators Program and the Dairy Girl Network, exploring the leadership challenges women encounter as they navigate careers in the dairy industry and prepare for future success. Participants include:

Lorilee Schultz

Chairperson, National Young Cooperators Program

Partner, Mil-R-Mor Dairy – Prairie Farms Inc. Member-Owner

Orangeville, Illinois

Rita Vander Kooi

Partner, Ocheda Dairy – Associated Milk Producers Inc. Member-Owner

Worthington, Minnesota

Julie Mauer 

Partner, Soaring Eagle Dairy, LLC – Land O’Lakes, Inc. Member-Owner

Newton, Wisconsin

Mary Knigge

Vice President of Government Relations, Dairy Farmers of America

Washington, D.C.

Laura Daniels

President and Founder, Dairy Girl Network

Cobb, Wisconsin

If you have any interest in receiving regular updates from the National Milk Producers Federation, we have a few options to keep in touch. Here is the link to sign up to receive our publications.

Click here for more information about the Dairy Girl Network, including membership, programs and upcoming events.