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Karen Bohnert

Dairy Editorial Director

Karen Bohnert is the Dairy Editorial Director at Farm Journal, overseeing Dairy Herd Management and Milk Business Quarterly since 2021. A lifelong advocate for dairy, Karen draws from both professional expertise and personal experience—she and her husband operate Bohnert Jerseys, a 750-cow dairy in East Moline, Illinois.

Raised on a dairy farm in Oregon, her editorial career spans freelance journalism and roles at organizations like Swiss Valley Farms and the American Jersey Cattle Association. She was named a Distinguished Alumni Leader by the Holstein Foundation.

Latest Stories
With more than half of producers lacking a succession plan and 25% set to retire by 2031, the dairy industry faces a succession cliff that threatens to erase family legacies and vital operational knowledge.
Jordy was more than a pet; he was a partner, coworker and the steady soul of our farm for 10 years. We honor the legacy of a dog who lived for the work and loved us through every season.
From 1776 homesteads to the modern dairy of 2026, discover how 250 years of American dairy innovation have transformed the family farm into a global leader in nutrition.
By balancing grit, family ground rules and a 100-stall rotary expansion, Kate Musselman is transforming her grandparents’ 30-cow legacy into a 4,500-cow powerhouse in Martinsburg, Pa.
Data from Farm Journal highlights the critical aspects of biosecurity that producers must address to defend against mounting biological and trade threats.
By using a formal offer, we transitioned our son from “helping out” to a professional partner, valuing his expertise in securing our dairy’s future.
As the data flood outpaces the clock, dairy producers are outsourcing their intuition to advisers who can turn high-tech sensor points into real-world margin protection.
After a season of financial sacrifice, Darigold’s strategic pivot into specialty proteins with Actus Nutrition marks a new era of stability and high-value growth for its farmer-owners.
IP 28 threatens to dismantle Oregon’s agricultural heritage by criminalizing routine farming and hunting practices, potentially banning in-state meat and dairy production.
By trading volume for high-value components and investing $11 billion in infrastructure, U.S. dairy is evolving from a fluid milk nation into the world’s premier nutrient-dense global powerhouse.
Phil Plourd describes why the industry feels simultaneously constrained and full of opportunity.
As farm numbers drop and costs hit $13,000 per head, DFA’s Corey Gillins reveals how strategic diversity and sophisticated risk management are defining the new dairy frontier.
As the easy premiums fade, beef-on-dairy 2.0 demands data-backed verification and surgical breeding strategies to transform crossbred calves into a stable foundation for multi-generational success.
Four workers were injured, one critically, after an electrical arc flash triggered an evacuation at a Dairy Farmers of America processing facility in New Wilmington, Pa.
Fueled by 19 months of herd expansion and record efficiency, the U.S. dairy industry hits a 16-month growth streak, marking its most aggressive production run in over two decades.