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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
As the U.S. dairy industry races toward fewer than 20,000 farms by decade’s end, the economics of overhead, the psychology of scale and the power dynamics of vertical integration are rewriting the rules of who survives — and who thrives.
As you move beyond sentiment to strategy, these financial stress tests and creative internal financing tools can help engineer a successful, bankable dairy farm transition.
As AI, land wars with tech giants and labor mandates redefine the industry, producers are trading the commodity mindset for high-stakes strategy.
August 2026 CDCB evaluations modernize dairy genetics by refining fertility traits, introducing First Service to Conception and launching the first genomic tools for calf health.
The modern dairy producer is part data scientist, part beef marketer. Discover how three top farms are using AI, crossbreeding and radical efficiency to beat rising costs.
The dairy farm fix-it man reveals what separates farms that survive financial pressure from those that don’t.
Shift from grass-fed to grain-fed systems positions the U.S. as the world’s dairy growth engine.
From a 1972 diner meeting to a high-tech digital revolution, the Noble family combined a pivot to organic with data-driven management to save one of Southern Oregon’s last dairies.
National Milk Producers Federation chief says Section 232 tariffs are leveraged to fix Canada’s ‘unique’ dairy trade barriers.
A growing supply reflects industry expansion as cow numbers reach their highest levels in years.
The Illinois-based dairy cooperative shuts down Shullsburg Creamery and White Hill Cheese plants, dealing an economic blow to the small Wisconsin town.
From a 13-year-old’s dream to a first-generation legacy, the Handels prove resilience and family connection are the true love languages of the U.S. dairy farm.
From genomics to full-circle ownership, see how a sixth-generation Wisconsin farm is turning its calf pipeline into a highly profitable hedge against low milk prices.
Coca-Cola’s $4 billion dairy subsidiary has suspended U.S. operations after a cyberattack compromised production systems — a stark reminder that the dairy industry is now a prime target for digital criminals.
Terrain analyst Ben Laine explores the 40% surge in milkfat exports and the diversified financial safety net keeping U.S. dairy producers profitable during the summer reset.