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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
Down 0.2 percent, the August 2023 USDA Milk Production report did not document much change from the previous year. Following suite, milk production per cow in the 24 major states declined by 1 lb. per cow.
Taking a fresh look at how farms train and develop employees can make all the difference in the overall success of a farm. Register today for Milk Business Conference to hear more about becoming the employer of choice.
Sometimes life doesn’t go the way it was planned. Most farmers understand this all too well. But sometimes life’s curveballs provide opportunities to grow and learn. This holds true for the Dinderman family of Illinois.
With large dairies putting on thousands of hours on a payloader annually, producers understand the importance of carving out time to review what equipment works best for their operation.
A massive question dairy producers often ask themselves is who should be raising replacement heifers. Should they be raised by the producer, contracted out and customed raised, or should they be purchased?
Think of your own success story, even if your path wasn’t straightforward. The industry is great because of all our great leaders who have continued to push hard, driving their businesses forward.
Get to know Dairy Farmers of America President and CEO, Dennis Rodenbaugh
When Julie ten Hoeve called her son’s high school to report Ian being absent to help chop corn on the family’s 650-cow dairy farm, she worried about what the school would say. The school’s response eased her mind.
The Milk Business Conference in Las Vegas Nov. 28-30, highlights every corner of the dairy industry and has a great line-up of speakers to help producers capitalize on and further develop their strengths. Sign up today.
Farm life is far from simple, and this especially holds true for dairy farms that operate 24/7, 365 days a year. The rate of suicide among farmers is three and a half times higher than among the general population.
Aimed at doing better and gaining efficiency on their operations, producers are determining how they want to milk their cows in the future, and larger herds have leaned into technology and turned to robotic milking.
Producers have been wired to head to the mailbox this calendar year, as DMC payments have been triggered due to a stretch of low milk income. As expected, another round of DMC payments will hit producer’s mailboxes soon.
I wonder what is the magic formula that will allow dairy farms to continue making it. I don’t have a magic 8 ball that can tell us that, but what I can tell you all is that part of the formula requires resiliency.
When it comes to farm culture, actions speak louder than words. A leader’s influence sets the tone and establishing a good farm culture is not only essential, but also vital to retain employees.
The beef market is sizzling hot and dairy producers have not only noticed but have taken action to capitalize on securing an alternative profit source to their bottom line.