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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 drought and production costs pushing the native beef population to a record low, beef-on-dairy has a huge opportunity to keep the feedlots and processors at full capacity.
When the going seems tough, don’t give up. Be brave, even when milk prices drop, feed prices rise and the next chapter of your farm seems like an uphill battle. Remember, the younger generation is watching.
The challenges that face the Golden State have quickly changed from drought to flooding and played havoc with the California agriculture landscape. This has forced several dairies to move their cattle to higher ground.
Most producers will tell you their No. 1 goal is simple: strive for cow comfort. That goal continues as dairies look to build a new barn or even retrofit an existing facility. The key is to begin with the end in mind.
The Howrigans have always put cow comfort as one of their top priorities on their farm. They credit new technology with pushing their dairy to be more profitable, but also helping them ensure cows are well cared for.
An Oregon-based, top-shelf ice cream company has acquired a former Prairie Farms plant with plans to expand in the Midwest and East.
Celebrating 25 years, Dairy Farmers of America, held its annual meeting on March 21 in Kansas City, Mo. Coming off a strong financial 2022, the largest dairy cooperative is committed to work together for future success.
The February 2023 USDA Milk Production report showed an 0.8% increase in year-over-year milk production with a total of 17.7 billion lbs. of milk. Also following suit, U.S. cow numbers also documented growth.
The rollercoaster of the dairy industry certainly isn’t new. Dan Basse told the PDPW audience last week that a great reset is underway for the dairy economy, which will spell a more competitive world market.
The challenge to attract and retain employees on U.S. dairy farms has been a constant struggle for the past few years. Farmers need to take a fresh look at how they put together a workforce to better attract employees.
Producers and consumer brands, such as Nestlé and Starbucks, gather round to brew sustainable solutions.
A different story is unfolding in 2023 with a decline in milk prices, while expenses continue to remain high. What are the best recommendations to help position yourself for a good start for the first half of the year.
The rollercoaster of milk prices is something we have seen before. Dr. Kevin Bernhardt with the UW-Extension recommends producers do a sensitivity analysis and ask, ‘How quickly can your good fortunate change?’
One glance at the milk futures and it’s hard to be optimistic, especially coming off a record milk market year. Simply stated, the second half of the year presents opportunities that come with bittersweet reviews.
The U.S. is heating up and that could spell disaster for U.S. livestock producers. Drastic changes will need to be implemented to ensure we have enough feed for our cattle in the future.