Tim Schaefer

Latest Stories
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Education
Every Generation Has to Figure it Out
The dairies that thrive tomorrow won’t look like the ones that succeeded yesterday, and neither will the skill sets it takes to run them.
May 05, 2026 08:57 AM
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Tim Schaefer
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Labor
Getting Ready for Next Season: Using Debriefs to Smooth Out the Rough Spots
Winter’s the perfect time to hit pause, gather your team and turn last season’s frustrations into actionable improvements for the year ahead.
February 26, 2026 11:56 AM
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Tim Schaefer
Tim Schaefer.jpg
Dairy Business News
Why Its Time For Farms To Rethink Sweat Equity
This old compensation model — where family members accept below-market wages in exchange for a promised future inheritance — brings as many headaches as it solves, especially when it comes to succession planning and family harmony.
November 04, 2025 12:15 PM
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Tim Schaefer
Goal setting can pay dividends in employee engagement.
Education
It’s Not Luck, It’s Intentional
Four tips for upping the professionalism of your farm.
August 22, 2025 09:00 AM
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Tim Schaefer
A Road Map for the Next Generation.jpg
Dairy Business News
Steering Farm Succession Planning: A Roadmap for the Next Generation
Succession planning can feel overwhelming, but early planning, clear finances and open communication can pave the way for a smooth transition to the next generation.
April 22, 2025 10:22 AM
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Tim Schaefer
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Labor
Do You Have the Right People on Your Farm?
The “right people” is a hard thing to measure and it’s different for every farm. But here are some ideas.
March 07, 2025 09:00 AM
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Tim Schaefer
Make mental health a priority for your team.
Education
Facing the Kryptonite of Mental Health in Farming
Even Superman has his limits, and so do our farmers.
November 08, 2024 08:00 AM
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Tim Schaefer
Compass
Dairy Business News
Strategic Planning: The Best Compass for Dairy Farm Success
In the ever-evolving landscape of dairy farming, where unpredictability seems to be the only constant, strategic planning is a tool that guides farmers toward success
August 14, 2024 03:45 PM
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Tim Schaefer
Bohnert Jerseys
Education
The Five Steps You Need to Know to Create a Farm Legacy
So, you’ve had the family meeting regarding transition planning and agree that you need to start the process. Now what?
April 30, 2024 03:53 PM
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Tim Schaefer
Bohnert Jerseys
Education
How Family Farm Perks Can Create Lifetime Conflict
Sometimes a family business’s perks can be abused or expanded over time until it creates conflict.
February 22, 2024 08:00 AM
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Tim Schaefer
Often, dairies have an idea what their operations will look like down the road. But they can’t answer who will be the successor of the operation, as no formal succession plan ha
Labor
Improve Your Return on Time Investment
There is a direct correlation between solid meetings and return on time.
October 18, 2023 01:59 PM
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Tim Schaefer
Change_Canva
Dairy Business News
How Can We Get Better Dealing with Change?
Change is hard, but we live and work in an industry undergoing massive changes. Just as in every major historical upheaval in agriculture, some will survive and come out the other side stronger.
August 31, 2023 03:45 PM
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Tim Schaefer
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Dairy Business News
Change is Hard
Have you ever wondered why some topics, people, or plans resist change?
May 31, 2023 10:01 AM
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Tim Schaefer
Time spent honing your leadership, communication, and management skills is seldom wasted. There are plenty of resources and coaches that can help your progress.
Dairy Business News
The Third Question Dairy Leaders Should Ask
We all need to find and keep great people for our farms. This is truer than ever before. Maybe you have heard the phrases, “we need the right people on the bus” and “they need to be in the right seats.”
March 02, 2023 10:30 AM
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Tim Schaefer
Two hands appear over a piece of paper with a chart, ready to annotate.
Dairy Business News
Strategic Planning Isn’t Just for Fortune 500 Companies
Your farm will regenerate and reinvent itself to thrive in a changing world. Building commitment and alignment between the family and the business is key to a lasting legacy.
October 24, 2022 03:51 PM
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Tim Schaefer
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