Dairy Woman of the Year: Jeannette Sheehan

Jeannette Sheehan lives in Rochester, Minn., where she owns and operates Sheeknoll Farms with her husband, Robert, and other family members. Sheeknoll Farms consists of 300 cows at two locations and 1,000 acres of cropland. Sheehan helps manage the 55-cow tiestall site with her husband where she focuses on calf and heifer care.

This location was home to Sheeknoll Durham Arrow, the 2016 Grand Champion of the International Holstein Show and Reserve Supreme Champion of World Dairy Expo that Sheehan led across the colored shavings. The herd at Sheeknoll has earned Progressive Genetics Herd Awards and Progressive Breeders Registry Awards for the past two decades and has a 109 herd BAA.

Off the farm, Sheehan is a voice for the dairy community through involvement with Minnesota Ag in the Classroom, Midwest Dairy Association’s “Speak Out” program and the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center at the Olmsted Country Fairgrounds, which she helped establish. She gives her time to St. Bridget’s Catholic Church and as a committee member for Olmsted County Extension.

Sheehan has served as an official judge of the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest at World Dairy Expo 12 times while also coaching the Olmsted County 4-H Dairy Judging Team to numerous national awards.She is an active member of the Minnesota Holstein Association, a board member of the Olmsted County American Dairy Association and Olmsted County DHIA and is involved with the Southeast Minnesota Ag Alliance. The Sheehans have three children, Kelly (husband, Dan) Andrew (wife, Juliana) and Krista (husband Jordan), as well as seven grandchildren.