2010 Graduate, University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Fall intern with Genex Cooperative
Based in Shawano, Wisconsin

Background
Q. In what area did you obtain a degree?
I have a bachelor's degree of dairy science in management with an associate's degree in agricultural business.

Q. What is your agricultural background?
I grew up on a Stewardship Dairy, which is owned by my parents, where we milk about 42 cows. The farm is located north of Glenwood City, Wisconsin. 

Q. What previous internship positions have you held? 
I had an internship during the summer of 2010 working on Me-Pa-Ni-Tro Inc., where I was interning as a herd manager.  The farm is located in Plum City, Wisconsin.

Q. What have you learned because of this internship?
I gained more insight into different operations, and I learned more about other aspects of the dairy industry as I was raised on a dairy farm. I also learned more about reproduction in the process.

Q. What intrigued you most about Genex?
The fact that Genex hopes to one day be able to produce their own bulls and be self sufficient is the most intriguing thing, as well as the fact that it is well known worldwide.

Q. What do you think you did to make a meaningful impact during your internship?
I tried to be the best person I could and took every opportunity that was offered to me while on my internship, and I did as much as I could to get a better understanding of the company itself.

Q. What do you think was the most challenging aspect of your intern duties?
Assisting in the care of so many calves while trying to learn and network throughout other areas of the company.

Q. What was your best story from your internship?
Once while doing checks one night, there were three bulls calves out in one of the barns, and I was the only one at the farm at the time. It took 30 minutes to get all three of them in, but I was able to. I believe that was the same week or weekend that there were three calves born on the farm in 24 hours.

Future plans
Q. What do you hope to do, now that you've graduated?
My dream would be to take over the family farm, but to get a job in the dairy industry would be great as well.

Q. Why do you want to remain a part of the dairy industry? 
I started showing cattle through 4-H and that was when I started to become interested in the dairy industry. I believe that I was meant to be in this industry. When I was a junior in high school I was doing chores for my parents, who where probably out of town at the time, and as I was going to school one morning I decided that I wanted to farm.

While in college, I became aware of other aspects of the dairy industry and decided that it did not really matter what I was doing as long as I was part of it. My dream is to one day own my family's farm and show cattle.  PD

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