Dairy Star’s year in review

A once in a lifetime opportunity

Jan. 25, 2025

Dan and Seena Glessing attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. The couple, who milks 75 cows near Waverly, Minnesota, were invited by Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who was the chair of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Dan has been serving as the Minnesota Farm Bureau president for the past two years and has visited Washington more than 10 times to do agricultural advocacy.

Man’s best friend saves life

Feb. 8, 2025

On July 27, 2024, Jim Ronan was moving cows to the barn for milking because the hoof trimmer was coming that day, when he was hit by the 3,000-pound bull that was also in the pen. As the bull was pushing Ronan across the yard and into a steel feed bunk, he called for his dog that was nearby. The Australian Shepherd was able to hold off the bull so Ronan could escape. Ronan had eight broken ribs, multiple fractures and muscles on his spine were pulled away from the bone. The bull was sold and Ronan was able to make a full recovery. His son, Tyler, who is the sixth generation on the farm, handled milking their 80 cows at their Waukon, Iowa, dairy farm while Ronan recovered.

Safety measures born from tragedy

May 10, 2025

Brothers Matt and Karl Hendel started farming together in 1991. Their partnership was cut short when Karl died in a farming accident. On Sept. 7, 2024, the Hendels and their employees had finished covering a bunker and Karl went to check on the bunker before going home. The next morning, Matt found Karl lying on the ground next to the 8.5-foot bunker that he had fallen off of backwards. Since the accident, the Hendel farm has been working with the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration to implement safety protocols when filling and packing the bunkers.

A life-saving donation

May 24, 2025

In October 2024 Derek Bromenshenkel was diagnosed with kidney failure and placed on the transplant list. His dad, Wayne, was tested and determined to be a perfect match for Derek, who had polycystic kidney disease. The surgery was successful, and both Derek and Wayne were able to return home. Wayne and his son, Blake, milk 60 cows near Sauk Centre, Minnesota, and Derek helps as much as he can while also holding a job off the farm.

‘Lester the Tester’ hangs up hat

June 14, 2025

Lester Perschbacher, also known as “Lester the Tester,” has been testing milk with the Minnesota Dairy Herd Improvement Association since Oct. 9, 1956. After 69 years with Minnesota DHIA, Perschbacher retired at the age of 91 in May 2025. Perschbacher was asked by his doctor to retire due to health reasons. Perschbacher said when he first started, his largest herd was 44 cows, and at one time, he was testing for 99 herds across Freeborn, Martin and Waseca counties in southern Minnesota.

North Dakota expands sales of raw milk products

June 28, 2025

House Bill 1131 will officially go into effect Aug. 1, 2025, and allow the sale of raw milk products, such as cream and butter, in North Dakota. A bill in 2023 allowed the sale of raw milk, but many producers wanted to sell additional raw dairy products, which had been excluded. Rep. Dawson Holle sponsored the new bill. Holle is a sixth-generation dairy farmer from Mandan.

Thorson crowned 72nd Princess Kay

Aug. 23, 2025

Malorie Thorson was crowned the 72nd Princess Kay of the Milky Way Aug. 20 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Thorson is a student at South Dakota State University majoring in dairy production. She plans on returning to her family’s farm, Diers Corporation, near Waverly, Minnesota, as the sixth generation after graduation. In the meantime, Thorson will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for Minnesota’s dairy farmers.

Almost crushed

Sept. 27, 2025

Josh Kelm was in a silo room alongside his mom, Colleen, and children, Ava, Payton and Colton, Sept. 14, 2025, at their 250-cow dairy near Faribault, Minnesota. The 18- by 80-foot silo was filled with about 600 tons of corn silage and the Kelms still had two more loads to unload when they decided to call it a day and finish other chores. No more than 20 minutes after they called silo-filling a day, the Kelms heard a loud popping sound. They ran for their lives out of the silo room as the silo came crashing to the ground. On its way down, the corn silage silo hit the high moisture corn silo, which also came tumbling to the ground. Josh, Colleen and the children all survived without injury, but the tractor, blower and skid loader ended up under the silo debris.

Ready to process A2A2 milk

Nov. 8, 2025

The Johnson family — Ethan and his parents, Dean and Elizabeth — plan to officially open Amo Creamery Nov. 20, 2025, on their 25-cow farm near Heron Lake, Minnesota. The Johnsons will process their A2A2 milk into cheese curds, cheddar cheese and bottled milk, which will be available at the on-farm creamery. Ethan attended South Dakota State University to major in dairy production with hopes of starting an on-farm creamery.

Bringing the family farm full circle

Nov. 8, 2025

Mark Rodenwald grew up on his family’s dairy farm milking cows in a 14-sided round barn, but his dad sold the cows when he was young. Rodenwald was able to purchase the farm with the round barn still standing in 2003, however, the barn had started to fall apart. Rodenwald made the necessary repairs to the barn to return it to its former glory. He had a custom pipeline, gutter cleaning system and tie stalls installed to once again milk cows at his family’s farm near Albany, Minnesota.

Heifer inventory at 20-year low

Nov. 8, 2025

Dairy replacements are setting record-high prices across the country. A report from CoBank said that inventory is expected to shrink further before rebounding in 2027. A drastic increase in beef semen purchases triggered the decline of replacements as dairy producers changed semen choices to capitalize on the beef-on-dairy movement. Over the last five years, beef semen sales to dairy farmers went up 58% and gender-sorted semen increased 43.5%. A combination of the two factors has caused heifer inventory numbers to be at a 20-year low.

Family takes the win at National FFA Convention

Nov. 22, 2025

The St. Charles FFA dairy judging team, consisting of Brianna Brogan, Emily Brogan, Will Brogan and Avery DeCook, was able to take home first-place honors at the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana. The three Brogan team members are siblings living on their family’s 650-cow dairy near St. Charles, Minnesota. Brianna placed third individually. The team was coached by Keith Brogan, the Brogan siblings’ uncle.