Shrupps step up to leadership role

EDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Tim and Megan Schrupp have accomplished being active both on their dairy farm and in the dairy industry on the local and national levels.

Tim and Megan were named First District Association’s Young Cooperator of the Year. The Schrupps and Megan’s parents, Vern and Mary Kay Becker, own and operate NexGen Dairy LLC where they milk 1,000 cows near Eden Valley.

Along with the award, the Schrupps were delegated to be a part of the National Young Cooperators Program. When the Schrupps attended the program, they decided to get more involved.

The Schrupps applied to be on the National YC Program’s advisory board, which is funded by National Milk Producers Federation, and were selected. Then, the Schrupps took their role a step further by applying to be the chair of the advisory board. After a vote by the board, the Schrupps were named this year’s chair for the National YC Program.

“We were very excited to get voted in,” Megan said. “This will be a good way to finish out our time on the YC board.”

Tim agreed.

“We thought it would be a great way to get involved and hear what is going on nationally,” he said. “We will get to network, listen and learn from other young farmers and leaders from across the country.”

The National YC Program puts on webinars and meetings throughout the year. It also hosts a dairy policy and legislative forum in Washington, D.C., and workshops at World Dairy Expo and the joint meeting of NMPF and the National Dairy Promotion & Research Board.

“Being in (Washington) D.C. is really cool because we get to go into the legislator’s offices and lobby,” Megan said. “You get to see the whole process the legislators go through and how stuff gets done.”

There are eight young farmers on the National YC Advisory board from across the country. As chair, the Schrupps will attend all in-person workshops, quarterly meetings, additional webinars put on by the YC Program and attend all the NMPF meetings.

“We will get to be a little further involved because we will represent the YC group to the board,” Megan said.

Tim and Megan have been active on the young cooperative board with First District Association since 2014. Over the past 10 years the couple has helped coordinate the annual bingo night, summer picnic and winter conference that the board orchestrates each year.

“Gaining leadership skills is big part of why we do this,” Tim said. “Seeing how our local cooperative works is neat too.”

The couple is using those leadership skills by also being involved with the Minnesota Guernsey Breeders Association and by leasing their registered Guernsey cattle to local youth to show at the Meeker County Fair and at the Midwest Guernsey Show.

“We don’t have kids of our own but we lease Guernseys to 14 kids all summer for 4-H,” Megan said.

When Tim’s family quit milking their registered Guernsey herd, the Guernseys came to NexGen Dairy.

NexGen Dairy was formed in 2016 and has now grown to milking 1,000 cows in a double-16 parallel parlor three times a day. The mixed herd is primarily Jersey but also includes Jersey-crosses along with about 30 registered Guernsey cows and Guernsey heifers.

Megan said at NexGen Dairy everything is done on-site — including raising their own replacements, veterinary work and hauling manure — by Tim, Megan, Vern or one of their employees. Megan is a licensed veterinarian and is in charge of managing the cows. Tim works with their nutritionist to develop the rations and takes care of the equipment, crops and manure management. Megan’s sister, Ellen Stenger, helps with accounting for the farm. She also helps with the farm stand, NexGen Market, where she and Megan sell homegrown produce, maple syrup, honey, fresh cut flowers, tallow soaps and balms.

“You can do the day to day on your farm, but you have to be willing to share your story,” Megan said. “If nobody goes out there and speaks up, we will be faced with a lot of unfair policies.”

The Schrupps have learned a lot by being involved with their local cooperative they said. Now they are bringing those skill sets to the national level to make a difference in the dairy industry.

“I think it’s great for personal and professional development,” Megan said. “Less and less people grow up on farms so it’s important to stay involved locally and nationally to stay abreast of what is going on. It’s nice to be involved to know both what is coming and how policies and decisions are being made.”