Jim Van Patter: Decades of experience dairying around the world

Jim Van Patter: Decades of experience dairying around the world

Author: Progressive Dairy editors December 3, 2025 Duration: 35:30

Jim Van Patter has managed large dairy herds from Wisconsin to Turkey to Australia to Mississippi and back again. He's now the dairy manager at Nehls Brothers Farm near Juneau, Wisconsin, and he's brought home some hard-won lessons about what works at scale—and what doesn't.

Whether you're running 100 cows or 1,000, Jim's got practical insights on everything from labor management to facility design that you can put to work on your operation.


For those who live and work in the world of milk production, the day doesn’t stop for a deep dive into industry news. That’s where the Progressive Dairy Podcast comes in, extending the trusted editorial voice of the magazine into an audio format you can take anywhere. Hosted by the Progressive Dairy editors, this series is crafted specifically for U.S. dairy producers and the network of professionals who support them. Think of it as a conversation with well-informed colleagues, breaking down the latest trends, operational strategies, and business insights that matter at the farm gate and beyond. You’ll hear straightforward discussions that translate complex topics into actionable advice, whether the subject is herd health, market dynamics, sustainability practices, or technology adoption. Released every other Tuesday, each episode is designed to fit into a busy schedule, providing a dose of relevant information during a morning commute or an afternoon walk. It’s more than just a business podcast; it’s a practical resource built on the same foundation of reliability that readers have come to expect, now available for your ears instead of your eyes. Tune in to stay informed and connected to the pulse of the dairy industry.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Progressive Dairy Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Best of 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:31
Join Progressive Dairy Podcast co-hosts Kimmi Devaney, Walt Cooley and Matti McBride as they highlight some of their favorite articles and podcast episodes from 2025 and discuss Progressive Publishing’s new artificial in…
Targeted Reproductive Management – Explained (Sponsored Podcast) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:47
What is Targeted Reproductive Management (TRM)? And why should producers care about this new approach to dairy reproduction? Listen in to this Progressive Dairy sponsorcast as a team of reproductive health experts and en…
Dave Saunders: Getting ready for the global financial reset [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:17
This episode's guest is Dave Saunders. Dave has spent years in business development and ag technology — many might remember his work helping create My Dairy Dashboard, the analytics tool that helps farmers track and impr…
Large Farm Roundtable with Lely (Sponsored Podcast) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:41
Hear how large-herd producers scaled with Lely automation at a roundtable that was held live at Miltrim Farms in Athens, Wisconsin. Listen to three large-herd producers share best practices, real-world ROI, barn design a…