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Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast, where we bring you the latest insights, trends, and

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discussions from the dairy industry.

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I'm your host, Bella, and I'm joined today by my co-host, Douglas.

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Thanks, Bella.

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It's great to be here today discussing a topic that's not only timely, but essential for

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our industry's future.

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As today is International Women's Day 2025, we're taking a deep dive into the changing

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role of women in dairy.

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That's right, Douglas.

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Today's episode, Breaking the Barn Ceiling, Women's Revolution in Dairy, explores how

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women are shattering glass ceilings across our industry while examining the persistent

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challenges they face.

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We'll be unpacking the latest data from the IDFA's 2025 State of Women in Dairy report

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and hearing about the experiences that are reshaping dairy's future.

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We've got a lot to cover today, from leadership trends and technological innovations to the

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economic case for gender diversity and the program's driving change.

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So let's dive right in.

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Douglas, when we look at dairy farms across America, there's a transformation happening

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that many of our listeners might not fully appreciate.

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Women haven't just entered the dairy industry, they're actively reshaping it from milking

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parlors to boardrooms.

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That's absolutely right, Bella.

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And what's fascinating is that the International Dairy Foods Association's latest report gives

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us concrete numbers to understand this shift.

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Their 2025 survey of 608 industry professionals found that 54% of women are actively asking

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for promotions compared to 47% of men.

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And what's even more remarkable is that when women ask for those promotions, 62% of them

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are successful, exactly the same success rate as their male counterparts.

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This really challenges the old narrative that women aren't as ambitious or capable in traditional

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agricultural settings.

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I think what those numbers show us is that when given the opportunity, women are demonstrating

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equal capability.

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But there's still a disconnect, isn't there?

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The same report found that nearly half of women, 48%, still believe they have fewer

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advancement opportunities than men in the industry.

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That gap between demonstrated success and perceived opportunity really highlights the

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work still ahead.

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What we're seeing is progress, certainly, but not yet equality.

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I'm curious, Bella, in your travels visiting dairy operations across the country, have

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you noticed this shift in women's roles firsthand?

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Absolutely, Douglas.

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Just last month, I visited a 1200 cow dairy in Wisconsin, where the herd manager, nutrition

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specialist and calf program leader were all women.

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What struck me wasn't just their presence, but how they were implementing innovative

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approaches that were measurably improving herd health and milk quality.

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The farm owner specifically mentioned that his operation had become more efficient since

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these women took on leadership roles.

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That mirrors what we're seeing in the data.

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It's not just about representation.

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It's about the unique perspective and skills women bring to dairy operations.

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Let's dig deeper into the historical context of women in dairy and how we got to where

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we are today.

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The perception of dairy farming as exclusively male territory has persisted for generations,

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despite the fact that women have always been present throughout agricultural history.

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What's different now isn't that women are newly arriving in dairy.

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It's that their longstanding contributions are finally receiving acknowledgement.

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That's so true, Douglas.

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Historically, women were often the ones handling the actual milking on family farms, managing

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calf raising, keeping the records, and handling finances, all critical components of successful

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operations.

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But they were rarely featured in agricultural publications or recognized as the real farmers.

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If we look back just a few decades, women's involvement in dairy was often categorized

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as helping out rather than recognized as essential labor or expertise.

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Mary Creek, a third generation dairy farmer from Hagerstown, Maryland, shared her experience

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growing up when it was not common to have a woman as involved in showing cattle as she

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was.

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Now 62 years old, she farms 300 acres with her brother and recalls, our parents raised

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us to do what was necessary, and I used to be able to keep up with just about any man

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with my chore accomplishments.

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That historical dismissal of women's contributions has had lasting effects.

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Today's women in dairy are not just overcoming current obstacles.

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They're pushing against decades of institutional and cultural barriers that marginalize their

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predecessors' contributions.

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According to the IDFA's 2025 survey, 63% of women express satisfaction with their opportunities

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for career advancement.

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Furthermore, half of female respondents acknowledge having access to programs designed to foster

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career growth and retention.

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These numbers tell us women aren't merely surviving in dairy.

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They're increasingly finding pathways to thrive.

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But here's what I find particularly interesting and concerning.

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If women are increasingly taking charge of their careers and succeeding, why do nearly

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half, 48%, still believe they have fewer advancement opportunities than their male counterparts?

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That disconnect between progress and perception gets at something deeper, doesn't it?

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It suggests that despite statistical improvements, there are still deeply entrenched cultural

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assumptions about gender roles in agricultural sectors, including dairy.

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Elable.

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I've spoken with several women in dairy who describe what they call the prove-it-again

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factor, this feeling that they have to continuously demonstrate their competence in ways their

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male colleagues simply don't.

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One woman who manages a 500-cow operation told me she's still occasionally mistaken

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for the farmer's wife when equipment suppliers visit the farm, despite the fact that she's

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actually the owner and primary operator.

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That persistent underestimation has real costs for our industry.

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If qualified, capable women are constantly having to overcome these extra hurdles, how

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much innovation and leadership potential are we losing in the process?

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Speaking of leadership, let's look at some of the remarkable women who are breaking through

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those barriers and reshaping what leadership looks like in dairy today.

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The rise of women to leadership positions represents one of the most significant disruptions

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to traditional dairy industry power structures in decades.

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The IDF's research confirms this trajectory.

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More than half of women reported asking for promotions compared to 47% of men, with 62%

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of those women saying they received those promotions, a rate equal to men.

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And behind those statistics are real women making remarkable contributions.

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Becky Razdol Vargas, Senior Vice President at IDFA and leader of the Women in Dairy Initiative,

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has been at the forefront of measuring and addressing gender equality in the industry.

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The survey she helped develop conducted between October 16 and November 7, 2024, provides

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the most comprehensive picture to date of women's experiences across the dairy sector.

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Eelings.

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We're seeing remarkable women emerge as industry leaders across various segments of dairy.

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From processing to research to farm operations, women are bringing fresh perspectives that

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drive innovation.

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Jackie Klippenstein's work as Senior Vice President at Dairy Farmers of America exemplifies

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this trend.

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Recently awarded the prestigious 2024 Leading Impact Award by the Dairy Girl Network, Klippenstein

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has been a transformative influence throughout the sector.

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What's particularly noteworthy about Klippenstein's journey is how she's broken barriers in policy

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development.

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She became the first female board member at the National Milk Producers Federation and

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now chairs New Triant, where she's working to reduce the environmental footprint of U.S.

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dairy operations.

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Her work demonstrates how women leaders are tackling some of dairy's most pressing challenges,

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from sustainability to global market positioning.

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What makes Razdal Vargas' work so important is that it's giving us data-driven insights

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rather than anecdotal evidence.

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The IDFA survey included 519 women and 89 men, providing a robust sample to understand

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gender dynamics across various roles and career stages.

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And what's particularly interesting is how that leadership pipeline is developing.

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The report shows that dairy companies are increasingly making investments to support

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women, yet disparities continue to impact job satisfaction and retention, particularly

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for women in frontline roles.

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That gap between institutional commitments and on-the-ground experiences raises a provocative

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question – what transformative innovations are we missing when barriers still prevent

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qualified women from reaching their full potential?

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It reminds me of a conversation I had with a dairy cooperative board member last year.

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She mentioned that until they added two women to their previously all-male board, they'd

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never seriously discuss developing specialty products targeting female consumers, despite

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women making approximately 80% of household food purchasing decisions.

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That brings up an important point about the impact of diverse perspectives on innovation

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and market responsiveness.

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But before we get to the business case for women's leadership, let's talk about another

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factor that's changing the game – technology.

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Perhaps nowhere is the gender landscape shifting more dramatically than in technologically

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advanced dairy operations.

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Automation is rendering physical strength increasingly irrelevant and creating unprecedented

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opportunities for women producers.

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In Yelis, from robotic milking systems to automated feeding technology and data-driven

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herd management software, these innovations are transforming what it means to run a modern

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dairy farm, and importantly, they're making the physical demands that once created barriers

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for some women increasingly obsolete.

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What's most revolutionary about this technological shift is how it's rendering outdated gender

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assumptions obsolete.

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When farms run on brain power rather than just physical labor, women's capabilities

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in problem-solving, animal health management, and operational efficiency emerge as competitive

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advantages.

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I visited a dairy in Pennsylvania last month that's using robotic milking systems and

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wearable cow monitoring technology.

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The herd manager, a woman in her 30s, told me that these technological advances have

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completely changed her role.

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Instead of focusing on the physical aspects of moving cows and managing milking systems,

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she's now analyzing data patterns to optimize herd health and production.

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Her background in biology and statistics combined with her understanding of cow behavior makes

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her exceptionally qualified for this new dairy landscape.

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As highlighted at the IDFA annual dairy forum in San Antonio this January, even in a world

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of artificial intelligence and automation, business success requires a group of diverse

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and capable people.

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That diversity of thought and approach is becoming increasingly recognized as a competitive

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advantage.

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The International Dairy Foods Association has focused its efforts on six key areas impacting

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gender equality—treatment, compensation, mentorship and support, opportunities for

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advancement, factors in recruiting and retention, and discrimination policies and gender equality

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goals.

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This holistic approach recognizes that technological advancement must be paired with cultural evolution

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to create truly inclusive workplaces.

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It's worth noting that this technological revolution in dairy isn't just an American

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phenomenon.

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Across Canada, Europe, and increasingly in developing dairy regions, automation is creating

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new opportunities for women.

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In Canada, for instance, women like Alicia, who studied veterinary health technology before

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joining her husband's dairy operation, are finding that technology has drastically reduced

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the manual labor once required and enabled them to take on expanded roles in farm management.

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That recognition of inclusion as a business imperative brings us to an important question.

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Beyond fairness and equity, what's the economic case for advancing women's leadership in

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dairy?

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The business case for women's leadership in dairy extends far beyond equity.

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It's about profitability and sustainability in an increasingly competitive global market.

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While historical barriers have limited women's advancement, new data reveals how gender diversity

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drives financial performance and innovation throughout the dairy supply chain.

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The IDFA's 2025 State of Women in Dairy Report offers some compelling evidence here.

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Let me share some key statistics that really highlight both progress and persistent challenges.

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Let's break down these numbers in detail.

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54% of women asked for promotions compared to 47% of men.

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When they asked, 62% of women received those promotions, exactly the same success rate

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as men.

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However, 55% of women believe their gender negatively impacts their pay compared to only

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5% of men.

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That 50-point gap in perception is staggering.

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And nearly half of women, 48%, believe they have fewer advancement opportunities than

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their male counterparts.

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These numbers reveal a striking disconnect between demonstrated capability and perceived

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opportunity.

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When women ask for promotions, they're just as successful as men, proving their competence

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and readiness for advancement.

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Yet, a majority still believe their gender negatively affects their compensation.

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And this isn't just about fairness.

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It represents a strategic vulnerability for an industry that cannot afford to undervalue

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talent in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

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If more than half of women feel their contributions aren't being fairly compensated, how long

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will they stay in dairy when other agricultural and food sectors are actively recruiting diverse

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talent?

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These findings align with broader research from previous years, which confirmed that

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women in the dairy industry report feeling overlooked, undervalued, and underpaid.

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The persistence of these challenges, despite growing awareness, suggests that systemic

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change requires more than surface-level commitments to diversity and inclusion.

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I've spoken with several dairy operation owners who've told me that their most significant

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innovations in recent years, whether in sustainability practices, product development, or operational

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efficiency, came from women in their organizations.

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One processor mentioned that their female quality assurance manager identified a process

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improvement that reduced product loss by 8%, translating to hundreds of thousands of dollars

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annually.

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These examples highlight why supporting women's advancement isn't just the right thing to

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do.

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It's a business imperative.

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And that brings us to the networks and programs that are accelerating women's success in

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dairy.

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Douglas, would you take us through some of those initiatives?

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The growth of dedicated networks supporting women in dairy has dramatically accelerated

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progress toward gender equality in the industry.

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The International Dairy Foods Association's Women in Dairy Network stands as a prominent

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example working to improve gender equality within the U.S. dairy sector.

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Becky Razdol Vargas, IDFA Senior Vice President of Trade and Workforce Policy, leads these

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efforts which include mentoring circles, professional development webinars, and networking events.

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This comprehensive approach recognizes that advancing women in dairy requires both individual

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development and systemic change.

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The IDFA Women in Dairy Mentoring Circles are particularly valuable.

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They connect participants with a supportive network of peers to exchange knowledge, share

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insights, and advance their professional development.

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These structured relationships help women navigate challenges specific to the dairy

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industry while building the connections that often lead to advancement opportunities.

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For any listeners interested in these mentoring circles, it's worth noting that IDFA will

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open applications for its next cohort in June 2025.

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These programs are designed to support women at various career stages, from emerging leaders

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to those advancing to executive roles.

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What makes these networks truly revolutionary is their systemic approach.

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Rather than focusing solely on helping individual women navigate existing structures, they're

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gathering data, creating benchmarks, and holding the industry accountable for measurable progress.

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This strategic approach transforms what could be dismissed as women's issues into industry-wide

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imperatives for competitiveness and growth.

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By showing the business impact of gender diversity, these initiatives are changing

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how industry leaders think about talent development and retention.

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And we're seeing similar initiatives at regional levels as well.

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Dairy associations in states like Wisconsin, New York, and California have developed women's

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leadership programs that combine skills development with networking opportunities.

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These local connections often prove especially valuable for women working in more isolated

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rural communities.

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Beyond the United States, we're seeing similar networks emerge globally.

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Australia's legendary women's network and Canada's mentorship programs for women in

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agriculture demonstrate that this isn't just an American phenomenon.

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These international initiatives suggest that the advancement of women in dairy is increasingly

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recognized as a global priority for industry sustainability and innovation.

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Despite these important initiatives, significant challenges remain for women in dairy.

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Let's examine what the data tells us about the persistent roadblocks to full gender equality

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in our industry.

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Despite remarkable progress, women in dairy continue facing systemic barriers that limit

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both individual advancement and industry innovation.

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The 2025 IDFA survey reveals that nearly half of women, 48%, believe they have fewer advancement

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opportunities than their male counterparts, and 55% of women reported that their gender

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negatively influences their compensation.

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Let's take a closer look at the generational and workplace divides revealed in the IDFA

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report.

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For Gen Z and millennial women, 41% believe gender will make career advancement harder.

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This is particularly concerning because these younger women represent the future of our

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industry.

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The report also reveals that 29% of female frontline employees have left jobs due to

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a lack of opportunities.

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For frontline workers in processing plants and on farms, the challenges can be especially

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acute, from lack of facilities to inflexible schedules that create particular hardships

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for women with caregiving responsibilities.

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And the gender pay gap remains a significant hurdle that has shown little improvement.

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The 2025 data confirms this remains a pressing issue, with 55% of women reporting that their

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gender negatively influences their compensation, compared to only 5% of men.

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That stark contrast in perception, 55% versus 5%, underscores how differently men and women

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experience the same workplace environments.

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When we have such divergent views of workplace fairness, it becomes difficult to build truly

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collaborative teams.

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What makes these persistent challenges particularly frustrating is that they contradict the industry's

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own data about women's capabilities and ambitions.

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When women consistently demonstrate leadership potential, as evidenced by 62% of those who

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ask for promotions successfully earning them, equal to their male counterparts, yet continue

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to face systematic barriers to advancement, the industry loses access to critical talent

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at precisely the moment when innovation and fresh perspectives are most needed.

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I recently spoke with a woman who left a mid-sized dairy processor after eight years because despite

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consistently strong performance reviews, she saw male colleagues with similar or lesser

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qualifications being promoted ahead of her.

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She's now working in food manufacturing outside the dairy sector, taking her expertise and

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institutional knowledge with her.

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Her story isn't unique, and these departures represent a significant loss of talent for

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our industry.

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Healing.

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Looking toward the future, what do these trends tell us about where the dairy industry is

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headed?

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Let's explore dairy's female-powered future and what it means for all stakeholders.

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As we look toward the remainder of 2025 and beyond, the implications of women's increasing

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leadership in dairy will fundamentally reshape the industry's trajectory.

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Having broken through initial barriers to participation and recognition, women are now

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positioned to drive transformative change in areas ranging from sustainability practices

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to consumer engagement and technological innovation.

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The IDFA's comprehensive research provides a roadmap for continued progress.

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The fact that 54% of women are now actively asking for promotions compared to 47% of men,

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with 62% of those women successfully earning the promotion, indicates a growing confidence

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and assertiveness among women in the industry.

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However, the persistence of the gender pay gap and the fact that nearly half, 48%, of

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women still believe they have fewer advancement opportunities than their male counterparts

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indicates that significant work remains.

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This isn't a challenge that will resolve itself without continued focus and action.

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As IDFA continues its work through the Women in Dairy initiative, their approach of using

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data-based metrics and tools, C-suite engagement, and fostering networking and professional

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and leadership development offers a promising framework for continued progress.

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The IDFA Women in Dairy Network will open applications for its next mentoring circles

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in June 2025, providing another opportunity for women across the industry to connect with

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peers and mentors who can support their professional development.

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For listeners interested in participating, we'll include a link in our show notes.

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The findings presented at the Dairy Forum 2025 in San Antonio this January made clear

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that creating a people-first culture is essential for a strong dairy future.

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As the industry continues to navigate challenges from automation to market pressures, leveraging

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the full talent pool, regardless of gender, will be crucial for maintaining competitive

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advantage.

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Based on current trends, we can expect to see women increasingly shaping industry priorities

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over the next decade.

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Areas like sustainability, animal welfare, consumer transparency, and workforce development,

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where women already demonstrate strong leadership, will likely become even more central to dairy

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success.

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The question isn't whether women will influence these areas, but how quickly the industry

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will remove remaining barriers to their full participation.

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Bella, we've covered a lot of ground today, from historical barriers to future opportunities.

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Let's wrap up with some key takeaways and final thoughts.

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As we've discussed throughout today's episode, the dairy industry stands at a pivotal juncture,

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one where women's increasing influence, leadership, and innovation are fundamentally reshaping

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its trajectory.

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The statistics from the IDFA's comprehensive 2025 research paint a clear picture.

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54% of women are actively asking for promotions compared to 47% of men, with 62% successfully

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earning them.

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Yet 48% still believe they have fewer advancement opportunities than their male counterparts.

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And a concerning 55% report that their gender negatively influences their compensation compared

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to only 5% of men.

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These numbers tell a story of both remarkable progress and persistent challenges, a reflection

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of an industry in transformation rather than one that has completed its journey toward

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gender equality.

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The IDFA's 2025 State of Women in Dairy report, based on a survey of 608 industry professionals

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conducted between October 16th and November 7th, 2024, provides the most comprehensive

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picture to date of both advancements made and barriers that remain.

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We'd like to challenge our listeners to take specific actions based on today's discussion.

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For dairy farm owners and managers, take a hard look at your hiring, promotion, and compensation

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practices.

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Are you fully leveraging female talent?

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For agricultural educators, are you actively encouraging young women to consider dairy

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careers and providing them with role models and mentors?

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For industry associations, are you collecting and publishing data on gender representation

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in your leadership?

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And for everyone in dairy, are you speaking up when you see barriers to women's full

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participation?

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The dairy industry faces unprecedented challenges from climate concerns to changing consumer

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preferences to technological disruption.

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We simply cannot afford to underutilize half of our potential talent pool.

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The operations and organizations that thrive in the coming decades will be those that fully

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leverage diverse perspectives, experiences, and leadership styles.

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As today is International Women's Day 2025, we encourage all our listeners to recognize

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that women's advancement in dairy isn't merely a matter of equity.

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It's an economic and strategic imperative.

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The question is no longer whether women can lead in dairy, but how quickly the industry

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will transform to fully leverage the talent, perspective, and innovation that women have

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always brought to agriculture.

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The glass milking parlor is cracking, if not yet fully shattered.

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The dairy industry must not only acknowledge its gender disparities, but actively work

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to address them, both through individual actions and systemic change.

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The future of our industry depends on it.

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Thank you for joining us for this important conversation.

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We'd love to hear your thoughts, experiences, and questions about women's roles in dairy.

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You can reach us through our website at thebullvine.com or on our social media channels.

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Until next time, I'm Bella.

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And I'm Douglas.

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Thanks for listening to the Bullvine Podcast, where we're passionate about the future of

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dairy.