Kevin ButtlesDairy Technical SpecialistAgri-Nutrition ConsultingBlack Creek, Wisconsin

What education are you bringing to this position?

• Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business with minors in animal science (dairy emphasis) and agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls
• Masters of Arts in Teaching degree in agricultural education from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls

Please describe your agricultural background
I grew up on a dairy farm between Black Creek and Seymour, Wisconsin, that was in the Buttles family since the early 1900s. I currently reside on a hobby farm that was part of the family farm. For several years, my exercise for the day was milking cows on the family farm before going to work in the morning.

I was very close to the dairy industry ever since my 4-H, FFA and Wisconsin Junior Dairyman’s Association days set the foundation for my career path. Judging and exhibiting cattle and participating in speaking contests and dairy management activities and competitions kept me interested in farming, and specifically the cows. I even became certified in A.I.

What territory will your cover?
I will be concentrating my efforts in eastern Wisconsin; however, I will have an active role in increasing market share in the whole state. I will also be part of the tech team offering support to the consultant group in Pennsylvania.

What are your new responsibilities?
Provide technical and sales support and training activities to other consultants to help them increase their volume of business. Key responsibilities will be to assist consultants in identifying opportunities on farms to improve herds’ capabilities in the areas of nutrition, management, forage quality and cow comfort. I will be constantly looking for growth opportunities as the company continues to expand the consultant model by promoting its mission of “Going beyond nutrition through innovative solutions.”

I will continue to provide nutrition and management consulting services to my own dairy producer clients.

What previous positions have you held?
Most recently, I was a dairy specialist with Land O’Lakes, providing nutrition and consulting services to dairy producers in northeast Wisconsin. I am fortunate to have been part of our dynamic dairy industry over my 26 years with Land O’Lakes. During this time, I have held multiple sales and tech roles.

I also held a position as a dairy enterprise consultant, specializing in nutrition and management, business and financial management, and milk quality and milking equipment.

My early career experiences included teaching agricultural education and working as a data analyst for Dairyland Management Services (DMS).

Who has made the biggest impact on your career?
There have been a few influencers on me and my career path over the years, many of which seemed insignificant at the time. I did not want to go back to college after my freshman year because I missed the cows too much! My uncle convinced me that I should stick it out through graduation. I ended up graduating in less than four years and then went back to graduate school a few years later anyway.

How will you be of most help to producers in your region or area of expertise?
I will be able to use my experiences in the dairy industry, which expands over many years of changes and advances in technology and management systems. With a strong technical background as well as a practical approach to identifying problems, presenting solutions and implementing strategies, I will be able to help producers reach desired outcomes.

I understand the importance of high forage quality, good cow comfort and excellent transition cow programs in maintaining healthy cows and achieving the high production performance we expect from our cows today. In fact, I am known for implementing sound transition cow programs that fit producers’ current situations and meet the cows’ needs.

Why did you choose this company?
The Agri-Nutrition Consulting mission statement begins this way: “With honest and dependable work”; I have found the company and the employees to hold the common core values of honesty, integrity and respect in high regard as they relate to their employees and their customers. I think these values are very important in the consulting and sales professions.

I have built my business over the years with a concentrated effort in being customer-focused. I have always been attentive to the needs and wishes of my clients, and I believe that providing nutrition services as an independent consultant gives my clients more flexibility and options they desire, whether that be for feed purchases, evaluations of feed products and ingredients, and research or other technical information. Agri-Nutrition Consulting is a great fit for me to be able to provide nutrition and consulting services within the independent consultant business model.

What goals would you like to accomplish while in this position?
I would like to help the company increase market share of the number of cows under controlled nutrition by ANC consultants by providing sales and technical support to team members in their respective markets. I hope to continue to promote the commitments the company has to producers and to the animal industry, as seen through the company’s renewed focus on adding consultants and upgrading talent. Finally, I would hope that all of my clients would be able to say that I always had their personal and business interests at the forefront of our working relationships.  PD