Located in Rio, Wisconsin, Levzow Dairy has a proud history of belonging to cooperatives.
The family first joined the Pure Milk cooperative in 1943 and has remained part of the Foremost Farms lineage through a series of cooperative mergers spanning more than eight decades. Today, the farm is owned and operated by Ralph and Becky Levzow alongside their son Ken, representing the fourth generation on the home farm. Their cooperative journey has included Pure Milk, Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), Morning Glory and ultimately Foremost Farms through mergers involving Golden Guernsey and Wisconsin Dairies. Becky currently serves on Foremost Farms’ Board of Directors and says the family’s connection to the cooperative remains as strong as ever.
The Levzows serve as the farm’s core team, supported by several part-time employees. The farm has remained in the family for generations, beginning with Ralph’s grandfather, then passing to Ralph’s parents before being handed down to Ralph and Becky. Ken is now stepping into the operation with hopes of one day taking over the farm himself.
Today, the 925-acre farm is home to 150 cows, primarily Holsteins and Jerseys. Using a conventional milking parlor, the farm produces approximately 8,000 pounds of milk every day.
All animals are raised on the farm from birth until they leave the operation, and cows are bred through A.I. The farm’s freestall barns feature sand bedding, automatic cow brushes, fans, curtains, and multiple water stations to support cow comfort. Feed is distributed twice daily, and manure is later spread on the fields.
Calves begin life in individual huts before transitioning to group pens. They are grouped by age and typically spend two to three months in each stage before moving to the next. As heifers mature and become bred, they spend time on the hill before moving to the maternity or freshening pen as calving approaches.
Sustainability is also a priority at Levzow Dairy. The family grows corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa while incorporating crop rotation, no-till and minimum-till practices. The farm now air-seeds approximately 150 acres each year with a radish-rye mix and no-tills rye on another 100 acres following corn silage and soybeans. The family also handles its own alfalfa harvest, working together to cut, chop, merge, haul and bag the crop.
They compare the coordinated effort to “synchronized swimming,” with each person playing a specific role: one cuts, another operates the chopper, Becky merges, and Ralph hauls loads and oversees the bagger. “We truly are a family operation, with each person playing their part in each harvest.”
Levzow Dairy has also been involved in FARM Environmental Stewardship (FARM ES) since its inception, demonstrating the family’s long-standing commitment to responsible farm management and environmental sustainability.
The farm embraces technology to support cow health and well-being. Ear tags on heifers and cows track activity, resting, eating and rumination patterns, sending alerts directly to the family’s phones when needed. Ring cameras in the maternity pens provide an additional layer of monitoring, allowing the family to keep a close eye on cows and their newborn calves.
As National Cooperative Month is celebrated across the country, Becky says one of the greatest advantages of cooperative membership is having a voice in the organization.
“We believe strongly in the cooperative structure. We appreciate that we can elect the people who lead us and ask questions or share comments with the CEO and administrative team,” Becky says. “We know we have a voice in how things are done, and we appreciate knowing we’ll always have a milk check.”
Becky adds that the family values the cooperative’s broad member network and ability to redirect milk when plant capacity or market conditions change. For the Levzows, being part of a cooperative means knowing that member voices matter and that the organization is focused on long-term success for dairy farm families.
Beyond the farm, the Levzow family remains deeply involved in agriculture and their local community. Their daughter, Amanda and son-in-law, Ryan, leads the agriculture departments at Pardeeville and Fall River High Schools respectively. They both enjoy lending a hand on the farm, with their young daughter, Madisyn.
The Levzows also take pride in supporting their community and contributing to the broader dairy industry. In addition to serving on the Foremost Farms Board of Directors, Becky previously served on the Dairy Management Inc. board and continues her more than 20-year commitment to the Pardeeville School Board, serving as President. Ralph has also served on several local boards, along with Ken serving on the Wyocena Town Board. Together, the family remains active in their local FFA community, helping support the next generation of agricultural leaders.
After more than 80 years of cooperative membership, the Levzow family continues to look toward the future. With Ken preparing to become the fourth generation to operate the farm, the family remains committed to producing high-quality milk, caring for their animals and supporting the cooperative that has been part of their story since 1943.
“We truly believe Foremost Farms is a well-run business,” Becky says. “It’s a longstanding relationship that we believe strongly in, and our son wants to carry on. Hopefully we’ll be here for a long time.”
The Levzow Family.
Becky Levzow feeds Levzow Dairy Cows.