Building a Non-Family Farm Transition That Works at Sheadview Dairy

Kevin Krentz, Marcus Krentz and Cory Biely share how communication, structure and trust made shared ownership possible

Transitioning a dairy beyond family lines is complex. At Sheadview Dairy in Berlin, Wisconsin, three partners explain how defined roles, legal structure and consistent communication created a path forward.

Clear Roles and Shared Ownership at Sheadview Dairy

At Sheadview Dairy in Berlin, Wisconsin, Kevin Krentz is not only transitioning the farm to his son Marcus Krentz. He is also transitioning ownership to non-family partner Cory Biely.

The structure did not happen overnight. It required legal restructuring, financial transparency and clearly defined leadership roles.

“Corey focuses more on the cows. Marcus focuses more on the agronomy side, the field side of it, and I can manage the farm and the books,” Kevin said.

Each partner operates within a defined area while collaborating on major decisions.

“Communication Is Really Key.”

The partners consistently pointed to communication as the foundation of the transition. If one partner is away, the others stay informed through group messaging and ongoing dialogue.

“If you lack communication, you’re going to lack flexibility,” Marcus said. “If you lack flexibility, you’re going to start causing challenges between each other.”

Cory emphasized that personality alignment is equally important to creating a successful culture on the farm.

Everybody Has to Be Comfortable

Bringing in a non-family partner required structural changes and patience.

“It’s finding the right attorney,” Kevin said. “Bringing in a non-family member is more difficult.”

The farm transitioned from a corporation to an LLC to allow ownership growth over time. The process took several years. Marcus mentioned how the paperwork is less than ideal, but it’s important to cover all of your bases.

Success Is a Moving Target

For the partners, success extends beyond ownership percentages.

While Cory likes to focus on a healthy, productive cow, Marcus focuses on crop performance and long-term land stewardship, and Kevin maintains oversight of financial health.

Future plans include potential parlor updates, herd growth and operational efficiencies, all evaluated through a financial lens.

At Sheadview Dairy, the transition is not defined by family lines alone but by structure, accountability and a shared commitment to long-term stability.

For the full conversation with the team at Sheadview Dairy, stream the episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or watch the complete interview below to hear how this partnership continues to evolve.