How Heglar Creek Dairy Is Building for the Next Generation

A multi-generational dairy business has to do more than preserve what came before it. It has to continue adapting as the operation, the industry, and the people involved in the business change.

At Heglar Creek Dairy in Idaho, that approach has shaped the operation across five generations.

Josh Webb, a fifth-generation member of the family business, has seen firsthand how intentional decisions around education, outside experience, technology, diversification, and people can help a multi-generational operation continue moving forward. For his family, maintaining the business isn't about keeping everything exactly the same. It's about building systems and developing people who can take the operation into its next chapter.

Building Experience Outside the Family Business

Heglar Creek Dairy's history began in Utah before the family moved to Idaho as the area around the original operation became increasingly developed. Over the years, the business continued to evolve, growing beyond dairy into areas including electrical contracting, plumbing, sod farming, commercial real estate, and other businesses.

That diversification became part of the family's broader approach to building a business that could continue to grow and adapt.

For Josh, becoming part of that business was also a deliberate process. Before joining the family operation, he was expected to gain education and experience outside of the business, including work that would ultimately provide skills he could bring back to the farm.

His experience in agricultural lending gave him a different perspective on financial management and the decisions that affect an agricultural business. Rather than simply stepping into an existing role, he returned to the family operation with experience that could be applied to its continued development.

Technology Can Support the Way a Dairy Grows

Technology has also played an important role in the evolution of Heglar Creek Dairy.

The operation was an early adopter of robotic milking technology in the region, using robotics as a way to support efficiency and scalability. The decision wasn't simply about adding new equipment. It was part of a larger effort to evaluate how technology could fit into the way the business wanted to operate.

That same approach extends into other areas of the dairy.

Cloud-based management systems provide employees with access to real-time information, helping support feeding schedules, operational decisions, and accountability. Having current information available to the people doing the work can help reduce errors and create more consistency across the operation.

For Heglar Creek, technology is one part of a larger management system that includes people, processes, and clear expectations.

The People Come Before the Plan

While technology has changed the way the dairy operates, Josh places significant emphasis on the people responsible for putting those systems to work.

His philosophy can be summed up by the phrase, “First who, then what.”

The idea is that finding the right people comes before determining exactly what the business should do next. The right employees bring skills, initiative, and the ability to take ownership of their responsibilities. That becomes increasingly important as a business grows more complex.

For a multi-generational operation, developing the right people also means looking beyond the immediate family. Building a team of employees and leaders who can contribute to the operation creates additional capacity and allows family members to focus on the areas where they can provide the most value.

Preparing the Next Generation Requires Structure

Succession in a family business involves more than deciding who will eventually take over.

At Heglar Creek, the family has developed clear entry and exit strategies for family members who become involved in the business. Creating that structure helps establish expectations around how people enter the operation, how they contribute, and how leadership can change over time.

That clarity can be especially important in a business that spans multiple generations.

Josh's perspective on what he wants to pass on to his children also extends beyond the physical assets of the dairy. He points to a strong work ethic as one of the most important forms of heritage he can provide.

The goal is not simply to hand the next generation an existing business. It is to give them the skills, expectations, and opportunity to contribute to what comes next.

Growth Requires More Than Adding Cows

Heglar Creek's history also demonstrates that growth can take different forms.

The family has expanded its dairy operation while developing businesses outside of dairy, and Josh's own experience has brought financial and management knowledge back into the operation. Each decision adds another layer to the overall business.

That broader perspective can be valuable for multi-generational farms. Growth doesn't always mean doing more of the same thing. It can mean developing additional capabilities, improving existing systems, or creating new opportunities that complement the core operation.

The key is having the people and processes in place to manage that growth.

Building Systems That Can Outlast One Generation

For Josh, legacy isn't about keeping the business exactly as it was when previous generations were running it.

It's about creating a business that can continue to function and adapt as leadership changes.

That requires systems that provide employees with the information they need, clear expectations around family involvement, technology that supports daily operations, and a deliberate approach to developing future leaders.

It also requires recognizing that the next generation may approach the business differently than the generation before it.

A strong multi-generational business creates enough structure to maintain continuity while leaving room for the people coming next to contribute their own ideas.

Looking Beyond the Business

Josh's approach to life outside of the dairy reflects that same willingness to take on new challenges. His interest in experiences such as backpacking to Mount Everest's base camp provides a glimpse into his broader perspective on pursuing goals that require preparation, commitment, and a willingness to step outside of what is familiar.

Those qualities also have a place in business.

Building a multi-generational operation requires the willingness to make decisions before all of the answers are known, invest in people, and continue looking for ways to improve.

A Legacy That Continues to Evolve

Heglar Creek Dairy's story demonstrates that a family business doesn't have to choose between honoring its history and adapting for the future.

The two can happen at the same time.

The foundation built by previous generations provides experience, relationships, and resources. The responsibility of the current generation is to determine how those assets can continue to serve the business while preparing the next generation to contribute in its own way.

For Josh Webb and the Heglar Creek family, that means continuing to invest in people, technology, management systems, and opportunities for growth.

A lasting dairy legacy isn't necessarily one that looks the same decades from now. It is one that has the structure and people needed to keep evolving.

Follow the Uplevel Dairy Podcast for more conversations with the people shaping the future of dairy. Subscribe at UplevelDairy.com and follow along on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram for more stories, insights, and lessons from leaders across the industry.

To hear the complete discussion, stream now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or watch the full conversation on YouTube.