Bailey Nordgaard balances livestock appraisal, business and family life

Bailey R. Nordgaard, MBA, is building a diversified career in agriculture through part-time livestock appraisal, a digital marketing business and several family ventures in Fairchild, Wisconsin. Her story highlights how income diversification, flexibility and education are shaping how one Wisconsin producer navigates a volatile farm economy while raising two young children.

Why it matters: - Bailey R. Nordgaard’s career shows how agricultural workers are combining traditional farm jobs with entrepreneurship to spread risk and create more stable income. - Her experience also reflects a broader challenge in agriculture: volatile markets, rising costs and the need for flexibility across seasons and business cycles. - Nordgaard’s role as a livestock appraiser keeps her connected to producers while she grows family businesses and raises two young children.

What happened: - Nordgaard, based in Fairchild, Wisconsin, works part time as a Livestock Appraiser with Premier Livestock & Auctions. - Nordgaard and her husband run a farm operation, the Legacy Livestock cattle hauling business and an Airbnb property. - Nordgaard also operates her own digital marketing business. - The profile highlights Nordgaard’s background in agriculture, entrepreneurship and family life.

The details: - Nordgaard holds a Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science with a minor in Agricultural Business from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and an MBA. - Her agricultural career began after she graduated in 2020. - Her background includes agricultural marketing with a farm-to-table business, accounts payable and grain marketing in a cooperative setting, and teaching high school mathematics during a transition period. - At Premier Livestock & Auctions, Nordgaard helps catalog dairy cattle for weekly sales and appraises cattle as needed. - She has scaled back from a full-time role to part time so she can focus on family and business growth. - Nordgaard values the work because it keeps her close to producers and the livestock industry. - She grew up on a dairy farm, and that upbringing shaped her interest in helping farmers and producers.

Between the lines: - Nordgaard’s approach is built around diversification, not reliance on one income stream. - She sees agriculture as a volatile business, with margins that can change quickly based on market conditions and global events. - Her story also suggests that career paths in agriculture can include multiple roles at once: appraiser, business owner, marketer and parent. - She believes many people do not understand where food comes from or how much work goes into bringing agricultural products to market. - Community ties remain part of her identity through volunteer work at dairy breakfasts, support for local agricultural events and family involvement in Wisconsin sports.

What’s next: - Nordgaard plans to keep balancing her family, her businesses and her part-time appraisal work. - She continues to focus on helping producers maximize profits and on educating others about agriculture. - Her message to young women entering agriculture is to work hard, stay flexible and be willing to pivot as opportunities change. - More information is available through Bailey Nordgaard’s Influential Women profile.

The bottom line: - Nordgaard’s career is a case study in how diversification, education and family-centered decision-making can help build resilience in agriculture.