Milk tanker driver Ronja: The new face of the Oberschwabenschau!

Milk tanker driver Ronja: The new face of the Oberschwabenschau!

In Spöck near Ostrach, 23-year-old Ronja vom Berge has the steering wheel of her life firmly under control. As a milk tanker driver for Omira in Ravensburg, she combines her passion for agriculture with modern work. The young woman not only has a cow tattoo on her upper arm, which shows her connection to livestock farming, but also the necessary qualifications to be successful in this demanding profession. Ronja has been working in the industry for a long time: while she was still in school in the 7th or 8th grade, she regularly milked in two farms.

After training as a farmer at the Baden-Württemberg Agricultural Center (LAZBW) in Aulendorf, where she also runs courses, Ronja decided to get her truck driver's license about two years ago, inspired by her husband and mother. Within six months, she acquired a class CE driving license and, through a chance conversation, found a job at Omira, which processes around 580 million kilograms of milk annually and with which she now works in milk collection transport.

A typical working day

Ronja's everyday working life is characterized by long shifts. She often drives four days a week, spending up to ten hours per day. On these days she transports milk from two to twelve farms per tour. Modern silo vehicles are used, which extract up to 2,000 liters per minute and have to be weighed precisely. Certainly not an easy task - especially when you consider that the truck stops automatically if the milk gets too warm.

Despite the challenges, Ronja enjoys her work and enjoys listening to music while driving. However, she misses the direct milking a little, especially experiences such as supporting a cow during the birth of a calf remind her of her roots in agriculture. The farmers' reactions to her work as a driver have been consistently positive: they may have been a bit skeptical at first, but now she is welcomed warmly and treated to drinks and cake.

A new face for the Upper Swabian Show

This year Ronja will be the face of the Oberschwabenschau in Ravensburg. After an application and online voting, she was selected as one of four finalists. The accompanying photo shoot was exhausting, but also gave her a lot of joy. Beyond her professional passion, Ronja likes to go out with friends and her husband to enjoy her free time.

She particularly likes raw milk and lactose-free products from “Minus L”, which she can get cheaper from Omira. As she thinks about her future, the desire to have a family of her own also plays a role, and at the same time she imagines continuing to work as a truck driver.

Digital innovations in the agricultural sector

Agriculture, which is so close to Ronja’s heart, is in the midst of a profound transformation process. This is supported by institutions such as the Baden-Württemberg Agricultural Center (LAZBW), which develops innovative solutions to keep businesses sustainable. Minister Peter Hauk recently visited the LAZBW and highlighted the need to ensure the supply of high-quality food while improving international competitiveness. One of the central challenges is the promotion of biodiversity and animal welfare, as well as the conservation of natural resources.

An example of future-oriented projects is “DigiMo”, a digital model farm to support management in dairy farming. The LAZBW is also a pioneer in the digitalization of agriculture. The use of drones, sensors and robots, especially precise milking robots, is changing the way we work in this sector. These technologies enable the targeted use of fertilizers and pesticides and promote not only animal welfare, but also the profitability of companies.

The combination of tradition and innovation in agriculture is a recipe for success, which Ronja vom Berge also relies on as she rolls through Ravensburg with 40 tons of milk.