The U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards program recognized a class of seven exceptional farms, businesses and partnerships for their socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sound practices and technologies that have a broad and positive impact.
This year's winners displayed excellence in areas such as methane and other greenhouse gas reduction practices as well as water use efficiencies that support the industrywide 2050 Environmental Stewardship Goals.
The awards, hosted by the farmer-founded Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, have recognized more than 80 winners from nearly 300 nominees since their creation in 2012.
"This year's winners exemplify how forward-thinking and regenerative efforts across the entire supply chain have led to positive results and what it means to be an environmental solution," said Barbara O'Brien, CEO of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. "Considered collectively, these stories of success serve as examples of all the good things U.S. dairy is doing for planetary health and why the aggressive goals we have set are within reach."
The awards are judged by an independent panel of dairy and conservation experts who consider innovation, scalability and replicability when evaluating nominations. Among the criteria to apply for the awards is participation and good standing in the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) animal care program and agreement to participate in the FARM Environmental Stewardship online tool for determining their GHG and energy footprint. Both initiatives are part of the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment, U.S. dairy's social responsibility pledge to consumers, customers, and other stakeholders.
Midwest Dairy celebrated the three Midwest region farmers awarded, including one from Minnesota: Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability: Steve and Cheryl Schlangen Dairy Farm, Albany; and Outstanding Supply Chain Sustainability: Bel Brands, Land O'Lakes Inc., Boadwine Dairy, Minnehaha County, S.D.
The Schlangen's mindset of continuous improvement is a way of life on their 60-cow, 200-acre farm in Stearns County, Minnesota. They count more than 30 conservation practices, from LED lighting and cover crops to a manure-stacking slab that prevents nutrient leaching into the water and a manure injection system that uses less time, less fuel and has virtually eliminated the need for commercial fertilizer on their crops. Their enthusiasm for sharing ideas and results with others has earned them a national reputation as leaders in regenerative agriculture. Schlangen Dairy provides a blueprint for beginning farmers and generational farms to follow.
The Land O'Lakes multi-year program is designed to demonstrate the value of feed production practices that improve soil health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and supports Bel Brands' and Land O'Lakes' shared ambitions to improve sustainable farming practices and reduce dairy's environmental footprint. The project provides cost incentives, access to resources and expertise, and the use of the Truterra Insights Engine to participating farms. The first pilot took place on Boadwine Dairy, a member-owner of Land O'Lakes, where efforts to improve soil health have been ongoing for more than ten years, and is being expanded to dairy farms ranging in size from 450 to 2,000 cows in two regions.
A formal celebration of the winners is scheduled in conjunction with the Dairy Sustainability Alliance Fall Meeting, Nov. 14-15, in Glendale, Ariz.
Categories: South Dakota, Livestock, Dairy Cattle