Foremost Farms USA® has been recognized as a Green Professional in the Green Masters Program established by the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council. As a Green Professional, Foremost Farms has demonstrated continued commitment to sustainability."Foremost Farms is honored to be associated with the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council and participate in the Green Masters Program," said Michael McDonald, vice president- environmental, health, safety and sustainability. "We believe that acting in an environmentally, socially and financially responsible manner makes good business sense. To be recognized for our efforts is the cheddar cheese on our apple pie!"
"We are excited to welcome Foremost Farms into the Green Masters Program as a sustainability leader in the agriculture industry," says Tom Eggert, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council. "Foremost Farms' has demonstrated continued commitment to the triple bottom line, people, planet, and profitability, and we look forward to seeing more of their innovative sustainability initiatives in the future."
"Our sustainability efforts are centered around people, planet and profitability," explained McDonald.
Examples of Foremost Farms' efforts in sustainability include the following:
- developing goals and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- finding effective and efficient ways to transfer the energy from dairy products that have been cooled or preheated has reduced energy consumption
- reducing overall energy usage at our dairy plants by 4 percent even though our product processing volume increased 4.8 percent
- replacing light bulbs, appliances and manufacturing equipment with modern, energy efficient models
- installing motion sensors, timers or other lighting controls at plants and offices
- constructing an industrial wastewater treatment facility with a fellow dairy processor that captures the methane produced in anaerobic processes and fuels an internal combustion engine-driven electrical generator that creates electricity which is sold to a local utility company
- working with customers to minimize packaging materials and placing finished dairy products in reusable containers
- recycling packaging materials, office paper and computer equipment
Each year, Foremost Farms' Sustainability Council reviews progress toward its annual goals on a quarterly basis and establishes new targets for the coming year. This cross-functional approach brings the necessary focus and attention to making sure the cooperative's employees are producing dairy products in a manner that is sustainable, environmentally friendly and profitable.
Foremost Farms USA (www.foremostfarms.com), headquartered in Baraboo, Wis., is a farmer-owned milk processing and marketing cooperative with annual sales of $1.7 billion. The nation's eighth-largest cooperative and number 24 in annual sales among the Top 100 U.S. dairy processors, Foremost Farms is a leading manufacturer and marketer of cheese, specialty whey ingredients, butter and bulk fluid milk to customers around the world.
The Green Masters Program was established by the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council. Applicants to the Green Masters Program are judged on a comprehensive range of sustainability issues, from energy to water use to educational outreach and governance. More than 160 Wisconsin businesses are participating in the program where the top twenty percent achieve the highest "Green Master" designation. For more information, or a complete list of Green Masters Program participants, go to: www.greenmastersprogram.com.
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12.17.2013