Jer-Lindy Farms Recipient of Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Honor
Last night Innovation Center for US Dairy Gold Level Sponsor DeLaval Inc. presented one of the prestigious 2016 Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability awards at a ceremony in Chicago to Jer-Lindy Farms of Brooten, Minn. As part of the 2016 Dairy Sustainability Forum, the awards aim to recognize farms in one of four categories for their best-in-class sustainability efforts. The organization's goal is to share knowledge so other operations may implement programs similar to those that have demonstrated value for communities, for the planet and for bottom lines.Jer-Lindy Farms received this top honor for integrating sustainability into almost every aspect of their 200-cow operation. As stewards of the land, Jerry and Linda Jennisen pursued water quality certification, precision application of lime and the elimination of commercial fertilizer on the fields. A move to high-efficiency energy systems resulted in 20 percent lower energy use, while a soil sampling program for alfalfa fields reduced lime costs by 75 percent. Also of note, the Jennissen's daughter returned to the farm with her husband and, after a successful Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign, opened the farmstead cheese operation Redhead Creamery.
"For DeLaval, sustainability means providing expertise and solutions that contribute to keeping dairy farms productive, labor costs under control, animals healthy, our environment safe and communities viable," says Mac Canali, Marketing and Communications Manager for DeLaval North America, "It was such an honor to present this award to a truly deserving operation. Our company has been providing equipment and services to dairy producers globally for more than 130 years. That in itself is ‘sustainability'".
The U.S Dairy Sustainability Awards is a program to recognize dairy farms, businesses and collaborative partnerships for efforts that deliver outstanding benefits to business, community and the environment. Now in its fifth year, the awards help to advance sustainability in the dairy industry. They feature winners in four categories: Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability, Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing, Outstanding Achievement in Resource Stewardship and Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnerships. For information about this year's winners, visit: www.usdairy.com/sustainability.
5.19.2016
