Another Wisconsin dairy operation has won a national award for outstanding sustainability in the industry. Deer Run Dairy of Kewaunee was one of four recipients of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award, presented annually by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.
The farm is made up of Partners Duane Ducat, Derek Ducat and Dale Bogart. The owners set and achieved a goal to seed 100 percent of their cropland with cover crops in the fall of 2021. Additional goals encompass the entire 1,850-cow operation, including minimal antibiotic use and feeding trials to reduce methane gas production in the rumen of the cow.
The winning farms were evaluated on their economic, environmental and community impact. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy recognizes dairy farms, businesses and partnerships whose practices improve the well-being of people, animals and the planet.
Meanwhile, Milk Specialties Global of Monroe earned the Outstanding Dairy Processing Sustainability Award. To meet surging demand for dairy protein in foods and beverages, MSG acquired a plant in Monroe to collect and process whey, a by-product of cheesemaking, into whey proteins. The company also found ways to double capacity at the facility without increasing the property's footprint.
Wisconsin has had several dairy farms and processors earn national sustainability awards over the year.
Categories: Wisconsin, Livestock, Dairy Cattle