Alliance Dairies recognized for renewable energy use and environmental stewardship.
Alliance Dairies was recently awarded an Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Honorable Mention at the 2015 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards for commitment to excellence in sustainability. Each year, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, recognizes outstanding dairy farms, businesses and partnerships for practices that not only focus on the environment, but also promote the health and well-being of communities at large.
Alliance Dairies, a 6,000-cow dairy farm in Trenton, Florida, is the largest free-stall dairy in the state. Established by Ron St. John and Sandy McArthur, the dairy has worked for over 25 years to put the belief “success through sustainability” into practice, producing high quality milk and focusing on environmental stewardship, say the owners. Alliance was the first dairy in north Florida to receive a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection.
The dairy is also home to a Two-Stage Mixed Plug Flow anaerobic digester from DVO Inc., Chilton Wisconsin. Biogas produced by the digester powers a 1,000-kilowatt generator, which supplies more than 70 percent of the dairy’s electricity. The digester also protects the community’s water and environmental quality by reducing nutrient runoff, odor and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the digester technology provides the farmer with a valuable cow bedding.
“We congratulate Alliance Dairies for this well-deserved recognition,” says Steve Dvorak, president of DVO Inc. “We are proud to work with Alliance and are pleased that our technology is helping the dairy reach its sustainability goals.”
Moving forward, Alliance Dairies is looking to expand its commitment to sustainability beyond U.S. borders. The dairy farm is currently working with partners to build a dairy in Lobatse, Botswana, and to train local Botswana managers in dairy science.
This is not the first time a dairy farm with a DVO anaerobic digester has been recognized by the Innovation Center. Two DVO customers have received the Outstanding Achievement in Renewable Energy Award – Vander Haak Dairy in 2014 and DF-AP, LCC in 2012. Holsum Dairies, Blue Spruce Farm and Werkhoven Dairy won the Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award in 2012.
The winners are selected based on results as measured by economic, environmental and community impact. An independent panel of judges — which includes experts working with and through the dairy industry — also assessed the potential for adoption by others, demonstrated learning, innovation, improvement and scalability.