Sustainability Stories

Dairy Sustainability

Dairy farmers take pride in protecting our land and water for the future of our families, farms, and communities. From the farm to your fridge, Wisconsin dairy farmers continue to make great strides when it comes to environmental impacts. Changes such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and food waste, recycling water, and using manure to create energy are just some of the ways our farmers care for the environment.

Farmer Stories

Want to talk with one of these or another industry-leading dairy farmer in your coverage area to learn more about their sustainability achievements? 
Contact Liz Fitzsimmons at 608-203-7280 / lfitzsimmons@wisconsindairy.org
 

Kewaunee, Wis.

Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy

The Pagels have made a big commitment to taking care of our environment, water and air. They treat their dairy like an ecosystem. Their cows produce manure. They take the gas off with a methane digester. And they use that gas to create a renewable natural gas, so it’s not released into the atmosphere. The Pagels also take out biosolids and reuse them as bedding. It’s like a nice, comfy pillow for the cows and they’re not bringing in something extra. The leftover product is used on their fields to raise crops for their cows, which makes the food the cows eat to produce wholesome, nutritious milk. It’s a wonderful, natural cycle. Their goal is to be net zero by 2025.

Steven’s Point, Wis.

Feltz Family Farms & Feltz’s Dairy Store

Make the farm sustainable so that it can go to the next generation. That’s the motto of the Feltz family. They use cover crops to help increase soil organic matter, reuse gray water on the farm and even produce compost that is available for nearby residents to use in their gardens. The Feltzes also rotate land from production, which helps improve water quality and reduce erosion. The family knows that taking care of the land today will lead to a better future for everyone.

Alma Center, Wis.

Heller Farms

Heller Farms works hard to implement green practices that help preserve the environment. The farm was an early adopter of sustainable initiatives and installed a methane digestor nearly a decade ago. The digester takes the methane gas from the manure and generates enough electricity daily to supply the entire dairy and nearly 200 nearby homes. The family is also developing a 25-acre solar farm directly adjacent to their dairy, which will help reduce fossil fuel emissions and cut their electricity bill in half.

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