Soil, Water, Energy and Waste Management Included in Sustainability Program
We have a comprehensive Sustainability Program in place in our facilities. Organic is but an element of Sustainability -- a word that encompasses a much broader range of practices than does organic. The management of land and animals is part of the larger whole of human, animal, plant, soil and water health. Sustainability encompasses this whole; including issues such as biodiversity, preservation and wise use of resources and the development of viable models of sustainable businesses and economies. To read more extensively about our sustainability efforts, visit Sustainability.
Soil Health
Water Health
Wise Use of Resources
Waste Management
Sustainable Business & Economies
Soil Health
All organic farms see the health of the soil as a primary measure of success. Unfortunately, years of neglect and unsustainable practices have stripped the soil of its nutrients and vitality. Organic methods restore these through composting, cover crops, crop rotation and the use of natural soil amendments. Healthy soil is the building block of all healthy life -- creating healthy plants and animals.
We have a “soil health” program that ties-in with our waste management efforts. We compost all solid waste on the farm. We then distribute this compost to our feed farmers or our crop and pasture fields, which creates a cycle in which crops feed our cows and our cows feed our crops.
We also work with our farmer-partners to help them develop sound organic practices including crop rotation and cover crops.
Water Health
Water is one of our most vital resources. Preserving the health and cleanliness of water resources is a primary challenge for a dairy farm. We have a number of sustainable water programs in place:
Water Recycling: The “first wash” water from our milk bottling plant is cleaned and recycled, then returned to the dairy farm to nourish the milk cows. We also minimize our use of water with careful management of water utilization.
Water Pre-Treatment: We have a water pre-treatment facility in which waste water is cleaned using an aerobic digester, after which it is sent to the local municipal sanitation district.
Run-Off Monitoring: We strive to ensure that we are not contributing any waste to our local water tables. We monitor run-off, testing water before it passes us and after. In this way, we ensure that we do not contribute agricultural pollutants to our water systems.
Wise Use of Resources
In general, we believe that organic methods contribute to the wise use of resources. However, we go a step beyond the requirements of the National Organic Program by seeking ways to use water and other energy sources such as fuel and electricity wisely.
We have converted all of our farm equipment to biodiesal -- a renewable fuel source utilizing vegetable oil rather than petroleum products.
When purchasing new equipment, we pay extra for energy-saving features such as variable-speed motors and low-wattage lights. Even small efforts such as these reduce our electricity use tremendously.
We consider the best use of land and water -- tailoring our dairy operations to our arid climate rather than trying force our environment into a model that is not appropriate.
Waste Management
We have a systematic waste management program, as waste is a primary issue of dairy farming. We compost all solid waste in wind-rows on our farm. We then distribute this compost to our farmer-partners and amongst our own fields and pasture.
We recycle all of our waste water and we pre-treat our liquid waste, as well as monitoring run-off, to ensure that we uphold the quality and sustainability of our delicate water sources.
Sustainable Business & Economies
We have created what we believe is a sustainable business model. With good financial backing and sound fiscal policies, we can ensure that we will be around for the long-term, with the potential for growth and expansion that all businesses need.
We have based our business on organic principles, with humane treatment of people, animals and the planet at the heart of all our decisions.
We have created a network of interdependent relationships in which hundreds of families make their livelihood from their commitment to the organic path.
And we have contributed significantly to the development of an “organic economy” in our area, in which organic jobs and products allow people to participate in the organic way of life.
We see the future in this integrated organic farm model, in which the health and welfare of people, animals and the earth combine to create success and well-being.