TMCnet News
Dairy Farms, Businesses Recognized For Sustainable Farm-to-Table PracticesROSEMONT, Ill., May 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, established under the leadership of dairy farmers, announced its seventh annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award winners during a May 16 ceremony at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Ill., outside of Chicago. The program recognizes dairy farms, businesses and partnerships whose practices improve the well-being of people, animals and the planet. Award winners represent the U.S. dairy community's voluntary efforts toward continuous improvement in sustainability, demonstrating how transparency and ingenuity lead to sustainable and scalable practices that benefit their businesses, communities and the environment. "This year's winners exemplify how a drive to be economically viable, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable is at the heart of our dairy industry, from farm to table," said Barbara O'Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. "Each winner showcases what is possible and how innovation and initiative can take a vision and make it a reality." Through creative problem solving, this year's winners addressed water quality, manure management, recycling and more. Judges evaluated nominations based on their economic, environmental and community impact. The independent judging panel — including leading dairy conservation and commercial experts — also considered innovation, scalability and replicability. "As a dairy farmer, I'm extremely proud of the innovation these award winners have demonstrated across the dairy community," said Marilyn Hershey, Pennsylvania dairy farmer and chair of the Dairy Management Inc. board of directors. "These progressive practices highlight the dairy industry's commitment to improving the land, caring for the animals, and doing more with less." One of this year's judges, Kevin O'Donnell, director of global sustainable sourcing and operations at General Mills, added, "It's inspiring to see so many different members of the dairy industry rally around a common goal of sustainability. The dairy community is showing that being sustainable is a part of doing everyday business and it is producing meaningful results." The 2018 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awardswinners are: Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Reinford Farms (Mifflintown, Pa.) Royal Dairy (Royal City, Wash.) Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability Outstanding Supply Chain Collaboration Outstanding Community Impact This year's recipients show how innovation and creativity sparked by one farm, one person or one organization can have a ripple effect that goes well beyond their farm gate or front door. The U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards program is supported by generous sponsors. This year's sponsors are: DeLaval, DSM, Syngenta, World Wildlife Fund and Zoetis. Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® is a forum that brings together the dairy community to address the changing needs and expectations of consumers through a framework of shared best practices and accountability. Initiated in 2008 by dairy farmers through the dairy checkoff, we collaborate on efforts that are important both to us and our valued customers – issues like animal care, food safety, nutrition and health, the environment and economics. The Innovation Center is committed to continuous improvement from farm to table, striving to ensure a socially responsible and economically viable dairy community. Trademarks and/or registered trademarks, including Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Magic Dirt, are owned by their respective organizations. Contact:
View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dairy-farms-businesses-recognized-for-sustainable-farm-to-table-practices-300650079.html SOURCE Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy |