GREEN BAY, Wis. — In a recent episode of the Dairy Stream podcast, one of the winners of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award, Threemile Canyon Farms, is highlighted for a multipronged approach that includes a closed-loop system, methane digester that produces renewable natural gas, using produce byproducts as feed and other approaches.
Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talked with Marty Meyers, general manager of Threemile Canyon Farms — the largest dairy farm in Oregon — which milks 33,000 cows and farms 93,000 acres with 300 full-time employees.
Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy sponsored this episode.
Podcast breakdown:
1:47: What is a closed-loop system?
3:53: Economic benefits of the system
5:34: Upgrading to a methane digester
7:08: Benefits of incorporating mint in the operation
8:18: Using byproducts for feed
8:55: Cow health and comfort is three-step process
11:53: Use of milking robotics and other technology
12:47: Reducing power usage to move water throughout the farm
16:14: Internship program is valuable for sustainable efforts
20:50: Getting started with the renewable natural gas process
22:58: Keeping up with trends
24:48: There is room for farms of all sizes; management is important
— Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative
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