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Minnesota dairy wins national sustainability award

Redhead Creamery

A Minnesota dairy has been recognized with the 2016 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award.

Jer-Lindy Farms and Redhead Creamery, a partnership between two generations of the Jennissen family of Brooten, were selected based on overall environmental effort, including a commitment to water quality.

Alise Sjostrum is the daughter of Jerry and Linda Jennissen and operates the creamery.

She says the family is humbled by the honor.

“We are (being) recognized by our industry by practicing sustainable practices financially, within our community, as well as environmentally.”

The 200 cow dairy located in the heart of the state has also achieved Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification by establishing permanent vegetation near waterways.

“Right away we grew some buffer strips right along the sides of our fields through a program called EQUIP, where they help you do it properly and help with financing.  It’s proving to work very well with keeping our streams clean.”

The Jennissen family has reduced the farm’s energy use by 20 percent using an energy efficiency program, and feeds a weigh byproduct generated on the farm back to their cows.

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy announced the winners of the sustainability awards at a ceremony in Chicago earlier this month.

 

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