By Jillian Cameron, FrazierHeiby

CHILTON, Wisconsin – Alliances Dairies was recently awarded an Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Honorable Mention at the 2015 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards for commitment to excellence in sustainability. Each year, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® recognizes outstanding dairy farms, businesses and partnerships for practices that not only focus on the environment, but also promote the health and well-being of communities at large.

Alliance Dairies, a 6,000-cow dairy farm in Trenton, Florida, is the largest free-stall dairy in the state. Established by Ron St. John and Sandy McArthur, the dairy has worked for over 25 years to put the belief “success through sustainability” into practice, producing high quality milk and focusing on environmental stewardship. Alliance was the first dairy in North Florida to receive a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection.

The dairy is also home to a DVO, Inc. (DVO) Two-Stage Mixed Plug Flow™ anaerobic digester. Biogas produced by the digester powers a 1,000 kilowatt generator, which supplies over 70 percent of the dairy’s electricity. The digester also protects the community’s water and environmental quality by reducing nutrient runoff, odor and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the digester technology provides the farmer with a valuable cow bedding.

“We congratulate Alliance Dairies for this well-deserved recognition,” said Steve Dvorak, president of DVO, Inc. “We are proud to work with Alliance and are pleased that our technology is helping the dairy reach its sustainability goals.”

Moving forward, Alliance Dairies is looking to expand its commitment to sustainability beyond U.S. borders. The dairy farm is currently working with partners to build a dairy in Lobatse, Botswana, and to train local Botswana managers in dairy science.

This is not the first time a dairy farm with a DVO anaerobic digester has been recognized by the Innovation Center. Two DVO customers have received the Outstanding Achievement in Renewable Energy Award – Vander Haak Dairy in 2014 and DF-AP, LCC in 2012. Holsum Dairies, Blue Spruce Farm and Werkhoven Dairy won the Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award in 2012.

The winners are selected based on results as measured by economic, environmental and community impact. An independent panel of judges — which includes experts working with and through the dairy industry — also assessed the potential for adoption by others, demonstrated learning, innovation, improvement and scalability.

About DVO, Inc.

DVO, the U.S. market leader in anaerobic digestion, has been solving manure and food waste management challenges since 2001. Nearly 100 of its patented Two-Stage Mixed Plug FlowTM anaerobic digester systems are installed at more than 70 farms in 18 states, with total electrical generation capacity of more than 75 megawatts. DVO digesters are also running in several countries internationally. For more information, visit www.dvoinc.net

About Alliance Dairies

Established in 1990, Alliance Dairies was the first DEP permitted dairy in North Florida. Today, it is the largest free-stall dairy in one location within the state, employing more than 120 people. Alliance Dairies’ Holstein herd consists of approximately 6,000 mature cows and accompanying young stock. The dairy site is 1,600 acres, with an additional 4,500 acres owned and rented for replacement heifers and crops.

About Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy^®

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy^® is a forum for the dairy industry to work together pre- competitively to address barriers and opportunities to foster innovation and increase sales. The Innovation Center aligns the collective resources of the industry to offer consumers nutritious dairy products and ingredients, and promote the health of people, communities, the planet and the industry. The Board of Directors for the Innovation Center includes dairy industry leaders representing key farmer organizations, dairy cooperatives, companies, manufacturers and brands. The Innovation Center is staffed by Dairy Management Inc.™ Visit www.USDairy.com for more information.