MONROE - Matt Frank, secretary of the Department of Natural Resources, and Randy Romanski, deputy secretary of Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, toured three Green County cheese factories Friday to learn more about their operations and to discuss wastewater issues.
Decatur Dairy near Brodhead; Maple Leaf Cheese, south of Monroe; and Klondike Cheese, west of Monroe, were the cheese factories on the tour.
Each facility processes its wastewater in a different fashion to prevent it from entering into natural water ways.
"We saw a modified spray irrigation field; a terrace system; and a pre-treatment and lagoon system. Each of them is different in a unique ways, and all of them work," said Romanski.
The differences are based on not only the amount of wastewater the plants have, but also the soil quality and "what works best for them," he said.
The tour was just one of the ways the two state departments are working together.
"The DNR has been cooperative with Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection, as we look for ways to help manufacturers while protecting the environment," Romanski said.
Some of their goals are to keep farmers on their land and competitive in the global market, sustain the environment and keep a strong agricultural economy in Wisconsin.
"Ag is a $59 billion industry in Wisconsin, and of that, dairy contributes $26 billion," Romanski said.
Frank believes the more closely the two departments work together, the better the results will be. The tour was important to get "good feedback" from those in the industry, he said.
Cheesemakers have made much progress in how they are handling wastewater, he said.
"It's evolved over time," he added.
Frank said the DNR and DATCP need to have a good understanding of the industry to create cost-effective regulations.
"Cheesemakers and their families, in order to stay in business, have an interest in being good environmental stewards," he said.
With regulations, cheesemakers know what needs to be done with their wastewater handling, but the regulations remain flexible for them to accommodate the environment, Frank explained.
Decatur Dairy near Brodhead; Maple Leaf Cheese, south of Monroe; and Klondike Cheese, west of Monroe, were the cheese factories on the tour.
Each facility processes its wastewater in a different fashion to prevent it from entering into natural water ways.
"We saw a modified spray irrigation field; a terrace system; and a pre-treatment and lagoon system. Each of them is different in a unique ways, and all of them work," said Romanski.
The differences are based on not only the amount of wastewater the plants have, but also the soil quality and "what works best for them," he said.
The tour was just one of the ways the two state departments are working together.
"The DNR has been cooperative with Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection, as we look for ways to help manufacturers while protecting the environment," Romanski said.
Some of their goals are to keep farmers on their land and competitive in the global market, sustain the environment and keep a strong agricultural economy in Wisconsin.
"Ag is a $59 billion industry in Wisconsin, and of that, dairy contributes $26 billion," Romanski said.
Frank believes the more closely the two departments work together, the better the results will be. The tour was important to get "good feedback" from those in the industry, he said.
Cheesemakers have made much progress in how they are handling wastewater, he said.
"It's evolved over time," he added.
Frank said the DNR and DATCP need to have a good understanding of the industry to create cost-effective regulations.
"Cheesemakers and their families, in order to stay in business, have an interest in being good environmental stewards," he said.
With regulations, cheesemakers know what needs to be done with their wastewater handling, but the regulations remain flexible for them to accommodate the environment, Frank explained.