SOUTH WAYNE - Jim Winn has "zero runoff" from his dairy farm and he wants to keep it that way.
He and Cottonwood Dairy co-owners Brian and Randy Larson are applying for Wisconsin's Green Tier Program, a partnership with the Department of Natural Resources to recognize "sustainably minded businesses."
Cottonwood Diary started with a herd of 600 in 1998 and now milks 1,600 cows on a 24-hour schedule, with each cow cycling through the parlor three times per day. The 40-acre farm, located near the intersection of County D and County M, qualifies as a large-scale Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, or CAFO.
"I'd like to think we could milk 2,000," Winn said. But to do this in a sustainable way, he added, the dairy needs to work out a feasible plan to irrigate more liquid manure from its lagoons onto surrounding crops, and continue its efforts of the last few years to recycle sand bedding and water, and reduce dependency on the energy grid.
The DNR is accepting public comments on Cottonwood Dairy's application through March 30 at dnr.wi.gov/topic/greentier, or by calling (608) 267-3125. Other current applicants to Green Tier include Capital Brewery, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and the Wisconsin Grocers' Association.
Making a dairy farm more environmentally friendly is no easy task. According to DNR data, one dairy cow has as much pollution potential as 18 people.
Mark McDermid, DNR bureau director, calls sustainability a journey, not a destination, and says Cottonwood has "clearly started" down the path. Green Tier comes with a badge of recognition, but there's no tax break or outside monetary incentive for the business.
"That badge is grossly overrated," he said. "The real benefit tends to come in the way we work better together. One of the things that's been a real benefit has been the single point of contact. One of our breweries has been extremely helpful to one of our farms (in solar energy practices). You get some really interesting exchanges."
Green Tier started as a pilot program in 1996 and was permanently authorized in 2009. It isn't strictly a certification program as much as it is a recognized network of businesses interesting in building a triple bottom line around "planet, profit, people," McDermid said.
The DNR acts in the Green Tier process as a facilitator, not a regulator. Each business is expected to go through a third-party audit every three years.
Cottonwood sells milk to Grande Cheese, some of which Winn says is used in the Biaggi's Italian restaurant chain. Since the farm doesn't sell directly to consumers, a Green Tier badge won't attract eyes at the grocery store.
Economics play a big part in the benefit Winn sees to achieving Green Tier status. He says recycling sand alone saves about $225,000 annually, and cuts back on the fuel necessary to truck it in.
A pile of sand big enough to sled down towers on the Cottonwood grounds. Used sand filters through a gravity-driven water system that washes away manure, urine and other impurities. The dairy collects the sand when it is clean enough to put back in the barns.
Cottonwood switched to sand bedding in 2004. Cows prefer sand, Winn said. They can rest on a mattress bedding, but sand provides more cushioning and prevents hock lesions (sores on a cow's leg joints).
"I don't like seeing that. It's not a pleasant thing for a cow," Winn said. "Sand is the golden standard for dairy cows."
So far recycling the sand has been working.
"We haven't purchased sand in over a year," he said.
If Cottonwood enters the Green Tier program, it will be joining another large-scale milk producer, Holsum Dairies of Hilbert. Each of Holsum's two dairies cares for about 3,600 milking cows and 400 dry cows at any one time, according to the DNR. In 2010, the dairy reported saving 1,000 gallons of water daily.
He and Cottonwood Dairy co-owners Brian and Randy Larson are applying for Wisconsin's Green Tier Program, a partnership with the Department of Natural Resources to recognize "sustainably minded businesses."
Cottonwood Diary started with a herd of 600 in 1998 and now milks 1,600 cows on a 24-hour schedule, with each cow cycling through the parlor three times per day. The 40-acre farm, located near the intersection of County D and County M, qualifies as a large-scale Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, or CAFO.
"I'd like to think we could milk 2,000," Winn said. But to do this in a sustainable way, he added, the dairy needs to work out a feasible plan to irrigate more liquid manure from its lagoons onto surrounding crops, and continue its efforts of the last few years to recycle sand bedding and water, and reduce dependency on the energy grid.
The DNR is accepting public comments on Cottonwood Dairy's application through March 30 at dnr.wi.gov/topic/greentier, or by calling (608) 267-3125. Other current applicants to Green Tier include Capital Brewery, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and the Wisconsin Grocers' Association.
Making a dairy farm more environmentally friendly is no easy task. According to DNR data, one dairy cow has as much pollution potential as 18 people.
Mark McDermid, DNR bureau director, calls sustainability a journey, not a destination, and says Cottonwood has "clearly started" down the path. Green Tier comes with a badge of recognition, but there's no tax break or outside monetary incentive for the business.
"That badge is grossly overrated," he said. "The real benefit tends to come in the way we work better together. One of the things that's been a real benefit has been the single point of contact. One of our breweries has been extremely helpful to one of our farms (in solar energy practices). You get some really interesting exchanges."
Green Tier started as a pilot program in 1996 and was permanently authorized in 2009. It isn't strictly a certification program as much as it is a recognized network of businesses interesting in building a triple bottom line around "planet, profit, people," McDermid said.
The DNR acts in the Green Tier process as a facilitator, not a regulator. Each business is expected to go through a third-party audit every three years.
Cottonwood sells milk to Grande Cheese, some of which Winn says is used in the Biaggi's Italian restaurant chain. Since the farm doesn't sell directly to consumers, a Green Tier badge won't attract eyes at the grocery store.
Economics play a big part in the benefit Winn sees to achieving Green Tier status. He says recycling sand alone saves about $225,000 annually, and cuts back on the fuel necessary to truck it in.
A pile of sand big enough to sled down towers on the Cottonwood grounds. Used sand filters through a gravity-driven water system that washes away manure, urine and other impurities. The dairy collects the sand when it is clean enough to put back in the barns.
Cottonwood switched to sand bedding in 2004. Cows prefer sand, Winn said. They can rest on a mattress bedding, but sand provides more cushioning and prevents hock lesions (sores on a cow's leg joints).
"I don't like seeing that. It's not a pleasant thing for a cow," Winn said. "Sand is the golden standard for dairy cows."
So far recycling the sand has been working.
"We haven't purchased sand in over a year," he said.
If Cottonwood enters the Green Tier program, it will be joining another large-scale milk producer, Holsum Dairies of Hilbert. Each of Holsum's two dairies cares for about 3,600 milking cows and 400 dry cows at any one time, according to the DNR. In 2010, the dairy reported saving 1,000 gallons of water daily.