MVP Dairy, LLC
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2019)
Reporting Period: 2019
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Soil Health
- Water
- Biodiversity
- Carbon & Energy
- Economy & Productivity
- Animal Welfare
Environmental Achievements
- 6,755 tons reduction of CO₂e emissions from cropland acres compared to a conventional tillage, no cover crop scenario.
- 1,842 tons of carbon sequestered.
- 5,499 tons of soil saved from erosion.
- 80% of fields under no-till management.
- 97% of fields with cover crops.
Social Achievements
- Opened a 7,500 sq. ft learning center for public education.
- Donated over $50,000 worth of time, equipment and labor to community projects.
- Donated $11,000 in showman awards at the Mercer County Fair.
- Donated 5,000 cups of yogurt to a local food pantry.
- Hired 41 employees, exceeding the intended 30.
Governance Achievements
- Implemented a comprehensive nutrient management plan (NMP).
- Established a sand recycling program, recapturing 95% of sand bedding.
- Implemented a video monitoring program with 96 cameras to increase animal welfare monitoring.
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Monitor and increase efficiency of inputs to outputs.
- Seek opportunities for efficiencies in product transportation supply chain.
- Add prairie species/flowers to thinning filter strips.
- Partner with local beekeeper to bring hives onto farm.
Medium-term Goals:
- Determine optimum cover crop mixture.
- Standardize soil sampling protocols with Danone North America.
- Maintain responsible water use.
- Explore adding additional buffer filter strips.
- Evaluate equipment for efficiencies.
- Include new dairies energy use records into efficiency evaluations.
- Seek opportunities to utilize renewable energy on location.
- Utilize the EcoPractices R3 ROI model to evaluate SCIP recommended sustainable practices.
- Complete an energy audit.
Short-term Goals:
- Implement cover crops on all acres.
- Convert 100% of fields to no-till.
- Utilize manure as soil amendment.
- Update Nutrient Management Plan annually.
- Establish method to track water use on the dairy.
- Add electric flow meters to capture total water used.
- Construct 2 new pivots for effluent application.
- Complete a water risk assessment.
- Improve irrigation water management practices.
- Upgrade manure application equipment and infrastructure.
Environmental Challenges
- Nutrient runoff into the St. Mary’s River watershed.
- Maintaining optimal soil health across all acres.
Mitigation Strategies
- Utilizing various conservation practices including wetlands, controlled drainage structures, saturated buffers and filter strips.
- Implementing cover crops on all acres and converting to 100% no-till system.
- Utilizing manure as a soil organic matter amendment.
- Updating Nutrient Management Plan annually.
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- 100% non-GMO feed
- Sourcing feed from nearby locations when possible
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Awards & Recognition
- 2019 Celina-Mercer County Business of the Year Award
- 2019 Danone Dairy Forum Social Award
- 2018 Pheasants Forever Alex Andreoff Award
- US EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative awardee
- 2018 Danone Nature Award
- 2018 Danone Milk Cycle Days Excellence in Production Award