Ontario dairy farm wins Sustainability Award

Fredericton, N.B. – The Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) has announced the winner of its Dairy Farmers Sustainability Award.

The winner is Clovermead Farms Inc. of Alma, Ont., which is operated by the Whale family.

Korb and Kelly Whale are seventh generation farmers who own the farm with Korb’s parents Bruce and Deborah Whale.

DFC says the selection committee was impressed with the Whale’s efforts in producing electricity, bedding and high quality fertilizer by using an anaerobic digester that turns cow manure into biogas.

Korb explains that the system includes two tanks that can each carry a million litres of cow manure. The two domes on top of each tank collects the biogas from the process. The end product is a soft and fluffy peat moss material that is pathogen free and used as fresh bedding for their 130 cows.

“The system also produces enough electricity to power about five farms our size,” says Korb.

Additionally, the Whale family is committed to maintaining a minimum of 10 per cent of their land base as wildlife habitat and forest, with wildlife corridors made of tree rows to connect woodlots and streams.

“I am honoured to accept this award on behalf of our entire family,” says Korb.

“We are absolutely committed to continue using technology and techniques to produce food on our farm while improving the world we live in. We have the ambition of working towards a carbon-neutral farm.”

The other three finalists are Dykstra Farms, (Knowlesville, N.B.), Ferme Clobert Inc. (Saint-Bonaventure, Que.) and Bakerview EcoDairy (Abbotsford, B.C.), will receive a trophy and a $1,000 prize during the upcoming annual general meeting of their respective provinces.

Pictured from left to right are: Wally Smith, DFC’s president; Kelly and Korb Whale from Clovermead Farms; and Jason Cleveland from DeLaval Canada. DeLaval Canada sponsors the Dairy Farmers Sustainability Award.