Sustainability
Westby Cooperative Creamery was formed in 1903 by a group of family dairy farms with a purpose to always provide a market for our farmers’ milk. Today, that purpose remains the same with an added caveat of doing so in an environmentally sustainable manner.
It is now, as it was over one hundred years ago, the responsibility, commitment and pride of our family dairy farms to manage our land, cows and the surrounding natural resources to ensure the future of farming for the next generation.
We are a vertically integrated dairy products cooperative. This means our products start as fluid milk from the cows of our local dairy farms, delivered fresh to our creamery and manufactured by traditional recipes into cultured dairy food products and hard cheeses.
As farmers, we make our living off the land. We are the original conservationists and environmentalists committed to sustainability and conserving natural resources for today’s efficiencies and tomorrow’s productivity.
We share a philosophy in ensuring the best welfare of our animals by producing rBST-Free milk*. No synthetic hormones are used in our cows to produce more milk. And an increasing number of our dairy farms – about 75 percent – are certified organic by the Midwest Organic Services Association (MOSA).
We recognize that our long-term business success, on our farms and in our manufacturing facility, depends on productive energy and water use, efficient milk and dairy food production, waste management and recycling, sustainable packaging and supply chain optimization.
We are committed to conducting our business operations in accordance with all applicable regulations and laws, and to engaging with our various stakeholders in developing responsible standards and initiatives that support our policies.
As the farmer-owners of Westby Cooperative Creamery, we are connected to our customers. It is our product in the refrigerators of consumers who are also our neighbors.
Learn more about our production operation’s commitment to sustainability at these links:
- From Skeptic to Advocate: One Farmer’s Unlikely Journey to Partnering with Neutral
- Farms Awarded for Outstanding Land Conservation Efforts
- Creamery Finds a ‘Whey’ to be More Resourceful
- Westby Cooperative Creamery Honors Earth Day Every Day
- Farms Earn Achievement Awards
- Environmental Stewardship Part of Creamery’s Mission
- Westby Creamery Keeping Happy Cows with FARM Program
- Celebrate! It’s National Farmers’ Day
*No significant difference has been shown between milk from rBST-treated or non rBST-treated cows.
