CALF_News_Oct_Nov_2018

18 CALF News • October | November 2018 • www.calfnews.net There has been a change in western Kansas’ scenery that’s been shifting for quite a while. It began with the vision of dairy heifer development to fill empty pens and has come full circle with new dairies popping up in many areas of the region. Although western Kansas remains the beef finishing hub, there’s a fresh view against the expansive prairie. While the dairy industry isn’t new to the state, the size and growth in the number of operations is. According to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, dairy production and processing have grown by 75 percent since 2012, the most recent addition being the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) milk powder plant that opened in Garden City in 2017. A staggering 75 percent of milk produced in Kansas is now processed within its borders. This quick expan- sion has labeled Kansas the top-growing dairy sector in the United States, and they’re preparing for even more through- out the coming years. The DFA’s Garden City facility was named the 2018 Manufacturing Innova- tor of the Year by Profood World for the factory’s efficiency and conservation. According to Kim O’Brien, DFA media relations, the state-of-the-art milk plant, “fulfills a key sustainable strategy by providing a home for local farmers’ milk (4 million pounds per day), which was previously being transported hundreds of miles to other areas of the country. “With the opening of the Garden City plant, DFA farm families now transport their milk about 25 miles, which was previously a multi-day haul, on average, drastically reducing hauling and trucking costs, as well as conserving energy and resources.” In addition to their breakthroughs in transportation and manufacturing costs, the plant was also built with a special emphasis on water conservation, which, in southwest Kansas can never be overlooked. The city will use wastewater from dairy processing for non-potable water purposes such as watering of local parks and use at the zoo. “DFA’s Garden City plant showcases best-in-class food and beverage manu- facturing technology by implementing highly automated and efficient systems, Dairy in the Desert CALF NEWS REVIEWS What’s New? By Aly McClure Contributing Editor ABOVE: The continued growth of the dairy industry in Kansas is bringing with it healthy economic impact for our rural communities that depend heavily on agriculture employment. BELOW: The Dairy Farmers of America milk plant in Garden City, Kan., produces whole, skim and nonfat milk powder along with cream for food manufacturing use across the country. Photos courtesy Dairy Farmers of America