In 2021 the Culver’s Thank you Farmers Project raised $500,000 this last year which brings their overall total to $3.5 million in 8 years. The project which includes the FFA Essay Contests and share nights also offers the Scoops of Thanks Day where guests can purchase a scoop of Fresh Frozen Custard nationwide for just a $1, on May 6th. In 2021, Scoops of Thanks raised over $159,000, a new record, that will go to local FFA and ag organizations this year.
As companies set goals to reduce their carbon footprints, they turn to agriculture. Nestlé, one of the largest dairy buyers in the world, plans to have a net zero carbon footprint by 2050. The company is investing $3.2 billion in on-farm management and reduction. Nestlé is accepting project proposals from farms, whether it for cover cropping or manure digesters, to cost share with the majority of money going to dairy. In return, Nestlé will bank the removal credits as their own to achieve net zero. In the dairy value chain, the majority of the carbon is generated before the milk leaves the farm: cows releasing methane, manure management and feed production are the three biggest areas of carbon emissions Nestlé is looking to tackle. Roughly 72 percent of their footprint is from sourcing food ingredients. More than a third of Nestlé’s footprint comes from dairy.
The Wisconsin DNR was one recipient of the USDA’s $5 million in grant funding for the Wetland Mitigation Banking Program. The program supports the restoration, creation, or enhancement of wetlands to compensate for unavoidable impacts to wetlands at another location. This year’s awards prioritized projects in states with large amounts of wetlands as well as large numbers of producers with wetland determination requests. The Wisconsin DNR got $516,000 for its project.
And just a reminder as the cold weather sets in around the area to keep an eye on your livestock. Make sure they have shelter, food and fresh water. And give truck drivers a little extra space and time. With icy and snowy roads, they’ll be driving a little bit slower.
