Wisconsin Dairy Farm Turns Manure into Renewable Energy

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese is using cattle waste to help power its dairy operation and cheese production.

WATERLOO, Wis. (RFD News) — One Wisconsin dairy family is turning cattle manure into a source of renewable energy on its operation.

Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, a family-owned dairy and cheese operation founded by four brothers, is known for producing specialty cheeses using milk piped directly from its own dairy cows.

As electricity costs climbed above $6,000 a month, the family farm began looking for another solution for power. Now, the farm converts cattle waste into green energy using a methane digester. Manure produced by cows is fermented with enzymes, releasing methane that fuels engines used to generate electricity.

The energy helps support farm operations and cheese production while reducing waste on the dairy.

By turning manure into energy, the Crave family says the system is helping create a more sustainable future for agriculture.

Related Stories
Scientists say studying how cattle digest seaweed could help shape future livestock nutrition and sustainability efforts.
NRCS leadership affects how conservation dollars, technical assistance and working-lands priorities reach farmers and ranchers.
Ag Commissioner Sid Miller and Rep. Henry Cuellar say rising costs and generational shifts are making it harder to keep young producers in the industry.
Several fires have merged into Kansas’ largest active wildfire as crews continue battling shifting winds and dry conditions.
The Texas Agriculture Commissioner says crews are still working to contain fires while farmers and ranchers begin assessing damage.
Volunteer firefighters describe devastating scenes as crews continue battling multiple fires across the region.

Knoxville native Neal Burnette-Irwin is a graduate from MTSU where he majored in Journalism and Entertainment Studies. He works as a digital content producer with RFD News and is represented by multiple talent agencies in Nashville and Chicago.


LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The award-winning pitmaster discusses choosing the right beef cuts, managing grill heat and building confidence behind the grill.
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer says the “One Big Beautiful Bill” could shift how producers donate grain and commodities to charities.
American Farm Bureau economist Bernt Nelson says consumers are still buying meat despite ongoing price pressures.
Analysts say drought, tight cattle supplies and summer grilling demand continue shaping the protein market outlook.
Some producers remain optimistic about farmland markets while others point to growing pressure on margins and income.
The campaign helps support students attending National FFA Convention while funding local chapters and scholarship opportunities.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.