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
Farmers will need to closely monitor forecasts if the regulatory changes are implemented, as temperature cutoffs will replace fixed spray dates.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has until October 12 to sign a bill passed by the California state legislature allowing E15 sales.
Lamb prices have seen a surprising surge driven by a tight supply and increasing demand in non-traditional markets.
While symbolic, the WTO’s youth hackathon reflects growing calls for creative approaches to food trade and security, with potential implications for reducing losses, expanding biofuel markets, and stabilizing grain flows.
Lawmakers and ag industry groups welcomed the confirmations, citing the direct impact of these leaders on western ranchers, water and land management, conservation programs, and regulatory reform.
The EPA proposal laid out two options: fully reallocate all exempted volumes to the 2026–2027 standards, or reallocate half.

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:

Event focuses on helping communities grow through local business
Students say the program builds confidence, teamwork and a sense of purpose.
The fourth-generation owner of Georgia’s Arena Acres cultivated a love for floral arts in FFA on a family farm passed down through generations.
SAE programs help FFA students build skills beyond the classroom.
Louisiana farmers say high water levels routinely threaten crops, highlighting the need for critical infrastructure and sustainability efforts in the Bayou.
Dixondale Farms produces around 900 million onion transplants each year, shipping them directly to customers and distributors across the country.
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.