Our Expansion and the Environment

Wisconsin’s large, modern dairy farms are certified to operate under strict local, state and federal environmental regulations. The certification process and ongoing regulatory review and monitoring requirements for large farms ensure compliance with rules that protect our land, water and air.

In addition to the strict environmental regulations our expanded facility is required to operate under, below are some additional environmental benefits associated with our operations:

Zero wastewater/discharge
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit requires zero discharge to ensure that surface water impacts do not occur. Zero wastewater will be discharged from the facility to surface waters or wetlands.

Enhanced Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan
Since 2000, we’ve had a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan in place. A CNMP is a total planning tool that details the animal production-related activities for a specific farming operation. It can help farm managers comply with regulatory requirements as well as protect water quality, obtain more benefits from the animal manure and organic by-products of the operation, and minimize negative impacts to the environment and public health. We have created an enhanced CNMP for our expanded farm.

No new liquid manure storage needed
As part of our expansion, we added on to our state-of-the-art wastewater treatment equipment which allows us to accommodate for the increased number of cows while ensuring there is no need for any new liquid manure storage.

ISS wastewater management technology
Our current ISS wastewater management system is an innovative nutrient partitioning system that offers the flexibility to apply the right nutrients, in the right proportion, in the right spots. As a result, the solids are used to replace fossil fuel-based fertilizer, and the reclaimed water is used for crop irrigation during the growing season when the growing crop needs it the most. The liquid waste, treated by ISS, has little odor and is a low-nutrient by-product, making it ideal for irrigation.

McLanahan sand separator technology
Our on-site McLanahan sand separator allows for the recycling of sand for use as bedding and reduces the amount of hauling traffic. The result is a constant supply of fresh sand for our animals to lie on. Cows prefer lying on the sand, as it keeps them cool and comfortable. With our expansion, we added another sand separator, which allows us to keep up with the increase in our herd size and save more than 13,000 tons of sand and approximately 2,250 gallons of diesel fuel every year.

Our Expansion & Our Animals

The health and welfare of our animals is job number 1 at Larson Acres. Our new facilities are helping to increase cow comfort and herd health. Below are just some of the features of the expansion that benefit our cows.

Free-Stall Barn with Enhanced Temperature Control for Cow Comfort
The advanced design of the new cross ventilated free stall barn help us keep the temperature inside the barn 15 degrees cooler during the summer and 15 degrees warmer during the winter.

All-In, All-Out Nursery Barns
The four new nursery barns operate as all-in, all-out facilities, which means that when calves are ready to move to the 2- to 5-month-old calf facility, we empty the entire nursery barn, sanitize it and let it sit for an entire week before the next group of baby calves are brought in. This is a best management practice for the health of our entire herd.

Dedicated Calf Barn for 2- to 5-Month-Old Calves
To ensure the best cow health through all stages of their lives, we care for 2- to 5-month-old calves in their own facility.

Our Expansion & Our Community

Our expansion represents a significant investment in the future of not only our family business, but the community in which we live and operate. Below are some of the benefits.

Job Opportunities
Larson Acres employs local residents. The expansion added 15 more local positions. Our 53 current employees shop locally, eat locally and pay local income and property taxes that will help our community.

Opportunities for Local Businesses
Our expansion required numerous businesses during the construction phase. We were proud to hire local firms to get as much of this work done as possible. The local vendors who participated in and directly benefitted from our expansion project include:

Increased expenditures in the local economy
We currently spend more than $7 million in the local economy through local businesses and vendors each year, and when dairy farms like ours spend money locally, it creates a multiplier effect of more than 2.5 times the original dollars spent. The current economic activity generated in our herd is $12,500 per cow per year.

Increased Tax Base for Town of Magnolia and Local School District
As our business grows, the amount of taxes our business will pay to the town of Magnolia will also grow. And, as we hire new employees, the property taxes they pay in the local community will help support the local school district.

Preservation of Agricultural Land
The town of Magnolia has a long history of being a strong agricultural community. Our expansion plans help to protect valuable ag land in our area for future generations.