NEWS HIGHLIGHT
Wisconsin dairy family named Dairymen of the Year
The 2008 World Dairy Expo Dairymen of the Year are a team of four
brothers who have created a successful and environmentally sustainable
family farm and launched a farmstead cheese plant.
August 19, 2008, Madison, Wisc. – The 2008 World Dairy Expo Dairymen of the Year are a team of four brothers who have created a successful and environmentally sustainable family farm and launched a farmstead cheese plant.
Crave Brothers Farm LLC and Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese LLC are made up of Charles, George, Tom and Mark Crave, their families and a vision that farming can be sustainable, successful and fun. Currently milking nearly 1,200 cows, they have grown from a rented farm in 1978 to 1,700 acres on a three-times-daily milking schedule in Waterloo, Wisconsin.
Protecting the environment is a top priority for the brothers. They have gained recognition and increased farm profits with an anaerobic manure digester that creates enough electricity to power the farm, on-farm cheese plant and 120 homes.
Being ahead of the curve in sustainable and marketable farming techniques garners much attention for the family operations. While each of the four brothers is active promoting and supporting dairy industry projects and organizations, it is the visits from those wanting to learn which often keep the farm buzzing. Nearly 1,000 people tour the farm and cheese plant annually, including corporate chefs, cheese buyers, public policy makers, international visitors and school children.
