Westby Cooperative Creamery, Westby, Wis., received a $23,000 Focus-On-Energy grant for upgrades to the steam boiler system of its creamery manufacturing facility.

“This grant represents another significant investment in the operational efficiencies of our product manufacturing facility, and as estimated, will save over $20,000 per year. That’s a substantial annual return on an investment that would not have been possible without the collaboration of our local Wisconsin energy utility service providers and our state Focus-On-Energy program. To them, we say thanks,” says Pete Kondrup, general manager.

Today, the 200-plus family dairy farm member-owners of the cooperative supply 165 million pounds of milk annually to its local creamery, which is more than double the amount from 10 years ago. Products include cottage cheese, sour cream, dairy dips, yogurt, cheese curds and hard cheeses for private label, foodservice, ingredient and retail grocery market channels.

“The dairy business is 24-7-365, from farm-to-fridge. Every day of the year, at least twice a day, our family dairy farm member-owners are milking their cows, and every day, that milk is being picked up and delivered to our creamery product manufacturing facility. And, every day that facility is making the highest quality cultured dairy food products and hard cheeses for hundreds of our customers across the country, from coast-to-coast and border-to-border,” says Tom Schaub, president of the board of directors.

Focus-On-Energy is a Wisconsin statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program funded by the state's investor-owned energy utilities and participating municipal and electric cooperative utilities.