APPLETON, WIS. — In a move designed to be a more environmentally responsible citizen, Lawrence University has entered a partnership with Red Barn Family Farms, a new Appleton family-owned dairy company, to serve its premium brand of milk in both of the college’s dining halls beginning in early October.
“We’re constantly exploring ways to reduce our carbon footprint and become more sustainable. One of the best ways to do that is to purchase as many things locally as possible,” said Patrick Niles, Lawrence’s director of dining services. “Sourcing products close to home reduces gasoline use and emissions to get things here and it helps support our local economy, putting money into the pockets of those within our own community.
“It also allows us to provide more wholesome foods with better nutritive values to our students,” Niles added. “We have found that locally produced products are often superior in quality to those we purchase elsewhere. Red Barn Family Farms presented an opportunity for us to capitalize on all of those benefits.”
Passing a simple “taste test” also helped seal the deal.
“We felt the Red Barn dairy products were far superior in taste and quality to our current products,” said Niles. “We also liked the fact that their milk is rBGH free and is sourced very carefully from small Wisconsin farms that meet stringent animal husbandry standards for animal health and care.”
While classes are in session, Lawrence will purchase approximately 255 gallons of skim milk, 190 gallons of 2 percent milk and 85 gallons of chocolate milk per week from Red Barn.
Red Barn Family Farms was founded earlier this year by Seymour veterinarian Terry Homan, who wanted to provide transparency in how milk on store shelves is produced. The company began selling its milk in the Milwaukee market in April and has since made it available locally at Woodmans, Lamer’s Dairy Store and Arthur Bay Cheese Store. The milk is bottled for Red Barn at Lamers Dairy, a small, family-owned bottling plant in Appleton.
“Red Barn Family Farms is thrilled to have the opportunity to connect Lawrence University and its students with these local farms and the agricultural heritage that they represent,” said Homan. “We are looking forward to providing this premium quality milk to the Lawrence campus.”
Every dairy farm that supplies milk to Red Barn is certified by the American Humane Association. According to Homan, participating dairy farms must meet “The Red Barn Rules,” a strict set of criteria that routinely measures the physical health of each cow, the mortality rate of the herd, the health reflected in the milk and the cleanliness of the milk leaving the farm. Homan believes the Red Barn Family Farms are in the top 25% of the industry for each benchmark set forth in those rules.
“It’s not easy to be a Red Barn Farm. We set the bar high for our suppliers,” said Homan, who brings 12 years of dairy veterinary practice in rural Wisconsin to the business. “The goal is not all about making money. It’s about making a positive difference in the dairy industry.
“Our product fills a growing demand from consumers, who not only are demanding exceptional milk quality, but also are desiring quality animal care,” Homan added. “It’s simple — the cows that receive the best care produce the best milk.”
The partnership with Red Barn is the latest in a series of moves made by Lawrence dining services. In 2006, Lawrence established partnerships with local farmers at the Appleton Farm Market to supply tomatoes and peppers. Since then, Niles has expanded his local purchases to include apples, potatoes, spring mix and sprouts. Earlier this year, the college also entered into an exclusive partnership with the students maintaining the four-year-old Sustainable Lawrence University Garden — SLUG — to become their sole customer. All produce grown in the garden is now served in the Lawrence dining halls.
This fall, Lawrence is launching “Green Roots,” a campus-wide initiative designed to focus attention and education on environmental, cultural and social sustainability.
