Newyork agri

Stonyfield Farms' environmental mission is the core of the company's activities, and continues to be a key differentiator among its competitors. The company was among the first to go "carbon-neutral" in the mid-1990s, produces 100% organic products, and gives 10% of its company profits to organizations that "help protect and restore the environment."

The latest of these projects is Climate Counts, an initiative aimed at empowering consumers to achieve no less a task than saving the world. With Climate Counts, Stonyfield President and "CE-Yo" Gary Hirshberg has gone beyond the corporate arena, using his experience and knowledge to launch a new non-profit that directly addresses the environmental concern he considers the most-pressing issue of our time. Add that to continued operational successes at the facility level, and you've got a company that is looking, and moving, forward into manufacturing's green future.

addressing energy efficiency:

Hirshberg: Efficiency gains at our facility and CO2 reductions have come from many initiatives, including designing processes to incorporate heat recovery, installing energy efficient motors and lighting, implementing energy efficient building practices, refrigeration system changes and fuel switching.

From 1995 to 2005 Stonyfield Farm reduced facility energy use and the associated CO2 emissions per pound of product by one third, saving over $1.7 million and 46 million kWh -- enough energy to power 4,500 homes for a year -- and prevented over 14,000 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

evaluated renewable purchase or production:

Hirshberg: In 2005, Stonyfield Farm installed a 50 kW solar photovoltaic array on its yogurt making facility in Londonderry, New Hampshire, the largest array in New Hampshire and the fifth largest in New England.

Stonyfield Farm also designed and constructed an anaerobic pre-treatment system that generates energy from its yogurt processing wastes. This treatment system uses 80% less energy and generates 90% less waste than conventional dairy treatment systems.