Sustainability Director

 

 

 

In a continued effort to meet the individual needs of our grower partners and end-use customers, Star of the West Milling Company has hired Sustainability Director Lisa Woodke. Lisa helps to coordinate current sustainability projects with food customers including a winter wheat project that has been ongoing for 5 years and other new projects including solar panels and pollinator habitat at Star of the West locations. She enjoys working closely with growers in the agriculture industry and has been on farms to help in the upgrade of LED lighting in sheds and other energy efficiency projects.  Lisa has her Sustainability Specialty certificate as a Certified Crop Adviser (CCA). She can be reached via email at lisa.woodke@starofthewest.com or her cell at 517.648.9166.

 

 

 

 

CORPORATE EFFORTS

  • Collect & recycle used batteries
  • Collect & recycle used toner cartridges
  • Installation of paperless scanners
  • Recycle all mobile devices
  • Recycle plastic, paper, cardboard
  • Recycle light bulbs
  • Sustainable U.S. Soy Certified; SSAP (Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol)        documented and verified sustainable soys

 
 

EDIBLE BEAN & ELEVATOR EFFORTS

  • Re-lamped facilities saving 1/8 on electrical use.
  • Utilize premium efficient motors = 15-25% energy reduction
  • Facilities in Reese, MI & McCanna, ND hold BRC certification 
  • Change flow rate fans on all grain dryers & VFD drives

 
   

MILLING OPERATION EFFORTS

  • New flour mill constructed which eliminates more than 8,900 miles over the road per week reducing our carbon footprint
  • Installation of new lighting in warehouses for significant energy reduction
  • Installation of new boiler system which resulted in 75% reduction in natural gas use
  • FSS22000, AIB Certification
   

AGRONOMY FACILITIES

  • Community involvement; 4-H, Breakfast on the Farm, Project RED, Ag Heritage Days, Growing HOPE, various others
  • Certified Crop Advisors; including Sustainability certified 
  • Pesticide jug recycling and cardboard recycling
  • New fertilizer facility with motion-sensing LED lighting
  • Solar panels on fertilizer blending facilities
  • Variable Rate Technologies (VRT): VR Fertilizer, VR Lime, VR Seed
  • 4R Nutrient Stewardship program:

           - Right Source

           - Right Rate

           - Right Time

           - Right Place