Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
Nomination Form
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
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Use this form to nominate a dairy farm for the Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability
Award.
Please refer to the appropriate form if you are submitting a nomination for a different
category.
Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, December
4, 2015.
Nomination Process
The fifth annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards will be presented in May 2016 by the Innovation
Center for U.S. Dairy® (Innovation Center). The awards recognize dairy farms, businesses and
collaborative partnerships for practices that deliver outstanding economic, environmental and/or
social benefit, all helping to advance sustainability of the dairy industry and food system.
Overall Award Categories
Farms may be nominated for any of the following awards:
 Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
 Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability Award
 Outstanding Achievement in Resource Stewardship Award
 Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnerships Award
Nomination Eligibility & Process
 All potential nominees for the Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award will have the
opportunity to submit an optional worksheet to receive feedback from the Innovation Center.
The worksheet is available at USDairy.com/Sustainability/Awards.
 Completed nomination forms and accompanying information will be accepted until 11:59 p.m.
CST on December 4, 2015.
 Nominees must:
o Be an active U.S. dairy* farm operation.
o Possess a current state milk permit or contract calves/heifers to licensed dairy farms.
o Be open to an assessment for validation of the submitted information, as needed.
o Be willing to share information with the industry, media and/or public about the
submission.
 Nominations may be submitted by any individual, group or organization involved with or part
of the U.S. dairy industry and may be submitted on behalf of themselves or others.
 The nominated program, project or practices must have been implemented in the U.S.
 There is no fee to enter this nomination.
 Nominees are eligible to submit a new nomination each year.
 Previous winners are eligible for nomination after two full program years have elapsed.
*Milk derived from dairy cows
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Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
Nomination Form
Selection Criteria
Nominations will be evaluated in three areas: results; learning, innovation and improvements; and
potential for adoption by other dairy farms or businesses. Winners in the Outstanding Dairy Farm
Sustainability category serve as examples of socially responsible, economically viable and
environmentally sound dairy production. Successful nominations take a holistic approach to
sustainability and provide replicable results that can inspire greater industrywide change. Details are
included in each section of the form beginning on Page 4.
Judging Process
Evaluations will take into consideration differences in size, region and scope of projects as needed.
An objective judging panel will make the final assessment and selection. The judging panel will
include experts from academic institutions, government and nongovernmental organizations, and the
agricultural/dairy/food industries.
Award Winners
Winners will be notified by April 1, 2016. Winners will receive:
 An official commemorative plaque and dairy farm sign.
 Recognition via public relations and other promotional activities, including at an awards
ceremony during a meeting of the Innovation Center’s Sustainability Alliance, the
industrywide leadership team. This event is expected to be held in May 2016.
 Opportunities to serve as a Dairy Sustainability Ambassador at key events over the course of
the program year.
 Use of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards logo for marketing purposes for up to one year.
 Case studies about their stories featured on USDairy.com/Sustainability.
Honorable mentions also may be identified at the discretion of the judging panel.
Submission Process
 Nominations will be accepted via mail or electronically and must be received by 11:59 p.m.
CST on Friday, December 4, 2015.
 Photos, slides, videos or news articles will not be evaluated. Although these materials are
great examples of storytelling, only the written application and supporting letters will be
reviewed.
 The nomination form and accompanying information will not be returned.
 The Innovation Center reserves the right to publish all or part of the information provided in
the nomination form.
 Email a scanned or PDF version to: InnovationCenter@USDairy.com OR send by mail to:
Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
Attention: U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards
10255 W. Higgins Road, Suite 900
Rosemont, IL 60018
Questions?
 Visit USDairy.com/Sustainability/Awards; email InnovationCenter@USDairy.com; or call John
Monaghan at 847-627-3324.
Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST on December 4, 2015.
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Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
Nomination Form
About the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment
The U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment is an industrywide effort to benchmark and increase
the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the dairy industry. It was launched in
2008 through the leadership of dairy producers and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®.
The Sustainability Commitment has the support and participation of more than 800 industry
professionals and experts from academic, private industry, governmental and nongovernmental
organizations working together to provide nutritious dairy products in a way that makes our
industry, the Earth and its people economically, environmentally and socially better — now and
for future generations.
U.S. Dairy Sustainability Vision:
For more information about the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, visit
USDairy.com/Sustainability.
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Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
Nomination Form



Use this form to nominate a dairy farm for the Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability
Award.
Please refer to the appropriate form if you are submitting a nomination for a different
category.
Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, December 4, 2015.
Section 1 — Organizational Overview
1. Name of farm operation:
2. Please provide a brief description of the farm operation: (limit 350 words)
Include, for example:
- Average number of cows (milking and dry)
- Volume of milk sold in last 12-month period
- Other livestock
- Crops, acreage
- Barn design
- Annual revenue
- Number of employees (including owner/operator)
- History of operation and succession plan
Judging Criteria (0 points) — Judges will not be evaluating Questions 1 and 2.
3. Please provide a brief summary describing why national recognition is deserved in the
Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award category: (limit 200 words)
Please include the following:
- Briefly describe key programs, projects and/or practices.
- Describe what is important, new or innovative.
- Summarize the goals and results. What did the farm strive to achieve and how was it
successful?
Judging Criteria (4 points) — Judges will be evaluating if the summary is clear and concise.
Section 2 — Telling the Sustainability Story
1. Need: What problem or opportunity was addressed? Were there external factors that
encouraged or pressured action? (limit 250 words)
Judging Criteria (4 points) — Judges will be evaluating if the need is clear and relevant.
2. Goals: How did the effort support overall objectives for the farm operation? What were the
specific project goals — environmental, economic and social, as applicable? (limit 250 words)
Judging Criteria (4 points) — Judges will be evaluating how well the goals address the need and
to what extent the effort addresses multiple aspects of sustainability (environmental, economic,
social).
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Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
Nomination Form
3. Approach: Describe the approach taken. (limit 400 words)
Judging Criteria (4 points) — Judges will be evaluating how well the approach matches the need
and if it is unique and/or compelling.
4. Resources: Discuss the use of resources – including money, people, collaborators, and science
or research – in reaching the goals stated in Section 1. (limit 250 words)
Judging Criteria (4 points) — Judges will be evaluating for the effective use of multiple resources
to address the need.
Section 3 — Results
1. Our Planet: Conservation/Environmental Stewardship: How was success monitored,
measured and evaluated? Were efficiencies gained (e.g., the ability to do more with less)? How
were the environmental benefits quantified? Were there additional intended or unanticipated
benefits in other areas? (limit 500 words)
Judging Criteria (14 points) — Judges will be evaluating how effectively the activities were
measured and monitored, if the project was evaluated to ensure success in environmental
stewardship, the level of environmental benefits achieved, what long-term environmental benefits
are foreseen and how effectively these results were communicated to others.
2. Our Businesses: Economic Vitality: How was success of the activity monitored, measured and
evaluated? Were economic efficiencies or new revenues generated? Was there a financial
payback, and how was it measured? Was there an economic benefit to the community? (limit
500 words)
Judging Criteria (14 points) — Judges will be evaluating the effectiveness of the activity’s
measurements in dollars or equivalencies, if the project was evaluated to ensure economic
success, the level of economic benefits achieved, what long-term economic benefits are foreseen
and how effectively these results were communicated to others.
3. Our Communities, Consumers and Employees: Social Responsibility: Did the project have
a positive impact on the community, and/or create a positive perception of the nominated dairy
within the local community? Were there direct or indirect economic impacts on the community?
Did it project achieve community or employee goals? If so, how did that positive aspect come
about? Did the project affect working conditions? How were these successes communicated to
neighbors and other members of the public? (limit 500 words)
Judging Criteria (14 points) – Judges will be evaluating how effectively the activities were
measured and monitored using stories or hard numbers, if the project was evaluated to ensure
success in social responsibility, the level of substantial social benefits that were achieved, what
long-term social benefits are foreseen, and how effectively these results were communicated to
others.
4. Our Cows: Animal Well-being: Did the project have a positive impact on herd health and
productivity? Does the dairy participate in the NMPF FARM program or an equivalent program?
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Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
Nomination Form
What new technologies or management practices were embraced that led to greater cow comfort
and productivity? Did these efforts positively impact the public’s perception of animal care in the
dairy industry? (limit 500 words)
Judging Criteria (8 points) – Judges will be evaluating how effectively animal health was
monitored and measured, if the project was evaluated to ensure animal well-being success, if
substantial benefits to animal well-being were achieved, what long-term animal well-being
benefits are foreseen, and how effectively these results were communicated to others.
Section 4 — Lessons Learned and Replication
1. Lessons learned: What key lessons were learned? How were they identified, recorded and
shared with other dairy producers? How were existing practices leveraged and built upon to
create a superior outcome or innovation? (limit 200 words)
Judging Criteria (12 points) — Judges will be evaluating how well the project advanced the
sustainability of the dairy industry, what the nominee learned from the project and to what extent
the project built on existing practices for a better outcome.
2. Replication: Explain the benefit and relevance of this work to the dairy industry, other dairy
producers, the local community and/or other stakeholders. How were results shared with others
for replication? What future plans exist to maintain, improve or build on these efforts? How can
the project, program or practice be adopted by others? Could others follow the lead of the
nominated farm? (limit 200 words)
Judging Criteria (12 points) — Judges will be evaluating the project’s innovativeness, its
relevancy to other operations and how easily it can be duplicated.
Section 5 — Letter of Recommendation
Please submit one letter of recommendation. Letters should help validate the nominee’s leadership
and achievements in sustainability.
Judging Criteria (6 points) — Judges will be evaluating if the letter of recommendation supports the
sustainability claims of the nominee.
Section 6 — References
Please provide the name, address, phone number and email address for two references that we can
contact in regard to sustainability on the nominated farm. These can include Extension agents,
consultants, vendors or suppliers, for example.
Judging Criteria (0 points) — Judges will not be evaluating this information. The references will only
be contacted to confirm and corroborate the information on the nomination form.
Reference 1:
Name:
Street:
City:
State:
ZIP code:
Phone #:
Email address:
Reference 2:
Name:
Street:
City:
State:
ZIP code:
Phone #:
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Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
Nomination Form
Section 7 — Contact Information
Judging Criteria (0 point) — Judges will not be evaluating this information.
Information on Nominee Farm
1. Farm organization (check one)
☐ Sole proprietorship
☐ Partnership
☐ Corporation
☐ LLC
☐ Other; describe: _______________________________________________________
2. Does the farm market its milk through a cooperative (this does not affect the evaluation
of the nomination)?
If yes, please indicate which one.
If not, where is the milk marketed?
Nominator Contact Information
Company:
Contact Name:
Last
First
M.I.
Address:
Street Address
Suite/Unit #
City
Phone:
(
)
State
Email
Address:
ZIP Code
Website:
Nominee Contact Information
If same as nominator, check here and skip. ☐
Farm Name:
Contact Name:
Last
First
M.I.
Address:
Street Address
Suite/Unit #
City
Phone:
(
)
State
Email
Address:
ZIP Code
Website:
Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, December 4, 2015.
THANK YOU!
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Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
Nomination Form
Please let us know how you heard about the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards. (Check all that apply.)
☐ Information on USDairy.com ☐ Innovation Center Webinar
☐ Referred by colleague/friend
☐ Read about in a publication
☐ Email from Innovation Center ☐ Other: __________________
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