Editor’s note: This commentary is by Robert D. Wellington, who is senior vice president of Economics, Communications & Legislative Affairs for Agri-Mark Dairy Cooperative.
[A]gri-Mark Dairy Cooperative and its family farm members strongly support the extension of the natural gas pipeline from Chittenden County to Middlebury. Our member farms invest in manufacturing facilities that have a long history of providing jobs, creating economic opportunities and supporting local communities like Middlebury.
Fresh milk from more than 200 local farms goes to our plant on Exchange Street in Middlebury and is crafted each month into more than four million pounds of cheese that has been repeatedly judged as the best cheddar in the world. For every pound of cheese produced, nine pounds of whey are also generated that must be dried into whey protein and powder products that are then sold both nationally and internationally. These processes have used a lot of fuel oil and propane in the past. The switch to natural gas at Middlebury should enable our farmer-owned business to lower our costs by a substantial amount of money and utilize a much cleaner, safer and dependable energy source.
Agri-Mark elected to make an initial, partial switch to natural gas during 2014 in anticipation of the significant lower costs that would result from transitioning away from fuel oil and propane. We’ve already captured some of those impacts with natural gas truck deliveries, but cannot achieve the full cost reductions, operational security and environmental benefits needed until the pipeline is constructed.
Cabot cheeses are sold nationally, so our plant in Vermont competes directly with other cheese facilities from around the U.S.
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We were particularly pleased to recently learn about renewable natural gas generation from cow’s manure directly at farms that in the future could be delivered to homes and businesses by way of the new pipeline. This use of the pipeline to distribute renewable energy while also reducing delivery vehicle emissions would be another strong benefit of this project.
Cabot cheeses are sold nationally, so our plant in Vermont competes directly with other cheese facilities from around the U.S. Here in New England, we have some of the highest costs in the nation for land, energy, labor, taxes, insurance, electricity, and raw milk. We are constantly looking for ways to lower our manufacturing costs to remain competitive nationally and maintain our business. Reducing our costs for energy will help us achieve that necessary goal.
We also believe the natural gas pipeline project will help stimulate the economy in Vermont and enhance the state’s ability to attract new business and jobs to the area. I hope that the state’s residents will consider these points as the natural gas pipeline project moves forward.