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Anaerobic digester helps Indiana dairy farm boost sustainability

An Indiana dairy farmer says implementing an anaerobic digester on his operation has helped improve energy efficiency and sustainability.

Ryan Rogers, row crop producer and co-owner of Homestead Dairy, says the digester has dual benefits.

“It’s giving you a product which is the methane gas,” he says. “The readily available nutrients that are more available on your crop when you land apply that effluent, that’s the hidden benefit.”

He tells Brownfield the farm sells the energy produced from the digester to generate additional income.

“We have a megawatt contract, and we’ve averaged about 850 kilowatts an hour,” he says. “Over the last 10 years, we’ve averaged that for probably about 85% of our contracts.”

Rogers says as his energy contract comes to an end, his farm is exploring more ways to continue to use the digester to support on-farm needs.

AUDIO: Ryan Rogers