The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, Rosemont, Ill., is accepting nominations for the third year of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards. The deadline is Nov. 15, 2013.

These awards recognize outstanding dairy processors, dairy farms, businesses and collaborative partnerships for management practices that are good for the community, good for the planet, and good for business.

To help kick off the new call for nominations, the Innovation Center developed Dairy’s Sustainability Journey, a new video documentary series produced in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund . WWF and the Innovation Center are working together with the nation’s dairy producers to develop, adopt and share new, science-based practices leading to a more sustainable dairy industry.

The short videos feature the 2013 winners of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards on their respective farm or operation, sharing their stewardship stories and sustainability practices in action. Read about the 2013 winners on dairyfoods.com and the 2012 winners here.

“Sustainability is a journey that the dairy industry has been on for generations so that we can continue to contribute to a safe, affordable and nutritious food supply,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “Every operation is different, and we encourage dairy farms and businesses to think about the steps they have taken that add up to better use of natural resources, increased profitability and positive community contributions. Nominate yourself, your business partners, or your neighbors so that these stories can be shared, recognized and replicated.”

Nominations are open through Nov. 15, 2013, to all segments of the U.S. dairy value chain — from farm to table — for the following categories:
• Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability
• Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability
• Outstanding Achievement in Renewable Energy
• Outstanding Achievement in Energy Efficiency

This year’s gold-level sponsors include: the Center for Advanced Energy Studies; DeLaval; DVO Anaerobic Digesters; Elanco Animal Health; HDR; InSinkErator; Tetra Pak Inc.; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; World Wildlife Fund and Zoetis. Silver-level sponsors include Organic Solution Management; Skip Shapiro Enterprises, LLC; and Syngenta.

An independent panel of judges will evaluate all nominations based on results of the project or initiative as measured by triple-bottom-line success — economic, environmental and social. Judges also will assess: the potential for other dairy farms and businesses to adopt the practices; demonstrated learning, innovation and improvement; and scalability.

There is no fee to enter. For more information, go to The Innvoation for U.S. Dairy website or its Facebook page. Facebook.com/DairyGood.