Marshall County REMC hosted a tour with Homestead Dairy, the nation’s largest robotic dairy farm, and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. The event provided Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch a unique look into rural Indiana business and highlighted the value of the partnership between Homestead Dairy and Marshall County REMC.
Homestead Dairy collaborated with Marshall County REMC on upgrades through POWER MOVES®, an energy efficiency program offered by Marshall County REMC. Homestead Dairy received $125,000 in rebates for efficiency upgrades that include LED lighting, which is more robust and has longer service life than traditional lightbulbs, and variable frequency drives installed on fans to ensure proper airflow without wasting energy.
Marshall County REMC officials and Brook Steed, senior regional economic development representative at Wabash Valley Power, also collaborated with Homestead Dairy on additional economic support. They connected the dairy owner with Jerry Chavez, president and CEO of Marshall County Economic Development Corporation, to secure tax abatements, which phase in taxes over time, to support the expansion.
Marshall County REMC provides energy planning and consultation, including an overview of POWER MOVES® and additional incentives, at no charge to members. Visit www.POWERMOVES.com for more information.
From left: Mark Batman, CEO of Marshall County REMC; Jay Bartlett, president and CEO of Wabash Valley Power Association; Brian Houin, Homestead Dairy; Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch; and Brook Steed, senior regional economic development representative at Wabash Valley Power, pose for a photo at Homestead Dairy.
The robotic stalls uniquely identify, wash and milk the cows. The stalls’ computers measure and record the milk each cow provides daily. The cows learn to visit a stall each time they want to be milked, resulting in a more natural environment that improves the milk yield.
