Darigold to inaugurate $500m specialised milk protein and butter plant

Darigold has announced plans to build a new specialised milk protein and butter facility in Washington, US, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The dairy co-operative will invest approximately $500 million in the project, which is expected to create over 1,000 onsite and indirect supply chain and service jobs.

Darigold initially revealed plans of constructing a new ingredients plant back in August last year, suggesting it would create “substantial improvements” to its environmental footprint.

The premium protein and butter operation will feature anaerobic digestion technology and electric vehicle infrastructure, marking a move by the company towards achieving its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

When combined, Darigold says its innovative technologies and conservation strategies could mitigate over 300,000 metric tons of CO2e per year; and cut per unit emissions by 25% compared to its existing baseline.

Construction of the 400,000-square-foot plant is expected to start in early 2022, with full commercial production targeted for late 2023 or early 2024. Once in full operation, the facility will process around eight million pounds of milk a day.

The anaerobic digestion technology will be deployed as part of the farmer-owned cooperative’s on-site wastewater treatment strategy and Darigold will use the extracted methane as a natural gas substitute, reducing fossil fuel use. This will also be complemented with machinery that enables heat and energy recovery and reuse.

In addition, the new infrastructure is designed to accommodate future electric vehicles including a potential conversion of the company’s large fleet of semi-trucks.

Located within the Port of Pasco, the site will have access to both rail and barge facilities, reportedly reducing the distance trucks travel for milk pickups and deliveries by 5 million miles annually.

“Darigold’s state-of-the-art facility will use the latest technology, serve as a model of sustainability, and create a new market for our region’s ag producers,” said Randy Hayden, the Port of Pasco’s executive director.

Stan Ryan, president and CEO of Darigold, said: “Our producers have been at the vanguard of the dairy sector for over 100 years, constantly building on their outstanding record of sustainability and stewardship practices. They are proud to boost the co-op’s competitiveness with this future-forward investment in a next-generation dairy facility, preserving the legacy of nearly 350 multigenerational farms.”