Burnett Dairy, Community BioRefineries will explore innovative biorefinery partnership

Burnett Dairy, Community BioRefineries will explore innovative biorefinery partnership

Proposed facility would convert cheese manufacturing waste, other feedstocks into sustainable aviation fuel, food ingredients and other products.

GRANTSBURG, WIS. (SEPTEMBER 6, 2024) – Burnett Dairy Cooperative and Community BioRefineries, LLC, announced today they have formed an exploratory partnership that could lead to construction of an innovative local biorefinery that would convert cheese manufacturing waste and other feedstocks to sustainable aviation fuel and additional products.

“What we will explore together has tremendous potential for the dairy industry, for renewable energy and for the environment,” said Burnett Dairy Chief Executive Officer Matt Winsand. “We’re excited to be on the leading edge and hope others in our sector will see their own opportunities to be part of it.”

Community BioRefineries Chief Executive Officer Scott Hewitt said, “as a diversified agricultural cooperative with cheese production, grain and feed operations, and more, we believe Burnett Dairy is uniquely positioned to be our partner in our first full-scale biorefinery project.”

The Burnet Dairy Cooperative Board recently approved exploratory efforts toward initial development.

“Farmers by their nature are innovative, solution seekers,” said Kyle Mathison, a Cumberland, Wis., dairy farmer and Chairman of the Burnett Dairy Cooperative board of directors. “We’re excited to pursue the opportunity to increase the sustainability of our own processes and our nation’s aviation system.”

The proposed “true biorefinery” is in line with the federal government’s Sustainable Aviation Fuels Grand Challenge. This joint initiative of the U.S. departments of Energy, Transportation and Agriculture sets an ambitious government-wide commitment to scale up sustainable aviation fuels production to 35 billion gallons per year by 2050, with an initial 2030 goal of 3 billion gallons annually. At full production, the proposed Burnett Dairy project could contribute as much as 600 million gallons annually.

A true biorefinery processes a variety of biological materials – known as feedstock or biomass – to produce fuel or other value-added products. The Community BioRefineries’ patented approach is similar to that of a microbrewery and is totally contained within buildings. The process centers on fermentation, rather than the cooking or steeping required in ethanol production. It is a small, downscaled process suitable for local use in proximity to feedstocks like food processing waste, industrial grade hemp and other materials. There is no smoke, steam or other emissions and 100% of feedstocks end up as products. Water involved in the process is purified and then recycled. In addition to highly sought after sustainable aviation fuel, the process can also make ingredients for food and nutraceuticals.

Winsand said while the two organizations have numerous details to explore, the long-term goal is to locate a biorefinery close to the cooperative’s milk processing facility in Grantsburg where cheese production byproducts and a variety of other feedstocks are readily available. The proposed biorefinery would be constructed in three phases. Given the early stage of explorations, no cost estimate is available.

The two parties plan will ensure that Grantsburg-area community leaders stay informed about the project, the process and benefits to the community which would include biorefinery construction and operations jobs. In addition, they plan conversations with other cooperatives and agribusinesses regarding potential partnerships and investments.

“We at Burnett Dairy Cooperative are committed to doing our part to build a sustainable dairy industry and protect our environment,” Winsand said. “We believe innovation and partnerships are at the core of making a difference when it comes to environmental stewardship.”

About Burnett Dairy Cooperative

Burnett Dairy Cooperative is a farmer-owned cooperative based near Grantsburg, Wisconsin. Founded in 1896, it is one of the few remaining full-service cooperatives producing cheese today. With the guidance of our Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker®, our award-winning cheeses are Masterfully Made™ with inventive flavors and inspired quality for retail, deli, foodservice and private-label customers. Many of our retail cheese products are sold in grocery stores throughout the United States, online at shop.burnettdairy.com, and at our retail Cheese Store & Bistro in Grantsburg, Wis., Cady Cheese in Wilson, Wis., and in Duluth, Minn. Burnett Dairy Cooperative provides farmers with a full range of agricultural services needed for farm management. Burnett Dairy also provides agronomy services, fuels, grain, feed, animal health and nutrition services, and operates a general store with farm supplies.

About Community BioRefineries, LLC

Community BioRefineries is a proven technology innovator with 40 years of technology experience and national reach, and according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture is the oldest biofuel research and development company in the U.S. It is a unique three-dimensional company that uses a variety of plant-based materials to create multiple sustainable end products including highly nutritious food and nutraceutical products, green energy, bioplastics and next-generation biofuels. Its production process generates no waste and involves no heat or chemicals. In short, every molecule is goes to a positive outcome.

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