Fresh milk
UD dairy cows, Hy-Point provide milk for campus community
11:50 a.m., July 19, 2011--For the first time, milk produced by the dairy herd on the University of Delaware campus is being distributed on campus.
The distribution comes thanks to a partnership between the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) and Hy-Point Dairy of Wilmington, Del., which is the sole distributor of UD-produced milk.
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Since June, all of the milk produced by the University's 100-head dairy herd has been sent to Hy-Point and, for the first time, the milk produced on campus has been distributed back to the University community.
Hy-Point Dairy is owned by Jay Meany, a 1981 graduate of CANR, and has long been an established partner in UD’s dairy initiatives. The Meany family includes several UD alumni, including not only Jay Meany but also Jessica Meany, a 2007 CANR graduate, and Dan Meany, a 2009 CANR graduate.
“We all take pride in our connection with UD, both as alumni and business partners,” said Dan Meany, who was also a member of the original business plan team for the UDairy Creamery in 2008. “Hy-Point continues to be dedicated to the development, establishment and overall progress of dairy initiatives at the University.”
From assisting with the initial business plan to providing countless hours of support and advice on planning and implementation efforts, the Meany family and others at Hy-Point have been instrumental in the overall success of the UDairy Creamery.
The milk distributed by Hy-Point will be sold in all of the on-campus markets and provided in the dining halls. And it will continue to be used for UDairy ice cream.
“We are fully-committed to local purchasing when possible and this new agreement with UD and Hy-Point will bring important sustainable efforts full-circle,” said Robin Moore, director of operations for dining services.
The UD dairy, located on the 350-acre CANR complex in Newark, not only provides milk for the University but also serves as a living laboratory for undergraduate and graduate students.
“Our college is very happy to enter into this partnership with Hy-Point, a local business that has been extremely supportive to us, especially in our efforts to start the UDairy Creamery,” said Tom Sims, deputy dean of CANR and the T.A. Baker Professor of Soil and Environmental Chemistry. “Our new cooperation with Hy-Point will allow students, faculty and staff at UD to enjoy locally-produced milk from our dairy every day. This is consistent with our college’s efforts to not only teach but demonstrate the principles of agricultural sustainability to our students.”
Most recently, the UD dairy farm has led the way in utilizing the latest in environmentally-friendly methods of farming and green technology. In 2009, the farm installed 44 solar panels on the roof of the manure recycling facility at the dairy farm as a green initiative to provide clean electrical power.
Other green projects at the farm have included converting a landfill into a natural resource area, a wetland project, stream restoration, a manure recycling facility and a new milking parlor, among others.
To learn more about CANR’s dairy research program, visit the website.
Learn more about the UDairy Creamery at this website.
Article by Rachael Dubinsky
Photo by Danielle Quigley