Draft:Grassland Dairy Products Inc
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Last edited by Jesperomys (talk | contribs) 5 minutes ago. (Update) |
Grassland Dairy Products, Inc., commonly known as Grassland Dairy, is an American family-owned dairy processing company headquartered in Greenwood, Wisconsin.
History
[edit]Grassland Dairy’s roots date back to 1893 when the Wuethrich family emigrated from Switzerland to the fertile farmlands of central Wisconsin. Soon after settling, the family established a small dairy operation. In 1904, John S. Wuethrich, member of the family, acquired a local creamery that would become the foundation of Grassland Dairy.
Controversies
[edit]Environmental Violations and Fines
[edit]In 2014, Grassland Dairy Products Inc. was fined $300,000 by the Wisconsin Department of Justice for violations of its Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit. The permit, which regulates the company's discharge levels to protect water quality, set a maximum daily biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) limit of 82.6 pounds. Between 2006 and 2013, Grassland exceeded this limit 119 times, though only three of these incidents were reported to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) as required. Following a $70 million expansion in 2010 that increased production, the company reportedly did not make necessary adjustments to manage the impact on its wastewater system.
The repeated exceedances raised environmental concerns, particularly regarding the Black River, which is located approximately two miles from the company’s facilities. The elevated BOD levels in wastewater discharges were found to deplete dissolved oxygen in the river, which could impact aquatic ecosystems. The Black River had already been listed as impaired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency due to low dissolved oxygen levels. The fine, announced on August 5, 2014, by Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, highlighted regulatory concerns about the company’s compliance with environmental standards.
Price-Fixing Allegations
[edit]In 2020, Grassland Dairy Products Inc. was named in a class-action lawsuit alleging price-fixing in the butter market, along with several other major dairy producers. The lawsuit claimed that these companies conspired to inflate prices, resulting in higher costs for consumers and retailers. This controversy raised significant antitrust concerns within the dairy industry, highlighting issues of anti-competitive practices. Grassland Dairy has denied the allegations, asserting compliance with applicable laws, while the case remains ongoing in the legal system, potentially impacting the company's operations and the broader dairy market.