Blue Star Dairy Farms in DeForest, Wisconsin, is a multi-generational family owned and operated dairy with two locations that support upward of 2,000 cows.

Due to the dairy’s continued expansion and progressive planning efforts, farm partners recognized a need to make improvements to manure management systems in order to increase storage capacity and improve farm workflow. Blue Star elected to partner with MSA agricultural engineers to begin the multi-phased process, beginning with planning and permit updates and resulting in a new manure storage facility, increased farm access, improved traffic flow and boosted dairy “curb appeal.”

The central component of the project addresses manure storage facilities at the dairy. The prior system included four manure storage systems, one of which was an aging structure that needed abandonment. MSA worked with the family to remove the deteriorating storage tank and design and construct a new 8-million-gallon vertical wall tank. The new tank is approximately 95,000 square feet in size and utilized 2,700 cubic yards of ready-mix concrete. This is a marked increase in storage capacity for the farm — more than six months’ worth — and an increase of 3.36 million gallons of storage over the prior system. This improvement allows the dairy to reach its 180-day benchmark of storage, assists with waste transfer, and positions them to continue to expand and meet consumer demands.

Blue Star Dairy constructed a new manure storage system to meet requirements for groundwater, bedrock, and permit regulations for the safe transfer and storage of waste within the property. It also helps streamline the efficient transfer of nutrients from storage to the field for land application.

In conjunction with improvements to the farm’s waste facilities, MSA agricultural engineers worked with the dairy to transform site access and traffic flow, adding a driveway entrance to support higher vehicle traffic during peak operations, farm tours and educational events. The project also improves farm aesthetics and creates a more pleasant first impression for travelers, visitors and guests.

This project received the 2021 Wisconsin Ready Mixed Concrete Association (WRMCA) Design Award in the Agricultural Category. Blue Star Dairy, MSA, and project partners Advanced Concrete and Ace Concrete were all recognized during the 40^th Annual Concrete Design Awards Ceremony held on February 3, 2022.