Big Island dairy growing own feed to cut costs
Associated Press
One of the state's two remaining dairy farms is growing its own feed to cope with soaring shipping costs.
The 500-cow Island Dairy says it spends about $1.6 million a year buying feed from the Mainland.
Island Dairy manager Scott Tripp says the farm should be able to spend half as much by growing its own feed.
The Ookala farm is harvesting its first 50-acre crop of feed corn. It plans to eventually grow 200 acres of corn.
It has another 35 acres of sorghum, alfalfa and peanuts growing in experimental plots.
Island Dairy is one of the two surviving dairies in the state, along with Cloverleaf Dairy in Hawi.
