The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®, established under the leadership of dairy farmers, is now accepting nominations for the second year of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards. The award program recognizes dairy farms, businesses and collaborative partnerships for their contributions to healthy people, healthy products and a healthy planet, and showcases the ways that sustainability makes good business sense.

Nominations are open through November 15, 2012, to all segments of the U.S. dairy value chain—from farm to table—for the following categories:

• Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability
• Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability
• Outstanding Achievement in Renewable Energy
• Outstanding Achievement in Energy Efficiency

An independent panel of judges will evaluate all nominations based on the program’s or project’s results as measured by triple-bottom-line success—economic, environmental and social. Judges also will assess the potential for adoption of the practices by other dairy farms and businesses; demonstrated learning, innovation and improvement; and scalability.

For more information or to nominate, go to USDairy.com/Sustainability/Awards.