AN environmental focus is winning awards for Meadows dairy producers B.-d. Farm Paris Creek.
The company was recently named Hills and Coast winner of the Department of State Development Innovation Award.
Located between the Fleurieu Peninsula and the Adelaide Hills, B.-d Farm Paris Creek is a paddock-to-plate dairy company processing milk for its own certified biodynamic-organic milk, yoghurt, quark (cottage cheese), soft and hard cheeses and butter products sold nationally and internationally.
A major factor for this award was a two-year project, which finished in April, installing photovoltaic solar panels for electricity, evacuated solar tubes for hot water, and upgrading their processing plant for better efficiencies.
Owner Ulli Spranz (pictured) said that converting to solar was important to the company from its inception.
"We are an environmentally friendly company and have always been looking to minimise our carbon footprint," she said.
"The high-tech new processing equipment is far more efficient and opens-up options for future development and expansion."