25 YEARS ENVIRONMENTAL RESPECT 2O15 ENVIRONMENT AL RESPECT A
W ARDS Sp o n sor e d b y
E A ST
GREEN VALLEY AGRICULTURAL SPREADING A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL MESSAGE
agricultural base. Bordering a nearby crop field, Green Valley’s main office building has the look of a grower’s barn, complete with a red wooden facade and white trim. According to company President John Christian, this helps even casual visitors realize just how close the company and its grower-customers are. “We hope our visibility and professionalism help
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portray a positive overall image about agriculture,” says Christian. “Green Valley is proud to serve a segment of the community that many urban citizens see as the face of agriculture.” In part because of these efforts to spread a positive
message about agriculture, Green Valley has been named one of the regional winners of the 2015 Environ- mental Respect Awards. “I think we are really happy with what we’ve been able to accomplish here,” says Christian. “It feels really good to receive this award.” Considering the marketplace Green Valley has to cater
to, he adds, makes this stewardship recognition even more gratifying. As in many parts of Western Michigan, agricul- ture in Allegan County is incredibly diverse. Among the nu- merous row crop growers are also dozens of fruit orchards, horticultural-centered greenhouses and dairy farms. To all of these that are Green Valley customers, the
company preaches a message of responsible steward- ship. “Sustainability is a mentality that has steward- ship, quality of life and profitability at its core,” says Christian. “Green Valley works hard to help our clients understand that the proper use of agricultural inputs ac- complishes all of those core attributes.” Naturally, given this approach to its customers, Green
Valley spent considerable time looking at all the environ- mental aspects when its Wayland facility was construct-
RIVING UP TO the Green Valley Agricultural Inc. facility just outside of Wayland, MI, a visitor will quickly notice how it connects with the area’s
Above: Green Valley Ag
designed its main building to look like a barn to connect with grower-customers.
Right: John Christian, left, and Jeff Gilder.
ed in 2014. In particular, says Jeff Gilder, environmental services manager, the company paid close attention to water flow. “The flow of water is diverted from both the dry and
liquid fertilizer buildings,” says Gilder. “All rainwater flows into retaining areas with grass and then is fun- neled to the local county drain system.” Also, he adds, when Green Valley personnel rinse tending equipment or sprayers, the run-off goes directly into rinse water tanks to be used in field applications. Environmental precautions are also present in the
company’s dry fertilizer building. Besides being under roof, the building features a floor-heating system using a closed-loop boiler. “Oftentimes, weather conditions will cause concrete to sweat and condensate, which can cause fertilizer to deteriorate quickly,” says Gilder. “Heating the floor keeps this from happening, allowing us to quickly and easily clean floors.” Other environmental aspects of the Green Valley
Wayland facility include having its tanks for diesel and gasoline double-steel lined, self-contained and more than 50 feet from any building and having a separate shop building for its maintenance and repair require- ments. In addition, the company has a concrete pad between and outside its railroad unloading area to facilitate clean-up after deliveries. According to Christian, these and the other steward-
ship-oriented features at the Wayland facility are all part of a bigger community-focused mindset at the com- pany. “Green Valley expects that the way we live, the things we do in our company culture and the places we spend our money all reflect our heart and mind about loving our neighbor as ourselves,” he says. — Eric Sfiligoj
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ENVIRONMENTAL RESPECT
July 2015
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