Green farming effort turns brewery leftovers into livestock feed
Global News
Calgary-area company connects brewers with farmers and ranchers: 'the brewers get to get rid of it and it stays out of the landfill'
A young farmer in the Calgary area has come up with an innovative way of helping local businesses grow. And Victoria Ross is promoting “farm to table” with a stop at a brewery along the way.
Ross runs aGRO Systems out of her farm about half an hour’s drive north of Calgary.
aGRO collects the grain mash left over after local craft breweries have finished brewing a batch, selling it to southern Alberta farmers and ranchers to use as livestock feed.
Ross grew up on a farm and she’s delighted that’s she’s found a way to carry on the family tradition.
“It’s actually really awesome,” Ross said. “We’re focused on connecting our whole food production system.”
Ol’ Beautiful Brewing Co. is one of about 30 Calgary-area breweries that pay aGRO to collect their leftover brewer’s mash, rather than tossing it out.
“It’s going to local farmers,” Ol’ Beautiful’s Carley Leger said. “So it’s helping other local people in our city and our area, which is always great to help with.”
Among the farmers and ranchers buying the mash to use as feed is Tall Timber Cattle Co.
