In the heart of Wisconsin's dairy country, a powerful partnership is demonstrating how farms can be more efficient, sustainable and competitive in the marketplace.
At Miltrim Farms in Athens, Wisconsin, co-owner David Trimner oversees the largest robotic milking facility in the state, an operation that produces 300,000 pounds of milk daily from approximately 1,800 cows. Founded in 1988 by David’s father, Scott Trimmer, and uncle, Tom Miller, the farm has become a model of American agricultural efficiency, regularly hosting international visitors eager to learn about U.S. dairy farming practices.
But efficiency in modern agriculture requires more than just good farming techniques — it demands the right energy infrastructure and smart technology choices.
Building the infrastructure for growth
As farms like Miltrim have expanded, their energy needs have grown substantially. "Farms use a lot more energy than they have in the past, and Xcel Energy is a key partner to help them expand their operations," said Adam Boese, team lead for Commercial Agricultural Account Management at Xcel Energy.
To power Miltrim's robotic milking facility, Xcel Energy installed extensive infrastructure, including power lines and lightning arrestors to protect against sporadic outages during storms — critical protection for operations that run around the clock.
Miltrim Farms also took advantage of Xcel Energy’s Farm Rewiring program, which helps eligible agricultural customers fund electrical system updates with up to $20,000 in grants. Since 2016, Miltrim Farms has saved over $100,000 on upgrades through the Farm Rewiring program, ensuring compliance with electrical codes and leading to safer operation of equipment and improved energy efficiency.
And in an industry where profit margins are determined by market forces beyond farmers' control, operational efficiency isn't optional. "We don't get to decide what we sell our milk for," said Trimner. "It's kind of based on the general market. And so you have to be very efficient with everything that you do."
That's where Kevin Weiler, an energy advisor with Focus on Energy comes in. Working alongside Xcel Energy, Weiler and his team conduct comprehensive energy audits and walkthroughs to identify opportunities for savings. At Miltrim, these efforts have guided critical decisions about facility upgrades, from LED lighting instead of high-pressure sodium or metal halide fixtures, to variable frequency drives (VFDs) paired with high-efficiency fans.
The partnership's impact has been remarkable. Through various energy efficiency programs and upgrades, Miltrim Farms has saved approximately 3.3 million kilowatt hours of energy — enough electricity to power the entire village of Athens, Wisconsin, for a year.
"Partnering with Xcel Energy and Focus on Energy together has been really great," said Trimner. "They have really helped guide us to the right incentive programs, to the right products that are going to make us more energy efficient."
That’s a partnership that makes Boese proud as well. "These farms are feeding families all across America,” he said, “and it's nice to see Xcel Energy be part of that."