Agtegra Donates Recycled Park Benches to Communities
Jul 12, 2022
As part of their annual feed tub recycling program, Agtegra Cooperative has donated recycled park benches to four of its communities this year: Bowdle, Strasburg, Warner and Willow Lake.
For the past two years, Agtegra has offered discounts on new Purina® tubs for each tub returned to an Agtegra location. Purina then sent the used tubs to a plastic lumber manufacturer where portions of them were recycled into benches.
Previously, Agtegra locations with the most returned tubs received one of these benches to donate to their community. As the program has expanded, the feed division now asks locations to apply for a bench by determining where the recycled bench will be placed in their community, which is how this year’s bench recipients were selected. All four locations chose to place their bench in a park or at a baseball field.
Reduce, Reuse Recycle
From protein supplementation to reducing stress at weaning time, feed tubs offer many benefits for beef cattle. But once cattle have licked the tub licked clean, the tubs can often waste space. While some may be repurposed into flowerpots or storage containers, many eventually end up filling dumpsters and landfills.
Agtegra Cooperative knew there had to be a better solution.
“I looked for years for a place to take them, and the closest place I found was in the Twin Cities,” said Leola customer Jason Fauth. “It wasn’t going to be worth it to take the tubs that far.”
When Purina started the tub recycling campaign in 2020, the cooperative’s feed division took the opportunity to participate and ran with it.
“The recycling program is important for two reasons. First, it is important for us to help our patrons with all their production needs. Dealing with the empty tubs was a common request that I was getting. They wanted a way to get rid of their empty tubs other than burning them,” said Agtegra Feed Manager Scott Kilber. “Second, Agtegra wants to be a good steward of the land just like our patrons are. This is a way we can help do that for our patrons and ourselves.”
“I like it from the standpoint that the tubs are getting used again rather than getting piled up behind the shop or thrown away in a landfill. This gives another opportunity for usage,” Fauth said.
Contact your nearest Agtegra Feed location for details about the 2022 recycling program!
Through nutritional partners Dakotaland Feeds and Purina® Animal Nutrition, Agtegra provides area livestock producers with quality nutritional products and services to help every farm achieve its unique goals. For more information about Agtegra’s feed services, visit agtegra.com/feed or talk to your nearest Agtegra location.
For the past two years, Agtegra has offered discounts on new Purina® tubs for each tub returned to an Agtegra location. Purina then sent the used tubs to a plastic lumber manufacturer where portions of them were recycled into benches.
Previously, Agtegra locations with the most returned tubs received one of these benches to donate to their community. As the program has expanded, the feed division now asks locations to apply for a bench by determining where the recycled bench will be placed in their community, which is how this year’s bench recipients were selected. All four locations chose to place their bench in a park or at a baseball field.
Reduce, Reuse Recycle
From protein supplementation to reducing stress at weaning time, feed tubs offer many benefits for beef cattle. But once cattle have licked the tub licked clean, the tubs can often waste space. While some may be repurposed into flowerpots or storage containers, many eventually end up filling dumpsters and landfills.
Agtegra Cooperative knew there had to be a better solution.
“I looked for years for a place to take them, and the closest place I found was in the Twin Cities,” said Leola customer Jason Fauth. “It wasn’t going to be worth it to take the tubs that far.”
When Purina started the tub recycling campaign in 2020, the cooperative’s feed division took the opportunity to participate and ran with it.
“The recycling program is important for two reasons. First, it is important for us to help our patrons with all their production needs. Dealing with the empty tubs was a common request that I was getting. They wanted a way to get rid of their empty tubs other than burning them,” said Agtegra Feed Manager Scott Kilber. “Second, Agtegra wants to be a good steward of the land just like our patrons are. This is a way we can help do that for our patrons and ourselves.”
“I like it from the standpoint that the tubs are getting used again rather than getting piled up behind the shop or thrown away in a landfill. This gives another opportunity for usage,” Fauth said.
Contact your nearest Agtegra Feed location for details about the 2022 recycling program!
Through nutritional partners Dakotaland Feeds and Purina® Animal Nutrition, Agtegra provides area livestock producers with quality nutritional products and services to help every farm achieve its unique goals. For more information about Agtegra’s feed services, visit agtegra.com/feed or talk to your nearest Agtegra location.