Beretta Family Dairy Sonoma County
Members of the Beretta Family Dairy, including Jennifer, left, and her father, Doug, employ conservation efforts such as composting and using recycled water. The Santa Rosa family is also known for its support of agricultural education.
improve soil health. The Berettas have always strived to get ahead of problems before they become bigger issues. For example, they worked with the city of Santa Rosa in the early 1980s to become one of the first producers to accept the city’s recycled water for irrigation. In the mid-2000s, when the California tiger salamander was a federally endangered species, the Berettas participated on a county task force and served as advocates and educators to fellow dairy producers. The Berettas also have long supported agricultural education programs, hosting hundreds of students at the dairy and stressing to them the importance of conservation. Additionally, they’ve offered dairy tours to regulatory agencies and elected officials to provide firsthand knowledge and dispel misperceptions.
Seeking and sharing solutions Conserving natural resources is as much ingrained into the DNA of the Beretta family as running their multigenerational dairy. “My dad and granddad taught me to do the right thing and, most importantly, to not milk more cows than the ranch can handle. And I’ve always tried to remember that when it comes to making decisions for the dairy,” said Doug Beretta, who farms with his wife, Sharon, and children Ryan and Jennifer. (Daughter Lisa and her son, Braydon, also help.) The fourth-generation farming family’s newest conservation efforts include an automatic scraper and separating system that allows them to compost dried manure solids. They then use that compost in the free- stall barn for cow bedding and on their pastures to
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January/February 2022
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