CPS Lake Odessa: Commitment To Improved Stewardship
March 14, 2012 Like many agricultural businesses across the nation, the land Crop Production Services (CPS), Lake Odessa, MI, sits on has housed many retail fertilizer facilities for as long as most in the community can remember.
“Unfortunately the handling practices and environmental stewardship that is prevalent today has not always been a practice in the past,” says Clay Martz, location manager at CPS. “We are responsible for and working to address current environmental conditions that have been the result of poor practices in the past.”
And CPS Lake Odessa has proven it’s up to the challenge.
Martz and his team have regraded the entire facility to direct and collect water in detention ponds to eliminate runoff and prevent large volumes of water from leaving the site. Numerous hybrid poplar and willow trees were planted to draw contaminants out of the soil in a natural way, while at the same time creating more green space for wildlife. All liquid material transfers are conducted within a contained, sealed facility or above an operational pad, so drips can be collected and removed to appropriate storage. Hydronic radiant floor heating keeps the floors in the dry fertilizer building free of moisture and containers are recycled as part of a state program.
CPS Lake Odessa has addressed security by surrounding the facility with a locked fence. Staff have created a spill kit that allows employees to quickly load a truck for rapid response in the event of an emergency. CPS has also invited the local fire department, county sheriff and regional Department of Homeland Security personnel for an emergency preparedness meeting and walk through of the facility.
“This facility has undergone many improvements to protect our assets and the land surrounding our property,” says Martz. “Our involvement with local service clubs, working with food banks and attending local events sends a message our staff is committed to producing agricultural products that are safe to handle and consume.”
Note: Crop Production Services in Lake Odessa, MI, was a 2011 state Environmental Respect Award winner. For more information on this program, which is sponsored by DuPont, click here.
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