Profile: Quebec-based dairy farmer

The challenge: Efficiently managing on-farm waste created through use of bale wrap i to feed 60 head of cattle year-round

Terry Forget is a third-generation dairy farmer in the Kiamika region of Quebec, near the Laurentians. He maintains a herd of 60 dairy cattle, free ranging. For him, bale-wrapped hay is the cost-effective and most nutrient-dense solution to feeding his herd, but he’s more than conscious of the plastic waste this approach creates. While he and some of his neighbours have used bins to manage the waste, he knew that it couldn’t be the best solution. It was unsightly and left him with several cumbersome bags of dirty bale wrap to transport to the landfill when the time came, which was both inefficient and time-consuming.

When Cleanfarms approached him on behalf of Dairy Farmers of Canada to offer another solution, he was all ears. Throughout Quebec, farmers in 2024 were offered on-farm compactors to make it easier to prepare materials for recycling ag plastic on the farm.

“Before, when we got rid of the plastic, it probably ended up in landfill sites,” he says “Now, we accumulate enough bales and AgriRÉCUP (Cleanfarms) collects them. The farm stays clean, there are no unnecessary plastic piles, and we know that the plastic will be recycled and reused. This is a much smarter, sustainable way to manage waste.”

The compactor gets a five-star review from Forget. “It’s an amazing tool,” he says. “We just stack the plastic, press it, leave it for a few days, then remove the block and continue adding more. Then, we tie the bale and dismantle the box. I love the idea…and it saves me time!”

This streamlines his tasks on a busy family farm where the daily tasks never stop. “Taking all this ag plastic to the recycling center would be complicated and taxing on my time. Instead, with the compacting press, we get bales that are so much easier to handle and transport.”

For Terry, recycling is another part of his tradition of farming. His ethic includes protecting the land, not throwing away items that can be recovered and repaired and being sure to avoid pollution and landfill, wherever possible. Being part of this project enables him to uphold his values and contribute to the sustainability culture that aligns with this beliefs.