Profile: Manitoba-based dairy farmer

The challenge: Managing thousands of wrapped bales each year while keeping plastic out of the environment

In Woodlands, Manitoba, Curtis Hueging carries on the family tradition at Hueging Dairy Ltd. His father purchased the farm in 1979, when it was a 50-cow dairy. Today, Curtis and his family milk 100 dairy cows on the property and manage a 200-head beef operation.

Most of the feed for the dairy herd is stored in wrapped bales, with the operation going through between 1,500 and 2,000 wrapped bales of feed each year. Managing that amount of plastic is no small job. Until recently, they cut the plastic, folded it up, and stored it in bags. It worked, but it wasn’t efficient.

That changed in spring 2025, when Hueging Dairy received an ag plastic compactor through Cleanfarms’ pilot project run in collaboration with Dairy Farmers of Canada. Now, as the family feeds silage to their dairy cows, they collect the plastic wrap and add it into the compactor once a week. They’re able to produce roughly one neat, dense bale a month, which are far easier to store and transport than the collection bags.

“The compactor has proven to be more efficient than bags,” Curtis says. “It’s simple to use. It’s a good tool.”

For now, Curtis is storing the compacted bales until the first on-farm pickup is arranged and the plastic can be sent to be recycled. “This is a good option to avoid people burning or landfilling the plastic and keeping it out of the environment,” he adds.

For Curtis, farming has always been about more than just production. “I’ve always really enjoyed the cattle,” he says. “I like being out in the country and with the animals. I grew up that way, so it’s in my blood. It’s also about being close to family and having my kids around.”

With the addition of the compactor, he’s able to focus more on what matters most: caring for the animals and spending time with family—while knowing the farm is doing its part to reduce waste and protect the land for the next generation.