MVP Dairy LLC, which supplies milk exclusively to Danone North America, announced Monday it has earned B Corp Certification—the first dairy farm to earn the award, according to B Lab.

Danone North America, which uses MVP Dairy's milk in its non-GMO yogurts, is the world's largest certified B Corporation.

Certified B Corps are businesses that have opted to become part of a culture shift toward the concept of using business as a force for good. The assessment required for certification measures a company's effect on people and the environment, including its supply chain, its treatment of employees and its charitable giving. Companies must be in business for a year to be eligible for certification.

In the United States, only 14 companies in the "growers" category are Certified B Corps, including MVP Dairy.

MVP Dairy is owned by the McCarty-VanTilburg Partnership, formed by two families with a long history of farming and operating dairies. MVP was named Dairy Herd Management's 2020 Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year.

"As fourth generation farmers, we know the care we provide to our cows, land and team members today can help create a more sustainable world tomorrow," Ken McCarty, co-owner of MVP Dairy, said in a released statement. "Using our farms to help strengthen our communities has never been more important and we are incredibly proud to join a movement that holds businesses to a higher standard of accountability."

The Celina, Ohio, dairy earned an impact score of 106.3 out of a possible 200 points; a company must score at least 80 points for certification. In addition, companies must work to improve its score and be recertified every three years.

MVP Dairy earned a high score for its environmental impact, as it employs regenerative agriculture practices including no-till farming and planting cover crops. This helps keep carbon and water in the soil, improving the quality of the environment.

The dairy uses its cows' manure to fertilize its fields, as well.

"The farm was specifically designed to effectively and efficiently handle manure from our cows while reducing odors and preventing potential runoff. Not only do we care about our community, our families and friends live near the dairy so responsible manure management is always a top priority," according to the website.

"We are a mission-driven family farm that constantly strives to improve our farming practices and how we do business," McCarty says. "This designation demonstrates our on-going commitment to put innovation and progress over profit while helping us identify ways we can achieve more for our people and planet."

"It is more critical than ever that companies demonstrate their purpose in society, and joining Danone North America in the B Corp movement is a major achievement for MVP Dairy," Emmanuel Faber, chairman and chief executive officer of Danone, said in the released statement. "We believe that success in business can be redefined by building a more resilient economy that serves all stakeholders."

Source: MVP Dairy LLC