John Fiscalini Vice-Chairman of the Board, John and his wife, Heather, live on the Fiscalini dairy farm in northwest Modesto where they milk 1600 registered Holsteins, and farm 530 acres of walnuts, wine grapes, and forages for the dairy. The dairy was founded in 1914 by John's grandfather. John also operates a farmstead cheese facility, making raw milk artisan cheeses. John graduated from Oregon State University with a BS in microbiology. He was elected to the Yosemite Farm Credit, ACA Board in 2004.

John Fiscalini named "Dairyman of the Year" by World Dairy Expo World Dairy Expo has honored John Fiscalini of Modesto as Dairyman of the Year for his innovative farm business plan and industry leadership. Fiscalini, a member of Western United Dairyman, has been described as a masterful innovator and business planner. His progressive mindset prompted him to become an advocate for modern dairy and farming practices. John Fiscalini An early adapter of the farmstead cheese movement, in 2000, his Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese Company has become a model for others aspiring to initiate a successful new market opportunity by creating high quality cheese products utilizing their herd's milk. John's cheese company has won numerous awards including gold medals at the American Cheese Society, California state Fair and World Cheese Award competitions. In 2007, a Fiscalini produced cheese was awarded the World's Best Extra Mature Cheddar at the World Cheese Awards in London, UK. IN 2011, the same cheese repeated with a Super Gold Medal. Fiscalini grew up on the family dairy in Modest. Since taking over the management of Fiscalini Farms, John has grown the herd from 400 registered Holsteins to 1500 cows, adding some registered Jerseys and Brown Swiss. The herd average is 27,200 pounds of milk, 1020 pounds of butterfat and 830 pounds of protein, with low somatic cell counts. Fiscalini Farms was the first dairy in the nation to be certified through Validus Services, Inc. for animal welfare, food safety and environmental well-being. They have partnered with ABS on their young sire and genomics programs, and conducted on-farm research with University of California-Davis, Zinpro, Monsanto, and the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission. John and his son, Brian operate 460 acres which they triple-crop utilizing a combination of conventional, reduced till and no-till cropping practices. A methane digester on the farm transforms manure into renewable electricity and also produces hot water to sanitize the milking parlor and cheese plant. The digester produces enough electricity for the dairy, the cheese plant and 250 area homes. They dry the solids and use them for bedding. John has serves currently on the Dairy Management, Inc. board and the National Dairy Research and Promotion Board. His is Vice Chairman of the board of directors of Yosemite Farm Credit. John was chair of the Johnes Advisory Board in California, and director of local, state and national DHIA organizations. John has been featured as a speaker at the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin annual business conference and the American Cheese Society Conference.

The methane digester—two large 14-inch thick concrete tanks, each 86 feet in diameter and 24 feet tall, with plastic tops—will act as incubators, keeping the fresh manure generated by Fiscalini's 1500 Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss herd at a constant 100 degree temperature.In addition, whey from their cheese making facility plus any feed not eaten by the cows each day will be pumped into the tanks.The digester is kept warm by the process of radiant heat: 1-inch plastic tubing that run under the floors and coil through the concrete walls.Fiscalini also plans to grow Sudan Grass, which requires much nitrogen (derived from the manure), to use as silage, feeding it directly into the tanks on a daily basis.All Fiscalini cheeses will soon wear a "green sticker" logo—bearing the acronym PURE (Produced Using Renewable Energy)—which John Fiscalini helped design.Said John Fiscalini, "Our family dairying tradition goes back many generations.Said John Fiscalini, whose family's dairying roots can be traced back in Switzerland three centuries, "While we certainly benefit from the soil and climate conditions in California's San Joaquin Valley, Fiscalini cheese is now world renowned.John Fiscalini, a fourth generation owner/operator who established Fiscalini Cheese Company with his wife, Heather, in the year 2000, is one of twelve founding members.Said John Fiscalini, "We have, for some time, recognized the need for this type of organization.Fiscalini's entire line of superior quality cheddars—18 - 30 month aged Bandage Wrapped, Purple Moon and other seasoned varieties as well as Horsefeathers (horseradish/cheddar spread)—has won numerous awards both nationally and abroad.The company is distinguished by its commitment to traditional crafting combined with state of the art production methods.Fiscalini received a highly favorable write up in March WINE SPECTATOR as well as THE NATIONAL CULINARY REVIEW.Determined to achieve Old World elegance and excellence while situated in the ideal climate of Modesto, California, John Fiscalini together with his master cheesemakers has brought to bear the most rigorous and exacting standards: thirteen completely natural, artisanal raw milk cheeses (containing no antibiotics or bovine growth hormones) are handcrafted the old-fashioned way in small batches—expensive and labor intensive but critical to ensure optimum taste and texture.San Joaquin Gold, an American Original, is a unique natural rind cheese created by Fiscalini.For the first time, Fiscalini will be participating in the NASFT—Fancy Food—Show held in New York City, June 27 - 29.The cheese will also have a prominent presence at American Cheese Society Conference, July 22nd in Milwaukee.Said President John Fiscalini, who oversees every detail of the production/aging process: "Our vision is being realized and our dedication to perfection appreciated by more and more connoisseurs while an increasing number of serious cheese lovers, around the country and abroad, recognize and ask for these unique cheeses.

In February, just days before firing up his dairy's $4 million digester for the first time, California's John Fiscalini is already discouraged. "If I had known then what I know now, I'm not sure I would have built it," he says. The Modesto, Calif., dairy producer had hoped to be a successful pioneer in the state's digester implementation, paving the way with a technology that has promised to provide environmental benefits, energy creation and increased revenue streams. But Fiscalini has encountered one obstacle after another since he began the venture in 2006. He's seen cost overruns drive up expenses for the aboveground, complete-mix digester, initially projected at $1 million. March 6, 2009 Dairy Today

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Fiscalini gets a state grant to install methane digester Saturday, January 13, 2007 The Fiscalini family's dairy cows, already famous for their cheese, soon will be known for the energy they produce. The Kiernan Avenue farm has received a state grant for a system that extracts methane from manure and burns the gas to make electricity. It would be the first such system in the Modesto Irrigation District, which might buy some of the power. John Fiscalini, co-owner of Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese and about 3,000 head of cattle, said the system will meet his energy needs while disposing of the manure. His is one of nine farms chosen for a second round of dairy-gas grants from the California Energy Commission.

If that doesn't happen, the most environmentally progressive practices are worthless" says John Fiscalini, head of Fiscalini Farms and Cheese Factory. John says that they did not really make a conscious decision to work sustainably, but simply evolved their practices as their ancestors have taught each generation to farm and manage cows. John and his family aim to be among the leaders of the agriculture industry in both productivity/unit and profitability/unit. They are in the top 10% of dairy farms in the nation for milk production per cow. This is achieved by best management practices and use of proven technology. They do not have access to enough information to know if they are among the most profitable dairies, but with the limited information available, John believes that they are in the top 25%. Challenges for the new sustainable technologies One of the main challenges that John has encountered in his methane digester project (which has been delayed more than 13 months) has been the shifting priorities of the regulators, not being in synch with each other. "Each agency looks at a specific item that is their "panic button" and ignores the overall positive impacts" he says. "And the air board has now added $250,000 to the project, for something that may have no impact at all on air quality." In the dairy industry the costs involved in the methane-converting systems are being widely discussed. This might be a set-back in rolling out the technology. John Fiscalini agrees that cost is likely to be a major deterrent for farmers and processors, in the US and globally. He thinks consumer and government support will be the key to adopting the technology. "It's the right thing to do" - but how? According to John there are many ways you can start working more sustainably. Most are practical changes in management, with better recordkeeping about fertilizer applications, better irrigation practices, and restrictive use of herbicides and pesticides, use of no-till practices. "Most of us do these things already", he says, "but we can improve.