MEET AARON KLEEMANN, TRANSPORTATION ANALYST II
Foremost Farms is proud to be a provider of high-quality dairy products. As we honor National Supply Chain Day, meet Foremost Farms’ Transportation Analyst, Aaron Kleemann. Aaron plays a key role in ensuring the cooperative’s products get where they need to go. His work allows him to engage with people at every step of the supply chain to make sure goods are transported as efficiently and sustainably as possible.
PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE WITHIN FOREMOST FARMS AND YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
At Foremost Farms, my role involves working on a range of exciting and impactful projects. A key highlight is optimizing our transportation routes to ensure timely, efficient delivery of our dairy products. This includes analyzing data, coordinating with carriers and continuously improving logistics processes. I’m also deeply involved in rate analysis and negotiating carrier contracts, including a recent initiative to expand our LTL (Less Than Truckload) refrigerated carrier services. One of my proudest accomplishments was identifying a new LTL carrier near our Waupun co-manufacturer and Appleton distribution center, which helped reduce empty miles and improve overall efficiency.
Collaboration is also a big part of my work. I regularly coordinate with customer care coordinators and the sales team to align transportation plans with customer needs and schedules. It helps us maintain a smooth flow of operations and keeps our customers satisfied.
One of the biggest challenges I face is navigating the ever-changing markets alongside our dynamic Foremost Farms network, where frequent changes in plant product lines often shift customer pickup location. This requires constant adaptation and strategic planning. At the same time, I’m involved in sustainability projects aimed at reducing our carbon footprint. It’s rewarding to be part of a team that’s committed to making our transportation practices more environmentally friendly.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WORKING AT FOREMOST FARMS?
My favorite thing about working at Foremost Farms is knowing that we’re all here to support our members – the backbone of our cooperative and the dairy industry. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that we’re doing everything we can to provide healthy and nutritious products to the world using our members’ milk. From the initial raw milk to planning, production, sales, quality, and finally to transportation, every step plays a role in making great products.
WHAT IS THE EPA SMARTWAY PROGRAM AND HOW IS IT BEING UTILIZED AT FOREMOST FARMS?
The EPA SmartWay program supports our efforts to improve supply chain sustainability by helping us measure and enhance transportation efficiency.
We use carrier provided data to complete our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory. This helps us understand where our GHG emissions hotspots are across our cooperative. By tracking metrics such as average miles per load and weight per shipment, we gain valuable insight into our environmental impact.
These key metrics allow us to benchmark the hauling efficiency of our different transport partners. This allows us to make data-driven decisions about which carriers best support our goals for efficiency and emissions reduction. Through the SmartWay program, Foremost Farms is committed to adopting fuel-saving technologies and practices that lower costs and reduce our environmental footprint.
WITH APRIL BEING EARTH MONTH, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO PRIORITIZE SUSTAINABILITY IN FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION?
Sustainability is crucial in freight transportation for several reasons. Transportation is responsible for 28% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the USA, making it the largest contributing sector. By prioritizing sustainability, we can conserve natural resources, reduce emissions and air pollution and achieve cost savings through optimized hauling routes and improved fuel efficiency. Ultimately, freight transportation aligns with all three dimensions of sustainability: environmental conservation, economic stability and social impact.
For a complete overview of Foremost Farms’ sustainability commitments, please view our 2022 sustainability report here.