PA Farm News - Dairy Industry Commits To Reducing Greenhouse Gases, Increasing Business Opportunities Across Value Chain

Dairy Industry Commits To Reducing Greenhouse Gases, Increasing Business Opportunities Across Value Chain
PHILADELPHIA — Dairy leaders recently announced an industry-wide commitment and action plan to reduce fluid milk’s carbon footprint while increasing business value, from farm to consumer.

“Sustainability is a challenge that requires industry-wide solutions, and our efforts establish a new standard for industry collaboration,” said David Weitzer, a Maryland dairy farmer and chairman of Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association. “This initiative will show that we are committed to preserving the earth in a way that makes economic sense to dairy farmers as we produce quality, nutritious dairy foods.”

The action plan is an outcome of the industry’s first Sustainability Summit for U.S. Dairy, an unprecedented gathering of 250 leaders representing producers, processors, non-governmental organizations, university researchers and government agencies held in Rogers, Ark., from June 16 to 19. The plan focuses on operational efficiencies and innovations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring financial viability and industry growth.

The Sustainability Summit was the first major step in a comprehensive dairy industry-wide initiative bringing together producers, processors and others to identify and address sustainability opportunities. Leading the initiative along with Dairy Management Inc.™ are the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), representing processors and manufacturers, and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), representing dairy cooperatives.

Summit attendees recommended a number of actions, including to:

Reduce energy use in the milk supply chain by developing technologies for next generation milk processing on the farm and in the plant.

Establish a mechanism to optimize returns to the dairy industry from a carbon credit trading system that encourages the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Reduce carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency for dairy farmers and processors through financially viable best management practices and tools that calculate individual farm energy and alternative energy opportunities.

Supply green power to communities by expanding the use of methane digesters.

Stimulate development of low-cost, low-carbon, consumer-acceptable packaging.

Reduce cooling costs and emissions associated with refrigeration by expanding economically feasible, environmentally responsible and consumer-accepted dairy products.

“From recycling water and manure to crop technologies that improve soil and prevent erosion, dairy farmers take measures every day to protect the planet,” Weitzer said. “But there’s still more that we can do. As an industry, we need to find ways to conserve energy and reduce production costs while retaining consumer confidence in our products.”

The innovative ideas and initiatives advanced by the Summit participants will be further refined for possible testing and evaluation. The goal will be to field-test several prototype projects to determine their real-world viability as ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program are the local planning and management organizations funded by dairy farmer checkoff dollars. They work closely with Dairy Management Inc. ™ and are responsible for increasing demand for U.S.-produced dairy products on behalf of Pennsylvania’s dairy farmers. For more information, visit www.dairyspot.com.

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