News

Dairy Management Inc.’s (DMI) CEO, Barbara O’Brien, highlighted dairy checkoff’s key strategies at the 2024 Joint Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. O’Brien elaborated on how the checkoff initiative is actively working to meet the evolving market trends and shifting consumer demands, both in the present and as part of its plans for 2025 and beyond.

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program recently presented its fourth annual FARM Excellence Awards at the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Joint Annual Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. Double S Dairy in Markesan, Wisconsin, a patron of Saputo Cheese U.S.A., received the 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award. This recognition highlights the farm’s commitment to innovation and its efforts to implement sustainable and environmentally responsible practices at the farm level.

Version 3 of the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Environmental Stewardship (ES) tool is set to launch in the coming weeks. A key feature of this update is the integration of the Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model, which will assist producers in gaining deeper insights into on-farm greenhouse gas emissions and opportunities for reduction. RuFaS will enable the tool to simulate a range of scenarios involving feed rations, manure management, field practices, and more.

Prairie Farms, a farmer-owned cooperative, is now offering premium payments to its farmers for their participation in the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management program and their engagement in the FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) program. These incentives will allow farmers to invest in their lifelong commitment to sustainability and continue providing high-quality of milk to consumers.

Athian-validated protocols undergo an extensive scientific review and monitoring process to ensure their credibility and accuracy. To uphold scientific transparency and integrity, each protocol must undergo a process of submission, development, scientific review, validation, and cataloging. Final approval marks just the beginning, as these protocols are living documents that require frequent evaluation to ensure they remain relevant and effective.

Implementing a manure-based anaerobic digester on a dairy farm offers promising opportunities for energy production and additional revenue streams. However, farmers should evaluate their farm’s goals and objectives before adopting the practice. Thoughtful planning, construction, management, partnerships, and long-term considerations are essential in deciding whether to install a digester.

Vice President of Soil, Feed, and Water Research at Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), Reza Afshar, joins the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) to discuss the Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration (DSWR) project. This six-year study was initiated by DMI in collaboration with the Soil Health Institute (SHI), focusing on soil health and manure management and their effects on greenhouse gas reduction, water quality improvement, and agronomic factors such as forage yield and quality.

Research-driven strategies for reducing enteric methane can provide farmers with affordable solutions to lessen their environmental impact. Prioritizing the needs and perspectives of farmers, the Greener Cattle Initiative (GCI) is funding and facilitating these research strategies in areas of nutrition, the rumen microbiome, genetics, sensing and data technology, and socioeconomic analysis to help decrease methane emissions in dairy and beef cattle.

Environmental stewardship is second nature to dairy farmers. By caring for the land, cows, and their communities, dairy farmers create a system where these elements symbiotically support the farm. Dairy farmers nationwide are investigating ways to lessen their environmental impact and meet the industry’s sustainability targets through innovative practices and technologies in areas such as manure management, dairy feed production, milk yield optimization, animal health advancements, and energy usage.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District are facing significant pressure to discontinue a statewide dairy incentive program. This program rewards farmers for implementing innovative technologies that reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The dairy industry is actively working to preserve this incentive by debunking misconceptions about the technologies and programs that help farmers reduce emissions and achieve their sustainability goals.