Sustainability
Sustainability has become a prominent social topic in the 21st century. People are caring more about the environment than ever before, and the impact of human activities on the planet has grown to become a central issue as we look to the future. NMPF recognizes the importance of addressing the "carbon footprint" of our industry, while promoting programs that help make dairy farms as environmentally-conscious as possible. We also believe it’s important to educate consumers about the benefits that dairy farms bring to the environment, as they produce a highly-nutritious food using animals that help recycle forage and grains.
USDA to Provide Federal Support for Innovation Center Dairy Sustainability Efforts - December 15, 2009
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between USDA and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairythat will provide federal support for the Innovation Center’s dairy sustainability efforts.
The MOU was announced by Vilsack from Copenhagen, Denmark - where he was attending the international climate talks - but the agreement with the dairy industry was not part of the climate change policy debate. The international media attention on Copenhagen and the climate talks simply provided Vilsack with a visible forum to announce the MOU.
The real focus of the agreement was on gaining USDA support – through research dollars and program improvements– for some of the 12 initiatives that the Innovation Center adopted earlier this year. Those projects formed the backbone of the Innovation Center’s commitment on behalf of the U.S. dairy industry to achieve a 25% reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
This MOU would open the door for USDA to fund research the dairy industry has identified as priorities along the supply chain, from animal feed and manure management to transportation and processing innovations. This was the type of research that could help dairy farmers, dairy cooperatives, and dairy processors cut costs by reducing energy use and, potentially, develop new revenue streams.
The Innovation Center's press release on the MOU is available here.
DMI Launches Website for U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment - September 21, 2009
Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) announced the launch of www.usdairy.com/sustainability, which contained information about the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment. The site explained the dairy industry’s roadmap to greenhouse gas reduction and related projects, the science behind the lifecycle assessment that was currently underway, and detailed best practices and resources for each segment of the dairy industry supply chain.
Dairy Industry Commits to Reducing Greenhouse Gases, Increasing Business Opportunities Across Value Chain - June 25, 2008
The outcome of the dairy industry's first Sustainability Summit presented an action plan to help measure and reduce dairy's carbon footprint. For more information, please see the full press release.
Dairy Industry Comes Together in Sustainability Initiative to Encourage Innovation, Address Environmental Stewardship - April 17, 2008
NMPF, Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced the formation of a partnership between the three organizations in an effort to address sustainability in the dairy industry.