You don’t have to spend much time around the dairy industry to know sustainability has become one of agriculture’s biggest buzzwords.
For many dairy farmers, the bigger question is what that actually means on their farms.
“It’s really a measure of efficiency,” Grace Moeller, sustainability initiatives manager with the National Milk Producers Federation explains. “When we’re measuring sustainability, it’s a measure of how efficiently we can produce milk with the fewest amount of inputs possible.”
This means looking at everything from feed efficiency and milk production to fuel use and manure management. And instead of focusing on environmental buzzwords, Moeller says producers should think about sustainability as another management tool.
Food supply businesses are setting sustainability goals
As processors, cooperatives and food companies set sustainability goals of their own, they’re also beginning to ask more questions about the environmental footprint of the milk they purchase. It’s making carbon intensity scores an increasingly common topic throughout the dairy supply chain.
Moeller says many producers are still learning what those words and numbers mean. But those who take a closer look are often pleasantly surprised.
“A lot of our farmers are already doing really great things,” she said. “When they can put a number to it, they can identify what different levers they can pull to continue making progress.”
Those practices often include using manure as a crop nutrient, optimizing cow nutrition to improve production and making other management decisions that reduce inputs while maintaining productivity.
Moeller also encourages farmers not to view sustainability as a one-size-fits-all approach.
“It’s not about anybody trying to change what they do on the farm,” she said. “It’s about self-reflection to see where there’s opportunity for growth. Not every practice works for every farm, so it’s important to set realistic goals.”
Learn from others to help make it achievable
One of the best ways to learn, she says, is by talking with other dairy producers who have already started measuring their own carbon footprint.
“There’s a lot of unknowns about the terminology,” Moeller said. “When one farmer can hear a success story from another farmer, it helps reduce that barrier and makes it feel more achievable.”
It’s one reason Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) is hosting two Carbon, Crops + Cows workshops later this month. The events combine classroom discussion with on-farm tours to help producers better understand carbon intensity scores, sustainability expectations from dairy customers and the tools available to measure a farm’s environmental footprint.
Participants will also hear from local dairy producers involved in PDP’s Your Farm – Your Footprint® initiative. They’ll share how they are using sustainability data to evaluate management decisions and identify opportunities for improvement.
The workshops will be held Tuesday, July 28 at Mystic Valley Dairy near Sauk City and Thursday, July 30 at Grass Ridge Farm in Pittsville. PDP encourages producers to attend with members of their management team, including nutritionists, agronomists and crop consultants.
And for Moeller, the biggest takeaway is simple.
“I hope farmers realize this isn’t about changing who they are,” she shares. “It’s about understanding where they stand today and identifying opportunities to become even more efficient for the future.”
—> The FARM Environmental Stewardship (FARM ES) tool was developed to help dairy farmers track, measure, and communicate about greenhouse gas emissions, energy intensity, and more. Learn more about it here.
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