From an environmental perspective, few industries can positively impact the world the way dairy can. Dairy farmers know that environmental sustainability is rooted in the rich legacy of how we have long cared for our land, water, air and animals.
While others have used sustainability as a buzzword, it has advanced beyond that. Environmental sustainability directly impacts purchase decisions and market access. And our industry continues to demonstrate leadership on this issue to exceed the expectations of consumers, food companies and export markets.
Farmers, thankfully, are far from alone on this quest thanks to an industrywide commitment through the checkoff-created Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.
The Innovation Center launched in 2008 with a goal of convening stakeholders across the dairy value chain. We recognized the need to create committees and task forces that can take a deeper focus on challenging issues that impact the entire industry.
(DMI Chair and Pennsylvania dairy farmer Marilyn Hershey shared her insights about the importance and work of these committees and task forces in a recent column.)
I serve on the Environmental Stewardship (ES) Committee, which brings together dairy community representatives to help guide the industry-level environmental strategy. In 2020, we set goals to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) neutrality, optimize water use while maximizing recycling and improve water quality by 2050.
We are supported by talented Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) scientists who conduct research, modeling and measurement projects that help the committee and industry identify and address knowledge gaps, evaluate trade-offs and ultimately enable progress.
Science plays a critical role in our committee’s strategic vision and is conducted by subject matter experts who are passionate about working on behalf of farmers to build U.S. dairy’s credibility and reputation at home and abroad.
I’m reminded of the words of a checkoff scientist who said good research takes time; great research takes more time. Patience isn’t always a trait that mixes well with farmers, and I’m as guilty of seeking immediate results as any of my peers.
But through my years on the ES committee, I can appreciate the necessity of patience to produce great science. We’re taking time to get it right. And I’ve seen how science evolves, which means we must understand methods and results can change. Fortunately, our experts are innovating to keep up with this rapidly evolving space.
Committee of perspectives
Like the other Innovation Center committees, ours represents a wonderful cross-section of the industry. Robert Foster (Vermont), Steve Shehadey (California) and I offer the farmer lens alongside members representing National Milk Producers Federation, International Dairy Foods Association, cooperatives, processors and trade organizations. We also have representation from state and regional checkoff organizations and other leaders from DMI, Newtrient and the U.S. Dairy Export Council.
Select Milk Producers co-founder and CEO Mike McCloskey is known across the industry, and he serves as our committee chair. Mike provides a variety of valuable insights from his experiences as a farmer, veterinarian and processor, and we value his perspective in balancing immediate needs with long-term objectives.
The committee offers a range of perspectives, and our meetings are filled with candid and productive conversations. We operate understanding that while new practices and technologies must be science-backed, they also must make sense for farmers’ bottom line, in addition to being good for consumers and purchasers of dairy.
Projects in motion
Serving on this committee affords me a front-row seat to research strategies that are foundational to the committee’s efforts to support and report on progress toward the industry goals.
To measure progress toward the industry’s 2050 goal of GHG neutrality, DMI and the ES Committee conducted new life-cycle assessments (LCA) to understand GHG emissions at a national scale and identify opportunities for improvement. One LCA will focus on field and farm, and the other examines processing. The goal is to have these analyses published in a scientific journal next year and to use the results as a baseline to demonstrate our industry’s progress.
Additional research contributes to the industry’s ability to accelerate progress toward the environmental goals. The Greener Cattle Initiative (GCI) is a perfect example of collaborative progress in action. DMI and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) developed GCI as the first multi-partner, international consortium dedicated to mitigating enteric methane emissions, a key tactic identified by the ES Committee to reach the 2050 goal of GHG neutrality.
GCI is guided by a steering committee of 11 organizations representing various positions in the dairy and beef supply chains. Their range of expertise and perspectives are essential to the complex methane emissions issue, and DMI scientists have made it clear that options cannot have a negative impact on animal health or productivity, food safety or product quality – a bottom line that resonates with me.
Last year, GCI exceeded its initial goal of $5 million committed to enteric methane mitigation research with awards totaling $7.2 million.
The Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration project is a six-year study looking at how management practices from cover crops to novel fertilizers – including manure-based products – affect soil health, reduce GHG emissions and improve water quality. The project was initiated by DMI in collaboration with the Soil Health Institute and leading research institutions. It is supported by a $10 million award from FFAR and companies including Starbucks, Nestlé and Newtrient.
As a farmer, I understand the road to meeting our goals may seem long and slower than we’d like. But I also know we’re well on our way to getting there, thanks to industrywide contributions and a steady commitment to sound science that is built to serve the needs and interests of dairy farmers.
