This article was written by Nate Birt, Vice President of Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative. Learn more at www.trustinfood.com
The dairy industry’s drive toward a net-zero carbon future will continue in 2021 with a 10th-anniversary award program recognizing environmental stewardship and partnerships that help advance the work of the Net Zero Initiative and progress toward the 2050 goals, says Karen Scanlon, senior vice president, environmental stewardship for Dairy Management Inc., and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.
Nominations of leading dairy farmers and companies are now being accepted at USDairy.com for the 2021 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards. Over the past decade, the program has recognized more than 70 winners and honorable mentions honoring stewardship that lowers environmental impact while improving farmer livelihoods.
(Click here to nominate a dairy farmer for the Dairy Sustainability Awards by March 26.)
“It’s our chance together to spotlight dairy farmers across the country who have implemented technologies and practices that are economically viable and demonstrating proven results,” Scanlon explains in a recent video interview with Trust In Food, a Farm Journal initiative. “That’s really important because we know consumers are really expecting that from their food choices today.”
The U.S. Dairy Net Zero Initiative was formed in response to the Innovation Center’s 2050 environmental stewardship goals and is led by six dairy organizations and their constituencies. It aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions, along with improvements in water efficiency and water quality, across the U.S. dairy industry by 2050. Companies such as Nestlé and Starbucks already have signed on to help. Through research, on-farm pilots and demonstrations, and efforts to increase voluntary adoption of proven solutions, the initiative aims to continue reducing dairy’s environmental footprint while opening up new revenue streams, such as through manure-based products and ecosystem services provided on farms.
