Dairy producers care about the environment and strive to turn challenges into opportunities to improve their farms. Some of the challenges they face are:

• Soil degradation
• Manure management
• Water quality
• Green House Gasses

Right across Canada, dairy producers complete an Environmental Farm Plan to identify environmental risks and prioritize the adoption of practices that will help improve their environmental footprint.

The dairy industry also invests in research on sustainable dairy farming practices so that dairy farmers are continuously improving. Alberta Milk encourages the use and production of renewable energy on farms and many farms across Canada have invested in solar panels, windmills, and anaerobic digestion. They work closely with partners like the provincial / federal governments and agriculture universities to find the best solutions.

DRECA (the Dairy Research and Extension Consortium of Alberta) conducted research to examine the projected impact of future climate conditions on the agronomic and environmental performance of Canadian dairy farms.  To read the summary, click here.

For more information about environmental sustainability and dairy farming, visit AlbertaMilk.com.