Dairy producers care about the environment and strive to turn challenges into opportunities to improve their farms. Some of the challenges we 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. Here are some stories and information about the ways we continue to care for the environment:
- This farm in Quebec is a great example of how dairy farmers reduce erosion and improve soil quality
- Manure is a valuable by-product from dairy farms and is used as a resource with many benefits. Dairy farmers take advantage of federal and provincial government incentive programs to improve manure storage facilities and handling equipment and to develop nutrient management plans. Check our response to Saba who asked us a question about manure.
- Lakeside Dairy, right here in Alberta is reducing their own waste as well as construction waste that would otherwise have gone to landfill
- There is also reduced greenhouse gas emissions from our cows and farms through improved feeding practices and careful management of manure. For example, here is a farm that is striving to become carbon neutral.
- This farm in Nova Scotia limits the use of energy and water in dairy production
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. We work closely with partners like the provincial / federal governments and agriculture universities to find the best solutions.