Sustainability

The Unified Front: Dairy’s Generational Evolution and the Path to 2026

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:28:46 GMT

The atmosphere in Oak Brook, Ill., at the 2026 Dairy Sustainability Alliance Spring Meeting was one of focused optimism. When Dennis Rodenbaugh, president and CEO of Dairy Farmers of America and chair of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, took the podium, he told the crowd they weren’t just listeners — they were the people redesigning the future of American farming. His message was clear: The U.S. dairy industry has moved past the era of defense and has firmly planted its flag in the territory of proactive leadership.

For years, the dairy industry found itself reacting to external pressures, often operating from a defensive posture. Rodenbaugh reflected on a time when the sector felt it was on its back heels, responding to narratives shaped by those outside the farm gate. However, the 2026 meeting marked a definitive departure from that stance. The current leadership, he argued, is no longer content to follow prevailing narratives. Instead, they are prioritizing the celebration of dairy’s intrinsic value — nutrition, stewardship and community impact.

Sustainability: A Legacy, Not a Label

One of the most compelling segments of Rodenbaugh’s address was his reframing of sustainability. To the modern ear, the word often sounds like a product of 21^st-century corporate mandates or NGO pressure. Rodenbaugh dismantled this notion, asserting sustainability in dairy did not begin with the invention of Scope 3 emissions reporting or government regulations.

“U.S. dairy farmers have been practicing sustainability decade after decade,” he reminds. For the farmer, sustainability is synonymous with stewardship. It is the practice of protecting natural resources not for a quarterly earnings report, but for the next generation. This generational thinking is the ultimate form of innovation. The goals of soil health, water conservation and animal care were not imported into the industry; they were born in the soil and passed down through lineages of farm families.

The Power of Alignment and Shared Responsibility

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy exists to solve a problem that no individual actor can tackle alone: scale. Rodenbaugh emphasizes real progress only happens when responsibility is shared and execution is aligned across the entire supply chain — from the cooperative to the processor to the retail partner.

In an increasingly fragmented world, the dairy industry has found strength in a coordinated roadmap. This alignment ensures food remains accessible, affordable and nutrient-dense. Rodenbaugh warns without this collective effort, individual farms or customer segments risk becoming isolated and vulnerable. By working through the alliance, the industry protects its license to operate and ensures the billions of people relying on dairy for nutrition are not let down.

By the Numbers: The Efficiency Miracle

To ground his vision in reality, Rodenbaugh points to the staggering efficiency gains the industry has achieved since the mid-20^th century. The modern U.S. dairy cow is a marvel of biological and technological innovation. Compared to her mid-century predecessors, today’s cow:

Produces five times more nutrition.
Uses 65% less water.
Requires 90% less land.
Maintains a 77% lower carbon footprint.

These figures aren’t just statistics; they are proof of a journey of improvement. However, Rodenbaugh cautions against defining sustainability too narrowly. While greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration are vital components, they are only pieces of a much larger puzzle.

The Social Fabric of Dairy

Rodenbaugh proposes a holistic definition of sustainability that connects the environment to the economy and social stability, outlining a virtuous cycle: Farmers produce nutrition; that nutrition drives human health; healthy people build stable communities; stable communities support innovation; and innovation, in turn, drives further sustainability.

This circularity of health positions the dairy farmer as the cornerstone of community stability. When the dairy industry thrives, the environment thrives and the people fed by that industry are empowered to innovate. This is the narrative Rodenbaugh urges the alliance to champion — one where the cow is a solution to global nutritional and environmental challenges, not a contributor to them.

Inclusion: From 100 to 10,000

Perhaps the most critical challenge addressed was the participation gap. As sustainability standards and expectations are developed — sometimes by entities outside the U.S. or outside the industry — there is a risk of leaving certain producers behind.

Rodenbaugh is adamant that for sustainability to be successful, it must be inclusive.

“The 10,000-cow dairy and the 100-cow dairy need to be recognized as both being essential to our future,” he says.

The dairy industry must create pathways where farmers of all sizes can participate in environmental markets and adopt new technologies. New value must be generated to support the necessary investments on the farm. If the bar is set so high that only the largest operations can clear it, the industry loses its diversity and its soul.

The Frontier: AI and Sound Science

Looking toward the future, Rodenbaugh expresses excitement about the role of artificial intelligence in energizing and coordinating these efforts. AI offers the potential to better track measurements, meet the reality of on-farm practice and accelerate the trend of efficiency.

However, he tempered this technological optimism with a call for humility. The planetary systems the industry interacts with are enormously complex. Therefore, the industry’s strategies must remain grounded in sound science and guiding principles.

Confidence must be earned through research and a commitment to on-farm viability. The goal is not to meet a fleeting trend, but to build a permanent, pragmatic framework that works for the land and the checkbook.

As he closed his remarks, Rodenbaugh looked out at the record-breaking attendance of the spring meeting. The high turnout was, to him, evidence the industry sees the value in coordination. While other sectors may have struggled to find their footing in the sustainability conversation, dairy has emerged as a leader — not just within agriculture, but across the global corporate landscape.

The 2026 meeting served as a reminder the alliance is more than just a name; it is the room where the future of food is secured. By aligning on facts, embracing their history as stewards and ensuring every farmer has a seat at the table, the U.S. dairy industry is not just surviving the sustainability movement — it is defining it.

Engineering the Future: How One California Dairyman Uses Worms to Innovate

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:10:37 GMT

In the heart of California’s Central Valley, where the heat of Stanislaus County shimmers over vast stretches of almond hulls and corn silage, the rhythm of Alberto Dairy has remained constant for more than four decades. It is a rhythm of early mornings and the steady hum of a milking parlor. But beneath the surface of this traditional landscape, a quiet revolution is taking place — one powered by millions of earthworms and a third-generation farmer’s commitment to a legacy built on sacrifice.

Anthony Agueda, the grandson of Portuguese immigrants Antonio and Maria Alberto, doesn’t see sustainability as a corporate buzzword or a modern trend. To him, it is the natural evolution of the heavy lift his grandparents began in 1981. Today, as he stands at the helm of a modern dairy operation, Agueda is proving the path to the future isn’t always paved with complex machinery. Sometimes, it’s found in the simple, elegant systems of nature.

(Photos provided by Alberto Dairy)

A Foundation of Sacrifice

To understand where Alberto Dairy is going, one must understand where it started. In the late 1970s and early ‘80s, the Alberto family wasn’t just building a business; they were chasing the American Dream with a level of intensity hard for the modern world to comprehend.

“My grandpa told me that when he came to the United States, he was working three jobs and went seven years without a single day off,” Agueda reflects. “In our workflow today, if we go seven days without a day off, it’s tough on us. But for them, it was about survival and building something for the generations they hadn’t even met yet.”

That old school value of sacrifice remains the North Star for the dairy. Antonio and Maria, now in their late 70s, still participate in the daily life of the farm. They didn’t just pass down land and cattle; they passed down the understanding that the cows always come first.

“You don’t just clock in and out,” Agueda says. “You go home when the work is done. My grandpa and my dad taught me that from the time I was a young kid feeding calves.”

The Third-Generation Pivot

Every generation of this California dairy family has faced a different challenge. For Antonio, it was the physical labor of the wheelbarrow and the struggle to establish a foothold. For Agueda’s father and uncle, it was the introduction of genetics, breeding and the early days of digital record-keeping. For Agueda, the challenge is navigating a landscape defined by environmental regulation and the urgent need for resource efficiency.

“Sustainability has always been there,” he explains. “A farmer has always left the land better than when they inherited it. It’s just that each generation adapts differently. Mine is focused on environmental sustainability — removing nitrogen and carbon and protecting our water.”

While many California dairies are looking toward methane digesters to meet state mandates, Agueda’s family found themselves drawn to something different. They wanted a system that mimicked God’s creation — something simple, effective and low maintenance.

(Photo provided by Alberto Dairy )

The Power of the BioFiltro

The solution came through a partnership with Nestlé: the BioFiltro system. It is a vermifiltration (worm-based) system that manages gallons of water every single day.

The concept is deceptively simple. Manure from the flush lanes is separated into solids and liquids. The liquids are then sprinkled over massive “worm beds” covering nearly 8 acres. As the water percolates through the beds, millions of worms and specialized microbes go to work, consuming the carbon and nitrogen. In about four hours, the water emerges on the other side, stripped of its contaminants and ready to be recycled.

Agueda recalls the light bulb moment when he visited a similar system in Washington State.

“The owner had a bucket of manure water from before the system and a bucket from after. He held the ‘after’ bucket up, and you couldn’t smell a thing,” he says. “It looked like clean water. If it were slightly clearer, you’d think you could drink it.”

For Alberto Dairy, the BioFiltro wasn’t just an environmental win; it was an operational one. Mechanical systems are expensive and prone to breaking down. The worm beds, however, are gravity-fed and require minimal energy.

“We liked the simplicity,” Agueda says. “In 25 years, who knows what digester technology will look like. But this? This is just natural filtration.”

(Photo provided by Alberto Dairy)

Better for the Land, Better for the Cow

The benefits of the system have rippled through every aspect of the farm. The treated water, now low in the sludge that used to clog irrigation valves, is used to fertilize crops more efficiently. But a surprising benefit was found in the barns.

“Our mastitis cases have gone down significantly,” Agueda notes. “Because the water we use to flush the lanes is so much cleaner and has less bacteria, the cows are healthier. That’s an economic benefit because medicine is expensive, but more importantly, it’s about animal comfort. A cow that isn’t sick is a cow that’s out in the stalls enjoying herself.”

This focus on cow comfort is a hallmark of the modern Alberto Dairy. From mattresses and fans to a specialized nutritionists and regular hoof trimming, the technology on the farm serves one purpose: making sure the animals are thriving.

(Photo provided by Alberto Dairy )

Future-Proofing the Central Valley

The regulatory environment in California is notoriously difficult. Between the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and strict methane reduction mandates, many farmers are choosing to leave the state.

By implementing the BioFiltro system, Agueda is proactively addressing the concerns of regulators and consumers alike. The system provides precise data on water usage and carbon reduction, which is used for carbon credit verification.

“It shows the public that dairies are the solution, not the problem,” Agueda asserts. “We aren’t just farming for regulators; we’re farming for the future.”

Alberto and Agueda Family: (Back row left to right) Aidan Alberto, Khloe Alberto, Kristen Alberto, Brian Alberto, Diane Agueda, Tony Agueda, Anthony Agueda, Megan Agueda, Lillian Agueda (Front row left to right) Maria Alberto, Antonio Alberto, Nathan Agueda

(Photo provided by Alberto Dairy )

The American Dream, Realized

As Agueda prepares for his upcoming marriage and looks toward raising a fourth generation on the farm, the weight of the legacy feels less like a burden and more like a gift. He uses his agricultural business degree from Fresno State to handle the bookkeeping that once burdened his grandmother, while still spending his days in the sun, vaccinating calves and helping to manage the herd.

If you asked his grandfather 40 years ago if he would one day be farming millions of worms to protect the atmosphere, he would have laughed. But today, as Antonio looks out over the fields he built from nothing, he sees a grandson who hasn’t forgotten the value of a day’s work.

“They truly achieved the American Dream,” Agueda says of his grandparents. “They started from the bottom, built a business and now they get to see it evolve. They’re proud because they know the land will be here for their great-grandchildren.”

In the end, the story of Anthony Agueda and Alberto Dairy is a reminder that the most profound innovations aren’t always found in a computer chip. Sometimes, they are found in the soil, in the tireless work of a million worms and in the enduring strength of a family that refuses to let their dream die.

Meet the Texas Powerhouse Serving Dairy, Dad Jokes and Outfits

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:59:43 GMT

In the world of Texas dairy farming, names usually carry weight. They represent generations of land, thousands of head of cattle and a legacy of grit. But for Kyndra Brown, the name that sticks closest to home is “Peewee.”

It was a nickname given to her by her father because she was born the smallest and youngest of four daughters. To a stranger, the name might imply someone who stands on the sidelines. But to anyone who has seen Brown navigate a muddy pen in fashionable boots or manage a complex digital health suite for her herd, the name is a badge of irony. Brown is a passionate, witty powerhouse, and she is exactly what the future of American dairy looks like.

(Images provided by Kyndra Brown)

The Girl Dad Legacy

Brown is a fourth-generation dairy farmer, but her path back to the family operation in Texas wasn’t a straight line. Growing up as one of four girls, she was immersed in a world where gender roles simply didn’t exist.

“My dad never pressured us,” Brown recalls. “He wanted us to make the choice to be here.”

That choice was framed by a powerful example set by her parents. In an industry that is often viewed as male-dominated, Brown’s father, Joe Schouten, was a girl dad decades before the term became a social media trend. When fellow dairymen would joke about his lack of sons to help with the heavy lifting, he had a standard, fiery response: “I’ve got four girls who can do exactly what your boys can do — but they look better doing it.”

Brown’s mother, Debbie, was equally influential. A woman who married into the dairy life without a farming background, she quickly became the heartbeat of the operation. Brown’s mother scraped stalls with one baby on her hip, proving the dairy doesn’t care about your title — it cares about the work.

(Photos provided by Kyndra Brown)

The Psychology of the Parlor

Like many farm kids, Brown hit a point in her late teens where she wondered if there was more to life than the 2:00 AM alarm and the constant smell of silage. She left the farm to study psychology, fascinated by human behavior and emotion. For two years, she immersed herself in the “why” of people.

But the call of the land is a physical one.

“I went back to what I know,” she says. “And it was the family dairy.”

For eight years straight after school, Brown didn’t just manage; she labored. She milked, she pushed cows and she cleaned pens. In an era where people struggle to hit 10,000 steps a day, Brown was regularly clocking 22,000 steps before lunch. That season of physical intensity was her true education. It gave her the boots on the ground perspective no textbook could provide.

Today, that background in psychology serves her in ways she never expected. Whether she’s managing employees, navigating family dynamics or communicating with concerned consumers on social media, she understands the human element behind the milk check.

This unique blend of mental insight and physical endurance has shaped her philosophy on the industry: resilience is more than a trait — it’s a prerequisite for growth. Brown has learned the dairy industry’s most valuable lessons are often disguised as failures, turning every challenge into a stepping stone for refinement. By embracing the struggle rather than fearing it, she maintains a competitive edge that keeps her operation moving forward. As she puts it, “Setbacks only exist to move you further than the next person who is trying less.”

(Images provided by Kyndra Brown)

Old School Grit Meets New School Tech

The Moo View Dairy operation in Dublin, Texas, is currently a fascinating study in the dairy margin revolution, so to speak. Brown sits at the intersection of her father’s old school wisdom and the industry’s technological future.

Her father still operates with a pen and a notebook.

“Actually, hundreds of them,” Brown shares, noting he has a paper record of every cow, every calf and every health event stretching back 30 years. “‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is his mantra.”

Brown respects that history, but as an elite operator, she knows data is the key to the modern margin. She has introduced activity monitoring systems like CowManager tags.

“Technology is a great side kick,” Brown explains. “It fills the gaps. It tells me if a cow’s temperature is rising before I can see it with my own eyes.”

She also adds she will never overlook boots-on-the-ground value.

“I want to see it, smell it and hear it for myself,” she says.

(Images provided by Kyndra Brown)

Starbucks Partnership & Sustainability

This commitment to the future recently led Moo View Dairy into a high-level sustainability partnership with Starbucks. By prioritizing cow comfort and resource recycling — specifically repurposing lagoon water for flush systems and manure for crop nutrients — Brown is ensuring the operation remains as efficient as it is productive.

In May 2025, the farm qualified for tier two of the Starbucks Sustainable Dairy Program. This achievement unlocked a cost-share initiative currently being used to install advanced sand and manure separators. Slated to be fully operational by September, these systems represent a significant leap in waste management. The project will allow the dairy to recycle all sand used for cow bedding and modernize their recycled water flush system for cleaning freestalls and pens, creating a closed-loop system that bolsters both the environment and the bottom line.

(Images provided by Kyndra Brown)

Fashionable in Manure:

Perhaps Brown’s most visible impact is through her social media presence and her seat on the Dairy MAX board. She is intentionally “fashionable in manure,” a phrase that sounds like a joke but carries a serious message.

“I get comments all the time underestimating me because of my outfit,” she says with a laugh. “Since when does an outfit determine my capability to show up?”

By documenting her life on YouTube and Instagram, Brown is bridging the gap between grocery store and the dairy farm, or ‘teat to table’ as she likes to call it. She shows the 2:00 a.m. wake-up calls, the extensive labor that goes into cow care and the sophisticated science of milk production. With her approach to providing education and entertainment, she isn’t trying to sell a product; she’s trying to enlighten a consumer base that has become disconnected from its food source.

Her message to the next generation of women in agriculture is simple: “When in doubt, lead.”

“If you have an opportunity for experience, take it. If you have a question, ask it. It’s not a competition,” she says. “It’s teamwork for humanity to help feed the world. There are plenty of things we have to do alone in life; learning from each other in the world of agriculture shouldn’t be one of them.”

(Images provided by Kyndra Brown)

Full-Circle Life Moment

Now in her early 30s, with a husband, Cody, who has since joined the family dairy operation, and their four-year-old son, Brown’s life has come full circle.

“It’s a lifestyle you have to see to appreciate,” she says. “It’s hard to express that to people who just see it as a job. For us, it’s a partnership between the animals and the land.”

Kyndra Brown may always be “Peewee” to her father, but she has firmly established herself as a female dairy farmer who has made a name for herself on her own terms. She serves as a living reminder that the “Made in the USA” label is far more than a geographic marker; it is a testament to the people who possess the courage to evolve, the grit to work and the unique style to make the hardest days look effortless. By blending her family’s deep-rooted legacy with a modern, innovative vision, she isn’t just maintaining a dairy — she is building a durable future for the next generation.

A New Era for Michigan Dairy: Chobani’s $567 Million Bet on La Colombe

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:23:51 GMT

In the heart of west Michigan, a transformation is brewing. It is a story of coffee and cream, but more importantly, it is a story of economic resurgence and a deepening commitment to the U.S. dairy farmer. Chobani, the company that revolutionized the yogurt aisle, is now setting its sights on the rapidly evolving ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee market with a massive $567 million expansion of its La Colombe facility in Norton Shores, Mich.

This announcement does not exist in a vacuum. It is the third act in a high-stakes play of capital investment that has seen Chobani pour billions into the U.S. dairy manufacturing landscape. Just one year ago, the company announced a $500 million expansion of its Twin Falls, Idaho, plant. Months later, it broke ground on a staggering $1.2 billion facility in Rome, N.Y. Now, Michigan takes center stage, signaling Chobani’s acquisition of La Colombe in December 2023 for $900 million was not just a brand purchase — it was the catalyst for a total category disruption.

The Scale of the Ambition

The Norton Shores expansion is a multi-phase project designed to meet a surging demand that shows no signs of slowing. The project will add more than 200,000 sq. ft. of production space, effectively doubling the facility’s footprint. However, the true impact is measured in people and product.

Currently, the facility employs 312 workers. This expansion is expected to add approximately 340 new positions, nearly doubling the local workforce. For the community of Norton Shores and the broader west Michigan region, these aren’t just statistics; they are good-paying jobs that provide a pathway to the middle class, supported by Chobani’s industry-leading wages and benefits.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer noted the significance of the move.

“It shows the world that Michigan is the best place to grow stuff and build a thriving agricultural economy,” she says. “From the dairy farm to the production floor and the shelves of our grocery stores, let’s keep working together to help more workers, businesses and families ‘make it’ in Michigan.”

A Watershed Moment for Michigan Dairy

While the construction and job numbers are impressive, the most significant figure for the agricultural community is $615 million.

Before this expansion, the Norton Shores facility used approximately 30 million lb. of milk annually to produce La Colombe’s signature RTD lattes. As the new production lines come online, that number is projected to skyrocket to 615 million lb. of milk per year. This represents a twenty-fold increase in demand for local Michigan dairy.

This surge in demand is met by a state that is already a heavyweight in the industry. Michigan is home to more than 900 permitted dairy farms that collectively produce approximately 12 billion lb. of milk annually. Perhaps most impressively, Michigan ranks first in the nation for milk production per cow, with each animal producing an average of more than 27,000 lb. of milk per year. By expanding in Norton Shores, Chobani is tapping into the most efficient dairy infrastructure in the United States.

For Michigan’s dairy farmers, this is a generational win. In an era where market volatility can often cloud the future of family farms, Chobani is providing a massive, stable and growing outlet for their product.

Hamdi Ulukaya, founder and CEO of Chobani, has long championed this connection between the factory and the farm.

“There’s something special here — in the hardworking spirit of the people, in the pride of Michigan’s farmers who produce high quality, delicious, farm-fresh milk,” Ulukaya says. “For us, growth is about more than numbers — it’s about supporting the community, creating opportunity and building something that lasts.”

From Philadelphia Roots to Michigan Manufacturing

The journey of La Colombe is a classic American success story. Founded in Philadelphia in 1994 as a high-end café experience, the brand spent decades perfecting the art of the roast. In 2016, they made a pivotal move into the RTD category, attempting to bring the coffeehouse experience to a portable format.

By using cleaner ingredients, less sugar and better nutrition than the legacy players in the space, La Colombe redefined what canned coffee could be. When Chobani acquired the brand, they saw a mirror of their own history: a disruptor focused on quality and accessibility. By integrating La Colombe into the Chobani ecosystem, the company is now leveraging its massive supply chain expertise to ensure a latte made with Michigan milk can be found in every corner of the country.

Purpose-Driven Expansion

Beyond the stainless-steel tanks and the logistics of milk shipments, Chobani is positioning this expansion as a force for good. The company has a long-standing reputation for putting humanity first, a philosophy that stems from Ulukaya’s own journey as an immigrant and entrepreneur.

In Norton Shores, this means doubling down on workforce development programs, partnerships with local schools and grants aimed at food access. The company views the facility not as an island, but as a part of the neighborhood. This people-first approach is intended to ensure as the company grows, the community does not get left behind.

As the 2025 groundbreaking in Rome, N.Y., and the ongoing work in Idaho and Michigan illustrate Chobani is no longer just a yogurt company. It is a diversified food and wellness powerhouse. With the recent acquisition of Daily Harvest and the continued scaling of the La Colombe brand, Chobani is building a vertically integrated empire that starts at the farm gate and ends in the consumer’s hand.

The $567 million investment in Norton Shores is a clear signal: the future of coffee is white, creamy and sourced directly from the dairy heartland of Michigan.

The Beef-on-Dairy Revolution: How Black Calves and AI are Reshaping the Dairy P&L

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:22:27 GMT

The dairy industry is currently undergoing a structural transformation. What was once a singular focus on milk production has evolved into a multi-faceted agribusiness model. As Kansas dairy producer Greg Bethard puts it: “We might be more ranchers than we are dairymen now, because the uterus has more value than the mammary gland.”

The Beef-on-Dairy Revolution

The most significant shift in recent years is the black calf phenomenon. With beef prices at historic highs, the revenue generated from crossbreeding dairy cows with high-quality beef genetics has upended the traditional P&L.

“We have cows spitting out $1,400 calves now,” Bethard says. “It has changed the math for the entire operation.”

This new revenue stream provides a buffer that allows dairies to remain profitable even when milk prices are disappointing. Idaho dairy producer Hank Hafliger has embraced this by breeding a large percentage of his herd to Angus crosses, while TJ Tuls of Tuls Dairy in Nebraska, has vertically integrated by raising his own steers to 680 lb. before selling them, capturing more of the value chain.

“Angus breed on our pro-cross cow yields have been really good,” Tuls notes. “We’re producing an amazing calf, and it’s definitely been a nice injection [into the operation].”

Technology as a Management Tool

While the AI buzzword is everywhere, these producers are selective about which technologies they adopt. For Bethard, three must-haves for managing large groups are sort gates, activity collars and milk meters.

“I would never want to build a dairy without those three,” he says.

Tuls is pushing the boundaries further by testing AI-driven cameras to monitor employee performance, animal movement and milking procedures. The goal isn’t just to watch people, but to ensure that the dairy’s specific protocols are being followed consistently, which protects both animal welfare and milk quality.

“At the end of the day, though, it’s feeding you data back, and it’s what you do with that information. Having really good people who go out and act on the data that it’s giving you back really makes a difference.”

TJ Tuls

Vertical Integration and Sustainability

Diversification is the key to long-term resilience. Tuls has aggressively pursued vertical integration, building a trucking company and, most recently, a milk processing plant.

“We’re looking at how we can serve our own businesses,” Tuls says.

This includes a high-protein, low-sugar milk product that is already expanding across the Midwest and West Coast.

Sustainability has also become a revenue center rather than a cost. Tuls’ digester projects now produce enough gas to heat 6,000 houses per year. In Idaho, Hafliger is focusing on innovative manure management, working with scientists to extract micronutrients from manure to create new value-added products.

“In Idaho, manure management is going to be huge. We’re doing a lot of innovative studies, pulling out micronutrients out of our manure and utilizing it. That’s what we really need to focus on,” Hafliger shares.

The Water Constraint

Perhaps the most sobering topic during Milk Business Conference panel was the future of water. In Idaho, Hafliger notes that “water is king,” with every well metered and allocations strictly controlled by the state. Bethard, operating in the High Plains of Kansas, is already strategizing for a future with less water by transitioning his crop rotation toward wheat and soy, which requires fewer inputs than corn silage.

“We have to make sure that 30 years from now, we can still milk cows where we are,” Bethard says.

This long-term thinking — balancing immediate revenue from black calves with the existential reality of resource management — is what separates the top-performing producers from the rest of the field.

The modern dairy is no longer a single-commodity enterprise; it is a complex ecosystem of logistics, genetics and resource stewardship. By leveraging immediate windfalls like the beef-on-dairy market to fund long-term investments in technology and vertical integration, producers like Bethard, Tuls and Hafliger are doing more than just chasing margins — they are future-proofing their legacies. In an industry where water is becoming as precious as milk and data is as vital as feed, the successful producer of 2026 and beyond will be the one who balances today’s black calf revenue with the existential necessity of long-term resource management.

Your Next Read:
The Great Dairy Migration: Why the Upper Midwest Is Winning the Heifer Game

Innovation in Every Drop: Apple Shamrock Farms Crowned 2026 Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:55:28 GMT

In the heart of Northwest Pennsylvania lies an exemplary model of dairy innovation: Apple Shamrock Farms, LLC. With their recent accolade of being named the 2026 International Dairy Foods Association’s Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year award winner, the Waddell family showcases what it truly means to be modern dairy producers.

(Apple Shamrock Farms)

Founded in 1976 by Robert and Lorna Waddell, alongside their son Robert J., Apple Shamrock Dairy continues its legacy today under the leadership of seventh-generation farmer Josh Waddell. The dairy remains a true family affair, with Josh’s brother, Joe, as a farm partner (primarily working off-farm), his mother, Christine, managing the books, and his father, Robert J., overseeing the milk hauling side of the business.

Apple Shamrock Farms LLC exemplifies a holistic approach to innovation, integrating advanced solutions across every facet of their expansive 3,500-acre operation, which supports a 1,250-cow milking herd producing an impressive 38 million pounds of milk annually.

“There’s a lot of unique things that I think we do well, but cows are No. 1 around here. That’s what we built our business on and has allowed us to do what we’ve done,” Josh Waddell says. “We are truly honored to receive this recognition.”

(Apple Shamrock Farms)

Maximizing Herd Potential Through Data and Genetics
At the core of Apple Shamrock Farms’ operations in Townville, Pa., is their sophisticated approach to dairy management, primarily driven by data and genetics. The Waddells implement a high-tech Afimilk cow monitoring system that delivers comprehensive data analytics, allowing for precise adjustments in cow care and feeding. This meticulous approach is supported by strategic feed tracking software, which ensures optimal component levels in milk production. This all has helped Apple Shamrock consistently achieve high component levels with 94 lb. of milk, with a 4.35% butterfat, and 3.35% protein, respectively. This translates to 109.8 lb. of energy corrected milk.

“The scale of the business we are in, we need the high output from the cows,” Waddell says.

Beyond daily management, Apple Shamrock Farms is a pioneer in genetic advancement. Through the strategic use of IVF and genomics, they are actively shaping their herd’s future, selecting embryos from their highest-producing, functional cows to enhance genetics and improve herd longevity. This forward-thinking approach ensures they are milking the right cows and maximizing the potential of every animal, even with a significant percentage of 2-year-olds in the herd.

Apple Shamrock has sold a lot of replacement heifers over the years, and Waddell notes the buyers want genomics, but they don’t want to “buy a dented Mustang.”

Their commitment to excellence extends beyond sound genetics to meticulous transition and calving pen all-in, all-out management and with a constant focus on raising the best, healthiest calves they can.

(Apple Shamrock Farms)

Pioneering Environmental Stewardship and Resource Optimization
Innovation at Apple Shamrock Farms isn’t confined to the barn; it extends to robust environmental stewardship. The Waddells have implemented a comprehensive three-cell manure system with a low-maintenance sand separation system. This not only allows them to reclaim sand for bedding but also significantly enhances the potency of their liquid fertilizer. Critically, all liquid manure is injected directly into the ground, a practice that maximizes crop yields while drastically limiting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and preventing runoff.

Apple Shamrock effectively separates sand by mixing two gallons of “tea water” (thinner manure from cell three) with one gallon of sand-laden manure, then employing a large dewatering screen and stacking conveyors to create 35'-high sand piles for reuse after eight months.

“This innovative sand removal process has significantly improved our overall hauling efficiency by 20% to 25% and generated substantial savings on spreading equipment, enough to justify the sand lane’s cost even without sand reuse,” Waddell says.

(Apple Shamrock Farms)

Despite the system being designed for 1,200 cows and currently handling more, leading to some water quality challenges, Waddell says the farm prioritizes a straightforward approach, avoiding complex mechanical separation buildings and planning to expand storage to meet current herd needs.

Their commitment to sustainability is further evident in their extensive satellite cropping operation, encompassing 565 acres of corn and soybeans. At the satellite cropping operation and the home operation, guidance systems and precision planters are used. These practices collectively contribute to energy efficiencies and a notable reduction in GHG emissions, demonstrating a profound dedication to both economic and environmental sustainability.

“I used to call it the four-leaf clover, but our approach to sustainability is really a full circle,” Waddell explains.

A Model for Future Challenges and Industry Leadership
Apple Shamrock Farms is strategically positioned to meet future economic and sustainability challenges head-on. Their philosophy of “structured growth” focuses on maximizing performance and efficiency, driving high output while achieving significant labor savings. By coupling genetic potential with cow comfort, they aim for a more mature, resilient herd, ensuring long-term viability.

“Looking ahead, we first plan to optimize our dairy by first filling the remaining 200 to 400 cow capacity in their parlor to improve cash flow,” Waddell explains, noting a core focus for the next decade is eliminating “Josh spots,” inefficient areas requiring daily attention, and consolidating their dry cow, prefresh and calf operations into a single, highly efficient complex where specialized labor can focus.

Beyond their farm gates, the Waddells are recognized leaders.

“They are truly a testament to what can happen when innovation and creativity meet a strong work ethic and desire to progress,” says Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, in a nomination letter supporting Apple Shamrock.

(Apple Shamrock Farms)

The Waddell family actively participates in benchmarking groups, shares insights with peers and holds numerous leadership roles across the dairy industry and within their local community. Whether housing “foster cows” for a neighboring farm after a devastating fire or hosting school tours, their spirit of cooperation and advocacy for the dairy industry is unwavering.

“This spirit of support in times of crisis is what makes our agriculture industry great, the Waddells are a standout example,” Redding says.

Apple Shamrock Farms embodies what’s achievable when innovation converges with tradition and tenacity. As a paragon of modern dairy farming, they set a dynamic example for the future, proving hard work and creative solutions can propel the industry forward.

Your Next Read:
Whole Milk is Back: The Dairy Farmers Who Witnessed History, and the Whirlwind Trip to Get There

These Modern Dairies are Skillfully Dialing in Efficiency to Help Sustain the Family Farm

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:48:23 GMT

In today’s world, efficiency is key, and no one understands this better than dairy farmers. These custodians of the land have mastered the art of doing more with less, skillfully balancing tradition with innovation to sustain their farms and benefit the environment.

Joanna Shipp: Maximize Resources on the Farm
Joanna Shipp, a seventh-generation dairy farmer from Virginia, exemplifies the modern approach to dairy farming. With Bowmont Dairy under her management, Shipp uses advanced cow genetics and focuses on animal comfort to maximize milk production from her 225 cows on a sprawling 1,000-acre farm.

“We had to focus on cow comfort and throughput to increase milk production,” she says, attributing her success to transformational advancements that turned her cows into high-performing athletes. This focus on efficiency allows her to optimize milk yield and farm productivity without increasing her livestock numbers.

Adam Graft: Enhance Environmental Benefits
Adam Graft, who owns and operates Leatherbrook Holsteins LLC in Georgia, takes pride in the environmental advantages that come from boosting milk production per cow. With years of experience as a veterinarian on large dairies in central California, Graft understands the necessity of efficiency in agricultural practices.

“Higher producing cows are better environmentally,” he explains, noting how they conserve resources by delivering more milk with fewer cows. Reducing environmental stressors like heat and humidity ensure optimal conditions for production, showcasing how dairy farms can balance productivity with ecological responsibility.

Katy Schultz: Sustainable Crop Management
In Wisconsin, Katy Schultz has returned to her roots at Tri-Fecta Farms Inc., a family-run dairy farm supporting 400 cows. After gaining industry experience elsewhere, she now works alongside her siblings to enhance farm operations. Schultz underscores the importance of cultivating healthy crops to feed their livestock efficiently, thereby reducing the land required for feeding from 50% to 36%. Through strategic resource management and a commitment to holistic health — from soil to animal to environment — Schultz’s farm is thriving sustainably and profitably.

“Growing healthy crops to feed to our healthy animals has been key on our farm,” Schultz says.

Jim Werkhoven: Pioneer Energy Innovation
Near Seattle, Wash., Jim Werkhoven of Werkhoven Dairy is harnessing energy innovation as a cornerstone of sustainability. His farm collaborates within the Sno/Sky Ag Alliance to operate an anaerobic digester that coprocesses cow manure with preconsumer food waste.

“Capturing methane is proving to be potentially more profitable than milk,” Werkhoven reveals, emphasizing this technology’s role in both environmental preservation and economic sustainability. His partnerships with local Native American tribes and conservation groups highlight the vital role of community collaboration in advancing sustainable agriculture.

These stories from farmers like Shipp, Graft, Schultz and Werkhoven illustrate the transformative power of innovation, collaboration and resource management in modern dairy farming. Their commitment to enhancing efficiency and sustainability offers a promising blueprint for the future of agriculture.

Your Next Read:
The Changing Financial Tides of Dairy Farming: A New Year’s Reflection

From Pasture to Milk: The Inspiring Journey of an Irish Dairy Farmer

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:30:00 GMT

In the ever-evolving world of agriculture, the quest for farm profitability remains constant, regardless of geographical location. For Brian Rushe, a dairy farmer from Ireland, this pursuit is not just about numbers on a ledger; it is the foundation upon which sustainability and longevity are built.

Rushe’s farm is nestled in the luscious countryside of County Kildare, Ireland, a vibrant testament to change, resilience and foresight. The year 2015 marked the beginning of a journey for Rushe and his family, as they transitioned from a long-standing beef and crop operation to dairying. This shift was not a rash decision but a well-considered pivot, recognizing their greatest potential for profitability and optimal land use.

The Shift to Dairy Farming
Before delving into the dairy sector, the Rushe family had been successfully managing a beef and crop farm. However, when evaluating their options for future growth and sustainability, the shift toward dairying became apparent. Rushe explains the decision was partly influenced by their location and land characteristics, ensuring a more promising avenue for their agricultural endeavors.

In Ireland, the topic of quotas is a common discussion among dairy farmers. Rushe mentions even if a producer exceeded their quota, if the processor was under, the balance was maintained. This outlook provided a more flexible approach toward managing dairy production levels.

Rushe’s dairying venture actually began on a neighboring farm in 2013. This farm provided a significant block of land, which allowed him to quickly increase cow numbers.
Brian recalls, “It was a drier farm, as well,” alluding to how drier land is advantageous to get cows to grass quicker, ultimately boosting per-cow income, in a primarily pasture-based system.

As the family eased into dairying, they maintained their beef and tillage operations for a while. However, it soon became evident a tough business decision was necessary. Rushe and his father decided to sell some of their land as the workload of managing both operations became too cumbersome.

“We were not going to continue with the crops because the workload was actually getting too hard,” Rushe shares.

Intensive Grazing Strategy
The Rushe family grazes their dairy cows for nine months each year. Despite the demanding nature of these months, they prefer this schedule over year-round crop management.

By 2020, the Rushe family decided to expand further by building a second dairy. Through fortunate timing and planning, they avoided the supply chain issues many faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, they successfully milk 350 cows across two dairies.

Their cows go dry from mid-December to early January. On their second farm, calving starts in February, but at the home farm, it begins in March, attributed to different levels of soil dryness. Capitalizing on their grazing ability and sensor collars, the farm uses New Zealand genetics and crossbred cows.

Challenges and Opportunities for Irish Dairies
Rushe highlights several challenges dairies in Ireland face, including who will represent the next generation of farmers. With fewer individuals willing to run dairy farms, Rushe says some young people have moved to New Zealand or the U.S. However, the slow pace of life in Ireland is appealing for retaining labor from other countries, and the Rushe farm employs staff from the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.

The Irish dairy farmer shares the removal of quotas in 2015 was a relief for producers, including himself.

“For the first time, farmers could see opportunities and grow their herds,” he says.

Manure management regulations impose challenges, with stocking rates limited by nitrogen limits per hectare. If exceeded, Irish producers must apply for a derogation program, taking further environmental protection steps. Rushe explains losing the derogation could impact the number of cows they keep.

Despite this challenge, Rushe believes Irish farmers are invested in their dairy future, with 16,000 dairies in operation and the majority of milk going into powder production.

“I would have said three years ago the limit on growing dairy was going to be a process of capacity because we’ve peaked,” he says. “The processing capacity has gone the other way now because milk production has declined.”

Rushes shares processors worry if farmers lose the derogation their milk supply will further drop, and the co-op will become less efficient.

“This will impact the co-ops’ ability to pay a good milk price,” he says.

Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, Rushe shares his wife, Rebecca, is a nurse and their two children, Rhys, 13 and Reese, 9, are too young to know what the future holds. Although he notes that his son shows interest in the farming operation.

“I hope he gets an education,” he shares, and gets the chance to travel to other operations to learn from their mistakes and see what opportunities have worked for them before returning to the family operation.

“Everybody does things a little differently and sometimes by seeing other farms, you can find something that will work for you,” he says.

Rushe says the one thing he has been the most impressed when visiting U.S. dairy farms is their attention to detail.

“Attention to detail pays and their views on pinpointing what is causing problems is pretty amazing,” he says. “Even on some big, complex dairies, they simplify it at a personal level.”

Through strategic transformation and expansion, the Rushe family illustrates the evolving nature of family farming in Ireland. As they navigate the challenges and opportunities of modern dairying, their journey offers insights and lessons for farmers not only in Ireland, but worldwide.

Your Next Read: Discover How Innovation Transforms at Grotegut Dairy

One of America’s Largest Dairy RNG Projects Begins Delivering Fuel to the Pipeline

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:22:58 GMT

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. has brought its newest renewable natural gas (RNG) project online at South Fork Dairy in Dimmitt, Texas, marking a major addition to the nation’s RNG supply. The company confirmed the facility is now producing pipeline-quality gas and injecting it into the interstate natural gas system.

South Fork Dairy is home to 16,000 cows and now ranks among the country’s largest RNG sites. At full capacity, it will generate about 2.6 million gallons of RNG each year by processing up to 300,000 gallons of manure daily through four anaerobic digesters and advanced gas-cleaning technology.

Clean Energy fully financed the $85 million build, which broke ground in July 2024 and will receive all RNG produced at the site.

“The requirements to reach production and injecting milestones were extremely stringent, and we are incredibly proud of the team for getting our seventh RNG facility online, on time and on budget. It’s no small feat,” says Clay Corbus, SVP at Clean Energy. “The completion of the project at South Fork is particularly special because not only is it a major step forward in building our low-carbon RNG supply to ensure we have the volumes needed to meet the growing fleet demand, but we were able to work side-by-side with such a remarkable dairyman in Frank Brand.”

For South Fork Dairy owner Frank Brand, the project represents both environmental progress and operational efficiency.

“Partnering with Clean Energy to build an RNG facility on the dairy has been a success for us,” Brand says. “We’re processing our manure into useful bedding and producing clean, useful fuel for vehicles – it’s pretty amazing stuff. Being a part of something so circular that allows the dairy to reduce its emissions while providing an additional income stream is an added bonus.”

Construction on the site hit a major setback after a fire damaged the dairy last year, halting work on the digester complex. Brand’s team rebuilt the operation in parallel with Clean Energy, and both the dairy and the RNG plant are now fully restored.

The facility has cleared a key regulatory hurdle as well. Its RNG has received EPA approval to begin generating Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard. Clean Energy expects California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credits to begin accruing in early 2026. The company already distributes RNG through a national network of more than 600 fueling stations.

T Diamond Bar and Montrose Environmental supported engineering and environmental work on the project.

Manure-based RNG is gaining traction as agriculture and transportation — sectors responsible for roughly 10% and 28% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, respectively — look for ways to cut climate impacts. Capturing methane from dairy manure prevents a potent greenhouse gas from entering the atmosphere, and using that methane as fuel can achieve a negative carbon-intensity score, making it one of the lowest-carbon liquid or gaseous fuels available. It also typically costs less than diesel at the pump, adding economic appeal alongside environmental benefits.

How Do Modern Dairies Stay Ahead With Future Innovations and Sustainable Practices?

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:04:42 GMT

The U.S. dairy industry stands on the brink of transformative change, poised with promising opportunities for farmers. At a National Milk Producers Federation Young Cooperators Progressive panel, held live at World Dairy Expo, four dairy leaders shared insights into their daily routines and how they allocate their time effectively.

1. The Promise of Beef-on-Dairy
Megan Schrupp, co-owner of NexGen Dairy in Minnesota, highlights the integration of beef into the dairy sector as a significant opportunity. The concept isn’t new, but it continues to evolve, offering an exciting avenue that could enhance the industry’s sustainability and profitability. This integration reflects the dynamic nature of dairy farming, where innovation meets traditional practices.

Dan Basse, president of AgResource Company says beef-on-dairy is not a fleeting trend but a long-term solution in an industry seeking stability.

“I don’t think we can get enough mama beef cows to come forward,” Basse says.

The 2025 Farm Journal State of the Dairy Industry report echoes this view, with three-quarters of operators engaging in beef-on-dairy methods such as breeding and raising. There’s evidence in semen sales too, with figures showing a 317,000-unit increase in the U.S. by 2024, as reported by the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB).

2. Connecting with Consumers
For Laura Raatz, co-owner and herd manager at Wagner Farms Inc., the quintessential opportunity lies in strengthening the bond with consumers. As less than 2% of the population is responsible for feeding the world, gaining consumers’ trust and showcasing pride in product transparency and sustainability is crucial. Engaging with consumers aligns closely with advancing animal welfare and reinforcing the industry’s commitment to quality.

“If we don’t have consumers behind us that believe in our product and trust where their products come from, I think that we’re going to be in big trouble,” she says. “If we can combine people, innovation and sustainability together, I think that dairy is not just going to survive, it’s going to thrive for decades to come.”

3. Advances in Technology and Innovation
There’s a resounding consensus among experts that technology and innovation hold the key to the industry’s future. From genomics enhancing cattle efficiency to leveraging technology for better management, these advances could revolutionize farming methods. Ron Fowler, a first-generation dairy farmer from Michigan, underscores the role of genomics, which could radically shorten generational gaps and innovate breeding practices.

“I think these cattle are going to continue to get way more efficient,” he says. “I think these cows are going to get so much more efficient with feed and genomics.”

In fact, the 2025 Farm Journal State of the Dairy Industry report highlights how two-thirds of dairy farms have embraced at least one form of feeding technology. Among these, health monitoring collars and ear tags stand out as the most widely adopted innovations. These tools enhance the ability to manage livestock more effectively, promoting healthier herds and thus boosting overall productivity.

4. Sustainability and Efficient Practices
Sustainability remains a cornerstone of future opportunities. Joel Eigenbrood, CFO for several Michigan dairies, and others recognize the importance of integrating sustainable practices through the use of by-products. Transforming these by-products into economically viable products such as jet fuel or vodka, though niche now, points to a future ripe with possibilities for making more from less.

“The genetic side of cows are so efficient today,” he says. “The number of components that we’re able to get out of these cows, and with feeding by-products and all these other things, so it just becomes more and more sustainable.”

Encouragingly, over half of survey respondents (63%) reported participating in at least one sustainable practice. This trend is indicative of a growing societal shift toward environmental responsibility. Interestingly, larger operations, particularly those with substantial herd sizes and extensive acreage, tend to embrace sustainability more comprehensively. This trend is most pronounced in the Western region.

5. The Role of People and Farm Culture
Building motivated and skilled teams is another critical opportunity echoed by these leaders. By cultivating strong farm cultures, the industry can attract new talent and foster an environment that supports innovation. This focus is on people aligning with enhancing sustainability and integrating new technological advancements into daily farm operations.

The Farm Journal report highlights that non-family members consist of at least 50% of their workforce. With evolving labor-related aspects indicating enduring challenges, the industry must explore viable solutions to continue thriving.

Farmers must continue to balance the integration of technology with human labor, ensuring both aspects work in harmony to drive growth and productivity.

As the dairy industry navigates these potential avenues, it’s clear using a combination of innovation, consumer engagement and sustainable practices will be pivotal. The future of dairy farming holds the promise not just to survive but to thrive, pushing boundaries and setting new standards in agricultural excellence.

Your Next Read:
Grim Reality: Global “Wall of Milk” Weighs on Dairy Markets as Production Surges

4 Dairy Experts Discuss The Path to Sustainable, Next-Gen Production

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:40:30 GMT

The dairy industry stands at a pivotal crossroads, where tradition meets technological innovation. The webinar titled “Same Milk, Better for the Environment: The Evolution of Next-Gen Dairy Production” recently brought together industry leaders to discuss progressive strategies for transforming dairy production with a focus on sustainability. Dairy industry leaders Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation; Steve Rowe, executive chairman of Biofiltro; Brian Zook, director of dairy sourcing and sustainability for Bel Brands; and Darrin Monteiro, senior vice president of sustainability and member relations at California Dairies Inc., each shared their insights on this crucial matter.

Industry-Wide Perspective
Emphasizing the role of the National Milk Producers Federation, Doud explains how close communication between producers and consumers is the key to driving both sustainability and economic efficiency. He outlines the growth of the Farm Environmental Stewardship initiative, initially established in 2017, to assess and enhance sustainable practices on more than 6,500 dairy farms. However, he admits the process must be simplified for producers.

“The last thing we want is for a farmer to look at a 10-page piece of survey and data, and after spending 30 minutes on them, he throws it in the trash,” Doud says.

Key Strategies
Monteiro emphasizes the importance of providing financial aid to farmers for implementing new technologies. He highlights California’s success, where state-funded incentives have aided farms without financially burdening them. Monteiro also points out the increasing involvement of private stakeholders willing to invest in farmers’ sustainability efforts.

“Making sure the technology is proven is very important. Margins aren’t good enough on farm in order to kind of take those leaps,” he says, noting the primary source of measurement on whether or not something works is farmer economics. “And that, for us, is going to be our guiding principle.”

Zook adds to this by detailing Bel Brands’ commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2035, showcasing the tangible benefits of applying an environmental stewardship module that resulted in a 37% reduction in scope three emissions. This figure effectively demonstrates how sustainability measures not only help the environment but also improve operational efficiency at the farm level.

“These farmers came to realize what actions they could take to reduce their footprint on their own farm. We didn’t have to tell them — they’re smart operators. Once they realize, ‘If I do this action, it produces these results for the bottom line’, and that’s the easiest way to do it. And we’ve been very happy with the dairy farmers’ work in that regard,” Zook says.

Rowe points out the promising advancements in manure management, particularly through Biofiltro’s use of vermi-filtration. Describing large-scale wood chip and worm-based systems, Rowe underscores how this method not only mitigates methane emissions but also transforms waste products into valuable fertilizers, aligning ecological benefits with farm-level economics.

“I can speak firsthand for Biofiltro. We use a system that is very simple and provides tremendous benefits to the farm at really little to no cost,” he says.

The Role of Measurement and Collaboration
The panelists universally agree measurement is crucial to sustainable progress. They commend the Farm Environmental Stewardship tools for allowing accurate assessments that guide farmers toward economically viable and effective practices. Rowe reiterates the need for third-party verifications and data access to maintain transparency, streamline processes and ensure credits’ integrity.

“It’s important to use a reputable third-party verifier for the project, and I’ll just say we’ve added regenerative agriculture to the environmental stewardship module recently, and we’ll hopefully provide an easy way for the United States dairy farmer to participate in that.”

Moreover, cross-sector collaboration is seen as essential for success. Zook explains how “in-setting” carbon credits within a closed supply chain ensures greater financial and environmental benefits directly to the farmers. Monteiro and Doud further highlight that collaborations across sectors, from government agencies to consumer product companies, are vital to offering the necessary financial incentives to drive change.

“There have been no real results without cross sector involvement, and for us, it’s really collaborating with either those companies that are direct to consumer or companies that are in the middle of that process that are providing a good to, ultimately, a retailer, and working with them and understanding their supply chain and their goals as a company,” Monteiro says. “And then, how can we match up our farmers and the great things they’re doing with those customers, and as a result, asking them to bring dollars back so that it eases the burden on farm?”

Toward a Sustainable Dairy Future
As the dairy industry navigates these transformative times, the integration of innovative technologies with sustainable practices becomes ever more significant. The dialogue during the webinar underscored a shared goal: advancing the dairy sector into a more environmentally and financially sustainable model. By continuing to support technological research, providing economic incentives, and fostering industry-wide collaboration, the dairy industry is poised for a promising future, where sustainability serves as the foundation of its growth. This movement signifies a collective shift toward preserving our resources while maintaining the quality and availability of dairy products for future generations.

Your Next Read:
Milk Prices Face Headwinds in 2026 as Cattle Prices Encourage Herd Growth

Sustainable Cows: The Genetic Blueprint for a Greener Dairy

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 17:21:41 GMT

When thinking about sustainability, we often consider how the industry impacts the environment. Methane mitigation, waste recycling and water quality are popular areas of focus to help make the dairy industry more sustainable. However, starting at the cow level might have some of the greatest impacts. Focusing breeding and mating decisions on specific traits can help build a more sustainable cow.

Feed Efficiency
Since December 2020, feed efficiency has been recognized as a breeding trait in the U.S. It was initially identified to track the impact of feed savings throughout a lactation. Early estimates indicate that feed savings are about 19% heritable. Feed efficiency is vital for maximizing profitability. A University of Minnesota study found the top 10% of profitable dairy herds in Minnesota account for 60% of the feed costs of the bottom 10%. Additionally, feed efficiency influences environmental management. When less feed is required to produce the same amount of milk, a reduced environmental footprint results.

Longevity
University of Florida research showskeeping mature cows in the herd can lead to increased profitability. Cows in their first, second, and even third lactations have not yet reached full maturity. A more mature herd with a lower cull rate (25%) has proven to be more profitable than a younger herd with a higher cull rate. Being able to retain cows longer can reduce the number of replacements needed. To maintain a herd size of 100 cows, a herd with a cull rate of 25%, needs roughly 10 fewer heifers if they calve at 24 months. Having fewer animals on the farm results in a smaller overall footprint.

Herd Health and Fertility
Two traits that significantly impact cow longevity are fertility and health traits. Improving health traits helps reduce disease and medical interventions, which can lower animal maintenance costs. Behind low milk yield, poor reproductive performance is the leading reason for culling in the dairy industry. Low pregnancy rates, similar to high culling rates, require more animals on the farm to maintain herd size. Additionally, low pregnancy rates result in lower herd milk production and decreased efficiency because cows spend more days in milk.

Sustainability is defined as meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Often, environmental sustainability is the primary concern, but being sustainable as a business is equally important. Focusing management at the cow level can help create a more sustainable farm system.

Your Next Read:
Bridging Bridges and Driving Global Dairy Opportunities

Setting the Pace for Progress: A Unified Approach to Dairy Sustainability

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 12:24:01 GMT

More than 270 leaders from across the dairy value chain convened in mid-November to attend the 2025 Dairy Sustainability Alliance Fall Meeting. The gathering marked a vibrant exchange of ideas and progress, bolstering the message that collective action accelerates sustainability in the dairy sector.

The presence of 28 dairy farmers alongside representatives from cooperatives, processors, brands, research institutions, and NGOs highlighted the power of collaboration in solidifying U.S. dairy’s leadership in sustainability.

Unveiling the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report

One key highlight of the meeting was the release of the 2023-2024 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report, which presents a comprehensive industrywide performance assessment focusing on three priority areas: advancing well-being, regenerating the environment, and caring for animals and communities. It includes the first five-year update toward achieving the 2050 Environmental Stewardship Goals, providing a transparent view of the industry’s commitment to measurable impact.

“The report reinforces dairy’s sustainability leadership,” says Lori Captain, group executive vice president of sustainability strategy, science and industry relations at Dairy Management Inc. (DMI).

“It reflects the steady progress happening every day on farms and across the value chain,” she adds.

Innovation and Collaboration: Building a Sustainable Future

Brad Anderson, vice chair of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and retiring president and CEO of California Dairies Inc., emphasizes the progress that stems from team-focused collaboration across the dairy value chain. He says the fall meeting is a unique platform where diverse stakeholders find common ground and transform shared priorities into tangible success.

“It’s not just talk. Its action supported by measurement and accountability,” Anderson asserts.

The report outlines significant achievements, such as a 2.5% reduction in greenhouse gas intensity since 2020, a near 5% increase in milk production and the tripling of fossil fuel energy displacement by biogas. The dairy industry’s commitment extends to 99% of U.S. milk being produced under the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Animal Care Program, coupled with strong improvements in workforce safety.

Charting Pathways to Reduced Emissions

Panel discussions at the meeting explored the latest in science, technology and financing needed to scale sustainability. One notable discussion, led by Captain, focused on the developing greenhouse gas strategic road map. Participants shared insights on how credible science, financial tools and innovation bridge the gap between ambition and action.

The inclusion of the Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model illustrates an effort to optimize farm production and quantify economic and environmental benefits, a testament to DMI’s partnership strength in aiding scientific advancement.

Unified Commitment to Future Progress

The 2025 Sustainable Agriculture Summit, held on Nov. 19-20 in Anaheim, Calif., extended the momentum from the fall meeting. It gathered stakeholders from different sectors to drive sustainability via collaboration.

Sessions highlighted dairy’s leadership, with discussions on water stewardship among California dairy leaders and cross-sector collaboration to explore emissions modeling and scenario analysis.

The fall meeting and summit demonstrated the industry’s collective commitment to sustainable development. California dairy farmer Steve Shehadey summarizes that there must be a good return on investment to maintain forward momentum.

“It’s great to see the whole industry working together for a road map to 2050, with ‘team’ being a recurring theme,” he says.

Through collaboration and sustained effort, the dairy industry positions itself at the forefront of sustainable agriculture, forging pathways towards a resilient and sustainable future.

Your Next Read: Dairy’s Ambitious Future: $11 Billion Processing Power by 2026

Consumers Care More About Dairy’s Water Story

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:35:26 GMT

Dairy farmers are under the spotlight when it comes to water use, with consumers wanting more transparency than ever. For producers, managing this vital resource means balancing production needs with sustainability and regulatory expectations.

Tara Vander Dussen knows this all too well. The former environmental consultant and current co-host of the “Discover AG” podcast has spent much of her career helping farms navigate water regulations and sustainability challenges. She has also faced these pressures firsthand on her own dairy in New Mexico.

“Water is literally our limiting resource,” she says. “Conversations about the future of dairy revolve around how we access, use and conserve water.”

On an episode of “The Dairy Podcast Show,” Vander Dussen discussed why tracking and managing water is essential for dairies, noting that sharing these practices with consumers helps build trust.

Tracking and Cutting Water Use
Improving sustainability begins with understanding exactly how much water a dairy uses. Tracking provides a clearer picture of inefficiencies, helping farmers make smarter decisions.

“The first step [to improving water management] is knowing your numbers,” Vander Dussen says. “Through your farm’s permitting process, you can figure out how many gallons per cow per day you actually use. That baseline helps you see where water is going and where it might be wasted.”

Without that data, small leaks, overuse or inefficient equipment can go unnoticed, but improving water efficiency doesn’t always require large-scale investments or major infrastructure projects. Often, simple, low-cost adjustments, like repairing leaks, adjusting flushing routines or improving cleaning schedules, can make a big difference.

“The simplest management changes often have the biggest impact,” Vander Dussen notes, adding that the key focus should be figuring out how to recycle water as many times as possible.

Consumers Are Watching
With water under the spotlight, dairy farmers are finding transparency and communication more important than ever. Effectively conveying how water is reused and conserved is essential, particularly as consumers are becoming more engaged in understanding the sustainability of their food systems.

“With water becoming more limited, there will be more conversations with consumers about who is using water and how much of it,” Vander Dussen says.

She sees this curiosity as an opportunity to showcase conservation practices. Farmers can build trust by showing the steps they take to reduce water use and explaining why those choices matter. Part of that trust comes from presenting information in a clear, relatable way.

“We have to meet consumers where they’re at,” she says, “bring them into the fold of agriculture, bring them into food, without getting too lost in the weeds. It’s striking that balance of giving them information without overloading them.”

Vander Dussen also highlights the scale of the knowledge gap.

“We are trying to catch people up about a hundred years. That is a huge gap. What often fills it, especially online, is misinformation. One video or something trending on TikTok can shape perceptions. We have to do a better job and accept responsibility as farmers to bring consumers along on this journey.”

Making Every Gallon Count
There are several ways dairies can reuse water throughout the operation, and many farms already rely on these practices to stretch every gallon. The process often begins in the parlor with plate-coolers, where cool groundwater is used to lower the temperature of the milk. Because this cooling water hasn’t touched any contaminants, it can be used a second time for sanitizing milking equipment.

After its second use, the water is often directed to a lagoon for storage until it’s needed for barn management. From there, farms commonly use the recycled water to flush manure from holding pens during milking and later to clean alleyways where cows stand and eat. Once the water completes its job in the barn, it returns to the lagoon for another round of storage and settling. In the final stage, recycled water is applied to fields for crop irrigation.

The Future of Dairy Depends on Water
Across the country, water is central to dairy’s future, but how dairies use and conserve water is no longer just an operational concern; it’s a story the public is watching.

Vander Dussen sees this as an opportunity. By showing consumers how water is recycled, conserved and managed thoughtfully, dairies can build trust, highlight their farm’s sustainability efforts and strengthen community connections.

Athian Delivers $18 Million to Farmers for Emissions-Reducing Practices

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:52:16 GMT

Farmers who reduce emissions on their dairies are now seeing real money in their accounts, thanks to a company called Athian.

Since 2024, Athian has helped farmers collect $18 million for using practices like improved feed ingredients and alternative manure management. The company also recently raised $4 million in a Series A funding round from investors across the food supply chain, showing sustainability can now bring income to farms.

“Athian’s original vision was to bring together companies from every step in the food supply chain to deliver a more resilient and sustainable product to consumers,” says Paul Myer, Athian founder and CEO. “Our new funding partners are helping us achieve that vision by supporting our industry-wide effort to give credit to farmers, processors and food companies for their sustainability efforts.”

New investors in the program include Ajinomoto Group Ventures, Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Cultivate Next Fund and Mondelēz International through its Sustainable Futures platform. Athian’s original investors, including California Dairies, Inc., Elanco Animal Health, the Australian Agriculture Company, dsm-firmenich Ventures, Newtrient, LLC, and Tyson Ventures, also continue to support the company.

Make Sustainability Pay
For farmers, making changes that reduce emissions can now come with a direct financial reward. Athian verifies the results and sells the reductions, called Scope 3 insets, to food companies, grocery stores and restaurants. Those payments go back to the farm, turning improvements like feed adjustments and manure management into real income. At the same time, the system tracks reductions across the supply chain, giving both farmers and companies measurable results.

“Chipotle’s Cultivate Next investment in Athian furthers our mission to cultivate a better world by addressing emissions from areas like animal agriculture,” says Curt Garner, Chipotle’s chief strategy and technology officer. “Tools that incentivize on-farm GHG reductions will help companies like ours achieve ambitious goals, including a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.”

Athian recently completed its first verified inset sale with Dairy Farmers of America in early 2024 and has since added more options, including feed additives, manure management projects and a carbon intensity protocol developed with the National Milk Producers Federation and California Dairies. An expanded scientific advisory board now includes expertise from Australia to help guide protocols for farms of different sizes and systems.

For farmers, practices that improve the herd’s environmental footprint can now also improve the farm’s bottom line. With its new funding, Athian plans to add even more protocols, make emissions reductions accessible to smaller farms, and pilot programs in beef operations and international markets.

Whiskey and Cows: An Unlikely Duo in Kentucky's Heartland

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 17:11:03 GMT

When you think of whiskey, cows probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, on a picturesque Kentucky farm, there’s a surprising link between these two seemingly unrelated entities. Thanks to the innovative practices of a family-run dairy, the traditions of bourbon-making and dairy farming come together in a remarkable way.

A Legacy in Campbellsville
Cowherd Dairy, located in the scenic Campbellsville, Ky., stands proud of its rich heritage. With 430 cows and 700 acres of farmland, this family-owned dairy is now managed by its fifth generation, co-led by the passionate Caden Cowherd. For Caden and his family, dairy farming is more than just a job. It’s a rewarding lifestyle.

“This is an industry where you put in maximum effort and maximum time, and you get the results that you put into it,” Cowherd explains.

(Cowherd Dairy)

With a surname like Cowherd, dairy farming was a fitting choice for the family business. Cowherd co-owns the farm alongside his father and grandfather, and his responsibilities range from fieldwork — planting, spraying, and shelling corn — to managing the herd’s feeding routines. Each day, he is involved in the intricate dance of maintaining a productive and efficient farm that can support both his family and his community.

Cowherd’s passion for farming is evident. The young Kentucky farmer says there is nothing more rewarding than owning and operating a dairy farm.

“There’s no other job where you get to see the literal fruits of your labor come to life,” he says, reveling in the satisfaction of watching crops grow and contribute to producing milk.

Adapting and Innovating
The Cowherd family is always on the lookout for new ways to enhance their operation. The farm emphasizes the importance of three essential factors: genetics, cow comfort and feed quality for optimal production.

Byproduct feed isn’t just a means of nutrition. It also reinforces environmental sustainability. The nutritional analysis of dairy cows in the U.S. unveiled that byproducts contribute significantly to their diets, providing much-needed nutrients while also curbing food waste. Feeding byproducts to livestock ranks highly on the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy, further proving the practice’s sustainability.

(Cowherd Dairy)

This is one reason Cowherd Dairy feeds several biproducts to their herd. According to Cowherd, their ration includes soybean meal, soy plus fine ground, corn, citrus pulp, distiller syrup, wheat silage and corn silage, along with vitamins and minerals.

Cowherd herdsman, Billy Wilcher says: “I don’t know another industry that is more environmentally conscious than farmers,” noting farmers are always looking at how best to care for their land, cattle and the environment.

The Perfect Upcyclers
Cows are nature’s upcyclers, capable of transforming almost anything into valuable resources. At Cowherd Dairy, one of the unique byproducts fed to the cattle is syrup from the whiskey-making process. Delivered by tanker truck, this syrup is a sweet treat for the cows.

“For the cows, the syrup is like ice cream to a kid,” Cowherd explains.

Alongside this syrup, the farm also includes other byproducts like citrus, soybean meal and cottonseed in the cows’ diet, showcasing an efficient and environmentally friendly approach to farming.

“We quit feeding dried distillers grain years ago, and then started feeding a liquid distiller syrup,” Cowherd shares. “It just got to be extremely readily available because of all the growing distilleries in our area.”

Located only 30 miles from the Bourbon Trail, distiller syrup is available year around.

“It is very affordable,” he shares. “We only have to pay the hauling bill, which is around $500 for a tanker load.”

Every animal fed TMR gets the syrup in her diet. Cowherd shares the distiller syrup is a good source of inexpensive protein.

“I think it is like 20% protein,” he says. “We like it because it’s sticky and acts like a binding to the forage and prevents cows from sorting.”

The farm purchased and cleaned out old crude oil tanks to store the liquid syrup in. Although Cowherd shares they go through a tractor trailer load in about three days.

(Cowherd Dairy)

“The cows just love it,” he says. “Like those citrus pulp pellets, that’s the waste from them squeezing out the juices from the oranges and lemons. They pelletize that, and it’s an excellent source of fiber and vitamin C for the cows.”

Cowherd says if farmers didn’t use byproducts to feed their cattle, he is unsure where those products would end up.

“I know, at one point, local distilleries were trying to find an outlet for the distiller syrup and distillery byproducts,” he says. “We are happy to use the syrup to feed our cows and prevent from being wasted.”

Dairy farmers like Cowherd are mindful of their resources available and always examine costs, especially when it comes to their No. 1 cost: the feed bill.

“You are foolish not to use what is available,” he says.

The Impact of Byproducts on Dairy Production
Having delved into the vast field of U.S. dairy nutrition, there’s a fascinating trend emerging in the dietary strategies used on farms today. From 2019 to 2024, extensive research has illuminated the growing importance of byproduct feeds in dairy cow nutrition. This transition marks a remarkable shift in how nutritional needs are being met within the dairy sector.

Dairy farmers and their nutritionists are now leveraging byproduct feeds to enhance the dietary intake of their herds. Such feeds have become significant contributors to meeting the protein requirements of dairy cows. In fact, byproduct feeds now account for up to 60% of the protein needs for lactating cows.

Byproducts — such as soybean meal, corn byproducts and corn distillers’ grains — occupy top positions in dairy cow diets across the United States. These findings underline the essential role that diverse byproducts play in maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet for dairy cows.

At the same time, a report put out by Dairy Management Inc. found many stakeholders and most consumers are unaware of the fact that dairy cows recycle valuable nutrients from feed byproducts into nutritious milk.

That’s why Cowherd works with The Dairy Alliance to help tell his dairy story.

“The modern consumer is three generations removed from the farm,” he says. “And, you’re 60% more likely to purchase a product from someone you trust. So, I had an idea to kind of shoot some videos on my dairy and put some posters with QR codes up in the local Walmart to show people where their food comes from. To show them that we’re a family owned and operated business and to put a face with the product.”

(Cowherd Dairy)

The multi-media campaign that resulted was very well received, and Cowherd says showcasing how they feed their cows and the sustainable message of farming is important to let people know about.

“We produce a great product that I’m proud to talk about,” he says. “Dairy farming is not just a job; it is a lifestyle. It’s what I wake up to. It’s what I go to sleep thinking about 90% of the time. It’s our livelihood, and I’m blessed to have what I have here. I think that we’re blessed to be able to produce this quality product. I think that as farmers, we do an incredible job of making a good and reliable and safe product, but we don’t do the greatest job in pushing this message out.”

The unique relationship between Cowherd Dairy and the Four Roses Distillery reflects a creative approach to agriculture that champions sustainability and efficiency. It’s a testament to how two distinct industries can come together to benefit the environment and uphold agricultural traditions.

Your Next Read:
The High-Tech Transformation of a Dairy Visionary

A Glimpse into the Future of Dairy: 5 Key Takeaways From the 2025 IDF World Dairy Summit

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:05:57 GMT

The 2025 IDF World Dairy Summit held in Santiago, Chile, offered a platform for dairy leaders and innovators to explore and discuss emerging trends that are set to shape the future of the dairy industry. Here are five key takeaways from this prestigious event:

1. The Rise of Technology and AI
In today’s rapidly evolving world, technology is becoming an integral part of various industries, and dairy farming is no exception. We are witnessing a technological transformation with advancements such as activity monitoring systems, robotic milking and AI cameras. These innovations are not just about enhancing productivity but also about improving animal welfare and creating a more sustainable future. Experts at the summit emphasized the need for standardized digital tools and collaborative approaches. These efforts aim to not only boost productivity but also ensure farming practices are sustainable, promising a bright future for dairy farming.

2. Global Focus on Sustainability
Sustainability emerged as a dominant theme at the summit. The U.S. dairy industry has set ambitious goals for 2050, including achieving greenhouse gas neutrality, optimizing water use and recycling, and enhancing water quality. To achieve these goals, the industry has formed the Net Zero Initiative, a collaborative effort that focuses on research, technology and on-farm pilots to make sustainable practices more accessible. Katja Seidenschnur of Nestlé highlighted customers are increasingly demanding more sustainable products, which creates opportunities for partnerships across the value chain. By showcasing impact results, businesses can support the transition toward sustainability without overburdening farmers.

3. Overcoming Global Challenges
No country is immune to the challenges facing the dairy industry. Issues such as immigration, labor, rising business costs and the declining number of individuals returning to family farms are challenges dairies around the globe must navigate. These challenges necessitate creative solutions and international collaboration.

4. Similarities Across Borders
Despite geographical and cultural differences, there are more similarities than differences in the challenges and aspirations of dairy industries worldwide. Networking and sharing best practices at events like the IDF World Dairy Summit can help create a unified approach to overcoming these common challenges. Krysta Harden, president and CEO of U.S. Dairy Export Council says it will take a collaborative approach to continue nourishing the world.

5. The World Looks to the U.S.
The U.S. dairy industry’s initiatives and innovations are closely watched by the global community. Whether it’s through pioneering sustainability efforts or leading technological advancements, the global dairy industry looks to the U.S. for leadership and inspiration. At numerous farm visits, I witnessed the impact of U.S. genetics into Chileans dairy herds as well as technology and management insights gained from the U.S. dairy industry.

The 2025 IDF World Dairy Summit underscored that while the industry faces numerous challenges, it is also on the brink of exciting advancements. By embracing technology and prioritizing sustainability, the dairy industry is poised to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future.

Your Next Read:
Data: The New Dairy Gold

Data: The New Dairy Gold

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:50:14 GMT

When it comes to agriculture, particularly the dairy industry, the importance of data and technology cannot be overstated. Experts and thought leaders in the field are increasingly advocating for standardized digital tools and collaborative approaches that not only enhance productivity but also ensure sustainability in farming practices. This was a topic highlighted at the 2025 IDF World Dairy Summit in Santiago, Chile.

Sustainability Through Data
Katja Seidenschnur, the global head of sustainability nutrition at Nestlé, underscores the importance of data in farming. While it may seem burdensome, adopting standardized data tools can simplify operations for farmers, allowing them to focus more on farming and less on administrative tasks. This collaborative approach, even with competitors, is essential in creating a more sustainable agricultural future.

“It is important we have more standardized tools the farmer can use because they want to farm,” she said in an exclusive interview with Dairy Herd Management.

Seidenschnur suggests farmers start with small, manageable steps.

“Assess your farm by asking critical questions about your practices, like the origin of your feed,” she advises. This foundational assessment can lead to informed decisions, ultimately supporting farmers in their journey toward sustainability.

Nestlé’s customers are calling for more sustainable products, promising more shelf space and listings as incentives. Sharing data and proof points creates opportunities for partnerships across the value chain. By highlighting impact results, businesses can support the transition toward sustainability without placing the entire burden on the farmer.

Empowering the Next Generation
Bridging the gap between generations is another critical aspect of modernizing farming practices. Integrating income streams from innovative technologies, like energy solutions, is vital for attracting the next generation of farmers. Involving youth and women in these efforts brings fresh dynamics to the industry, driving change and demonstrating the tangible benefits of sustainable farming.

Farmers today acknowledge that engaging with new technologies can significantly improve their operations. “I know why I’m doing this,” a farmer might say, reflecting on the positive changes they’ve seen on their farm.

This commitment to sustainable practices is echoed by many in the industry.

The Transformative Power of AI and Automation
Michigan dairy farmer and Nuffield Scholar Paul Windemuller spoke on the future of AI and automation in dairy at the World Dairy Summit. He stressed the necessity of clean, accurate data to train AI technologies, a crucial step for true innovation in the industry.

Windemuller likens the potential impact of AI and technology to the transformation brought about by electricity over a century ago. Today, electricity is indispensable — we hardly think about it despite its foundational role in modern life. In a similar vein, those who remain skeptical of AI and resist its integration may find themselves at a disadvantage.

“I think those farmers who don’t want to embrace AI and technology will struggle, as today you don’t see farms not use electricity, and it is very difficult to scale the farms in the future without that technology and AI,” he says.

AI and technology promise to revolutionize the dairy industry, but success hinges on the quality of data feeding these innovations. Embracing AI is not just an option — it’s a necessity for staying competitive and sustainable in the future.

“The future of AI and technology in the dairy industry will rely on clean and accurate data, and in order to build out true AI technology, it needs to be trained on accurate data,” Windemuller says. “It’s going to be critical to move forward that the data we are feeding into new innovations is accurate and precise.”

Windemuller will talk more about the role of AI and automation at the 2025 Milk Business Conference in Las Vegas, Dec. 2-3. To learn more and register for this conference, go to: MILK Business Conference 2025

The integration of standardized data, technology and a collaborative mindset is fundamental to advancing sustainability and innovation in farming. By embracing these changes, the agricultural industry positions itself for a prosperous future that benefits farmers, businesses, and consumers alike.

Your Next Read:
Uniting Global Efforts in Dairy for a Greener Future

Uniting Global Efforts in Dairy for a Greener Future

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:08:29 GMT

As the global population inches toward a projected 10 billion by 2050, the task of feeding our growing world places an enormous responsibility on the agricultural sector. At the World Dairy Summit in Chile, industry leaders united to address how U.S. dairy farmers are poised to meet this challenge. Krista Harden, president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, and Charles Krause, a dairy farmer from Minnesota, shared insights into the strategies and advancements driving the American dairy industry toward a sustainable future.

(Farm Journal)

Harnessing Resources and Innovation
Harden places emphasis on the natural resources and technological prowess at the disposal of U.S. dairy farmers.

“I may be prejudiced, but on the record, I do believe farmers, like the one sitting beside me, Mr. Krause from Minnesota, are ready for the next generation,” she says in an inclusive interview with Dairy Herd Management. “We have the natural resources. We have the know-how, we have the desire to continue to expand, to be more productive, more efficient and produce more, so hopefully there’s no reason in the future for someone wanting or needing dairy in their diet, that they can’t get it, and hopefully a lot of it will come from us. I believe we’re poised to do that.”

Krause echoes her sentiments, expressing pride in capital investments and technological adaptations farmers like himself are embracing. With $11 billion in plans underway for U.S. dairy processing, the commitment to innovation is evident.

“I think that U.S. dairy farmers have always been the first to adopt new technologies, to use the genetics that are out there,” he shares.

Leading the Way in Sustainability
U.S. dairy farmers are not just keeping pace; they are setting the standard in sustainable practices. As both Harden and Krause outline, the adoption of cutting-edge genetics and operational efficiencies demonstrates the sector’s dedication to sustainability.

“We’re the most sustainable milk pound for pound in the world,” Krause affirms, underscoring leadership in the U.S. in this domain.

“It was a point made that one of the cheapest, low-cost things you can do to improve your farm efficiency is by investing in your cows,” Harden shares. “And our farmers are at the cutting edge of that. We are setting the standard for the rest of the world.”

Global Demand for U.S. Dairy Products
2025 is a significant milestone for U.S. dairy exports, with products like cheese and butter experiencing remarkable surges in demand. In fact, U.S. dairy exports started off the second half of the year with a bang. Shipments in July soared 7% (+14,144 MT) year over year in milk solids equivalents (MSE) terms. Year-to-date cheese exports have raced past prior-year levels (+14%, +42,663 MT) and appear well on track to handily deliver another annual record in 2025.

Harden details the impressive 15% rise in cheese exports and the unexpected popularity of U.S. butter in European markets. This success is not solely attributed to production capabilities; understanding and anticipating global market needs have played a pivotal role.

“We are just sitting in that sweet spot now,” Harden says, as U.S. dairy effectively matches global demand with quality offerings. “The same craze in the U.S. for proteins is happening around the world. We have the products that the world wants and needs, and I think that’s always key to really growing trade.”

Building Connections Across Borders
Beyond the quality of the products themselves, the success of U.S. dairy exports is a testament to the strength of relationships developed across borders. Krause credits USDEC and other collaborators for forging meaningful connections that allow seamless transactions worldwide. This sense of community and collaboration ensures that when the world needs dairy, the U.S. knows exactly where to deliver.

“Everyone who works for the dairy farmers is doing a great job making those personal connections and getting those contacts so that when a transaction is ready to take place, they know who to look to,” he says.

As the world looks ahead, the collaborative efforts of industry leaders and farmers stand as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of U.S. dairy. With a clear vision for the future, they remain committed to nurturing their herds and innovating with sustainability at the forefront. It’s this dedication that will continue to position the U.S. as a leader in feeding a rapidly growing global population.

Your Next Read:
Unveiling the Future of Dairy at the IDF World Dairy Summit 2025

U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Raise More Food With Fewer Resources

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:27:03 GMT

As Climate Week NYC kicks off, the Animal Agriculture Alliance released an updated version of its Sustainability Impact Report . The report highlights decades of progress made by the U.S. food and farming community to enhance animal welfare practices, reduce environmental impact and contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.

“The U.S. farm and food community has been a global leader in sustainability efforts for decades,” says Emily Ellis, director, communications and content, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “We’re incredibly proud of the work being done to innovate and advance food production practices to continue contributing to a sustainable food system – and this report highlights that work.”

In a press release , the Animal Agriculture Alliance summarizes the updated report.

3 Animal Welfare Priorities

Across all sectors, farmers and ranchers prioritize animal well-being through programs like the FARM Animal Care Program, Beef Quality Assurance, and others. Practices include modern housing, veterinary care, biosecurity measures and responsible antibiotic use to ensure ethical treatment and optimal health for animals.

In the report, you will find these three animal welfare priorities:

Nearly every species referenced in the report has specific animal welfare guidelines crafted by animal welfare experts.
Most farmers and ranchers have a close working relationship with veterinarians and nutritionists to ensure good animal health and a well-balanced diet.
Biosecurity plays a critical role in protecting animal health from disease and illness.

Reduced Environmental Impact

U.S. animal agriculture has made significant strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water use and land use. Innovations like anaerobic digesters, recycling byproducts and improved feed management contribute to sustainability.

Here are six key environmental impacts points in the report:

U.S. animal agriculture is contributing toward all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Between 1961 and 2019, the U.S. beef community reduced emissions per pound of beef by more than 40% while also producing 66% more beef per animal.
The pork community has reduced CO₂ emissions equivalent to taking 22,410 cars off the road.
Compared to 1960, egg farmers today are able to feed 72 more people using 50% less feed.
The veal community has completed its first-ever Lifecycle Assessment to identify baseline environmental data.
More than 37% of ingredients used in animal feeds are upcycled from other industries, reducing waste and impact on landfills.

Dietary Contributions

Animal products like meat, dairy, eggs and seafood provide essential nutrients that support heart health, brain function, bone health and more. The report highlights the safety measures in place, such as antibiotic screening in milk and USDA inspections for meat, ensuring high-quality and safe food for consumers.

The report includes these three dietary contribution points:

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has concluded meat, eggs and milk are an essential source of nutrients, especially for vulnerable populations.
Animal proteins are a superior protein choice for half the number of calories compared to beans, peas and lentils.
U.S. animal agriculture is committed to furthering progress, which is why several species groups have established industry-wide sustainability goals and reporting frameworks.

As quoted in the report, “When it comes to conservation and sustainability, America’s farmers and ranchers are literally the boots on the ground.”

Visit the Animal Agriculture Alliance website for more information, including resources and to read the full report.

Effective Ways to Enhance Profitability Through Diversification and Innovation

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 12:38:10 GMT

In today’s challenging economic landscape, dairy producers are facing the squeeze of tight margins, pushing them to explore various ways to diversify and secure their operations. With milk revenue not as robust as it used to be, it’s imperative to expand income lines to ensure long-term sustainability. Kevin Dhuyvetter, an agricultural economist and dairy technical consultant with Elanco, offers insights on how dairy producers can effectively diversify while managing core business operations.

Diversification: Strategic Choices and Challenges
For many dairies, large or small, there is a growing trend toward generating income beyond milk sales. Methane digesters, on-farm processing, agritourism and product extensions like ice cream and cheese businesses are just a few of the avenues being embraced. One inspiring example is Ken Smith from Virginia, who creatively transformed an old truck stop property into the successful Moo-Thru ice-cream venture in 2006.

“We sold 15,000 cones in the first three weeks,” Smith says. “People asked if we’d franchise this, and we’d only been open 60 days.”

The Smiths sold the family dairy, Cool Lawn Holsteins, a 1,000-cow dairy with a 30,000-lb.-plus herd average to their son, Ben, so their attention could go toward their ice cream endeavor.

(Photo provided by Cool Lawn Holsteins)

Today, Smith, his wife, Pam, and their daughters help operate and manage the ice-cream portion of the family business, while their son, Ben, owns and operates the dairy, Cool Lawn Farm, home to 850 cows.

While diversification offers promising income opportunities, it brings challenges. Dhuyvetter advises producers to examine whether new ventures complement or compete with their core milk production business. An ice cream business could boost profitability but might also demand significant time and management, potentially conflicting with dairy operations.

A New Income Option: Beef-on-Dairy Opportunities
One lucrative option for dairy producers is beef-on-dairy operations, which Dhuyvetter highlights as a complement to traditional dairy business. This involves breeding cows to produce beef-cross calves, allowing dairies to tap into the beef market. However, it’s crucial for producers to evaluate their breeding strategy and potential market involvement to avoid competing with milk production needs.

Ben Smith of Cool Lawn in Virginia has gone against the popular beef-on-dairy trend.

“While most of the industry is going the beef-on-dairy route, we’ve focused on selling high-quality sexed Holstein semen,” Ben Smith says, noting this has added dollars to their bottom line.

Calculating the right percentage of cows to breed for beef is vital. Dhuyvetter stresses the importance of understanding your farm’s needs for replacement heifers to ensure enough resources are allocated to core milk production activities. Producers must decide between retaining ownership of the calves or selling them at birth based on which option yields a higher return.

“Should I be breeding cows to beef? For most producers, the answer is yes, but the next two questions are the ones you need to think about,” he says. “What percent of my cows should I breed to beef? What do I do with the beef-cross calves produced?”

Sustainability and Carbon Market Ventures
Beyond production diversification, producers can embrace sustainability projects like methane digesters or carbon markets. These ventures are not universally accessible, primarily due to their significant capital requirements, but they offer promising revenue potentials.

Dhuyvetter advises careful consideration of economic reversibility before investing in such technologies, ensuring decisions support long-term financial goals. Elanco, for instance, provides opportunities for monetizing emissions reductions via carbon marketplaces using products like Bovaer and Rumensin.

For Smith, sustainability has always been a focus, and since 2023, the farm has leveraged several opportunities to enhance their practices. Manure injection, backed by private sector studies on carbon capture, has been a notable success.

“We had done very little, mainly because we didn’t have the equipment,” he says, adding that Northern Virginia doesn’t have a surplus of custom applicators, so it didn’t make a lot of sense prior to 2023 for them to do this. “Now, our neighbors are happier. We’re happier. We’re getting the full value of that nitrogen, and not to mention, we’re getting an incentive to do this practice.”

Navigating the Future of Dairy Revenue
For dairy producers, diversification and innovation are more than contemporary trends; they are longstanding methods of enhancing resilience and profitability. By analyzing new revenue streams for complementarity with existing operations, understanding the economic implications and considering reversibility options, dairies can strategically enhance their income.

“One hundred years ago, you had a bull calf, and you probably didn’t sell it. You probably fed it to your family, which is diversification by a different path,” Dhuyvetter says. “And we went through some tough years in the late ‘80s and into the ‘90s, and we always talked about having alternative revenue resources to survive in farming. Carbon monetization is another step on that path.”

Ultimately, dairy producers are tasked with navigating a complicated financial landscape and deciding which alternative revenue paths best suit their operations. These efforts ensure an additional cash flow vital to sustaining their farms for years to come, striking a delicate balance between tradition and innovation.

Your Next Read:
Transforming Dairies: 5 Steps to Set the Stage for Financial and Operational Success

Founded on Faith: The Copper Cow Creamery Fulfills the Dream, Sustains the Dairy

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:44:23 GMT

The numbers had stopped adding up long ago — the hours in a day, the equity left to spend, the credit available to just keep things going. For the Reece family, there was a time when almost nothing was left. It was at Justin and Siska Reece’s lowest point that an act of faith changed everything.

Siska Reece’s family began building their Idaho dairy when she was just 12, surrounded by five brothers. They began milking cows in 1999, and by 2018 a decision had to be made between her and one of her brothers as to who would be the next generation. The best option was to split, leaving Siska and Justin Reece to take over the farm.

Entering 2020, the Reece family was struggling through the buyout.

“It seemed like we could barely hold our head above water,” Siska Reece recalls. “COVID was disastrous for the dairy industry. We had used up all of our equity, all of our extra feed, and I had sold all of our extra heifers. We thought, ‘how much longer can we go backwards without losing the farm?’”

It was time to either sell while they could still pay off the debt or figure out a different way to make money. Reece and her husband prayed fervently for the right answer, and she says it was that act of faith that gave them the clarity they needed.

“Separately, we each felt we weren’t meant to be done with the dairy yet,” Reece says. “The terrifying part was we still didn’t know how to make money.”

Yet within weeks, many friends and neighbors were asking, “When are you guys going to start selling your own milk? Making your own cheese? Why can’t I just buy my ice cream from you?” This had been the dream for 20 years, but her ever-transparent response was always, “Yes, someday when the dairy starts making enough profit, then we can invest in a new business.”

Reece had a feeling once again that a plan greater than her own was at play.

“We thought, ‘maybe God’s trying to tell us something. We should look into it at least,’ so the first call I made was to planning and zoning, and every single question I asked, every step I tried to take, God had completely opened the pathway before I even made the call,” she says.

The miraculous opportunities kept coming. From acquiring a building they loved and could afford, to unheard-of timing on the well drilling to having final permits in place just hours before opening, there was no question this had been the right choice. The Copper Cow Creamery was ready for its first customers in less than eight months.

Today, the creamery produces non-homogenized A2A2 milk, cheese and ice cream using milk from their Jersey herd. The drive-thru also serves espresso drinks and breakfast items — a lifelong dream coming to fruition.

Encouraged by friends to sell directly to consumers, The Reece Family found new life for their dairy.

(The Copper Cow Creamery)

“I designed the coffee shop model at age 15 in the back of my mom’s car on the way to Idaho,” Reece says.

The results have far exceeded the dream. Customer demand quickly outpaced their original setup, growing into a full-time operation open six days a week, with a staff of 15.

“I had expected that we would be there selling milk and cheese to one customer per hour, and the rest of the day I would take turns homeschooling my kids one at a time,” Reece says. “But in the first week, I needed five employees in there. I remember crying in happiness — not only is our dream coming true, but it’s profitable, sustaining itself and doing amazing.”

While everything with the store fell into place better than planned, life didn’t stop. The Reeces homeschool their five sons on top of managing the dairy, the creamery and store, ag tourism activities, a small herd of Scottish Highlands, and countless sports, church, and 4-H activities.

“There are always points of burnout,” Reece says. “Every day something breaks down or some fire needs to be put out. Often times, I’m exhausted. Sometimes it feels like I’m running ragged on getting supplies and parts, learning to run all the equipment, managing people-facing employees instead of cow-facing employees, so I daily learn to rely on God to help me through it all.”

Thankfully, the Reece family has an incredible support system, especially within their own family.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve woken one of my kids up at 4:30 and said, ‘Hey, somebody called in, you’re going to go serve coffee and cinnamon rolls,’ and they cheerfully do it. They know it’s our livelihood, I know I can count on them and that’s why we can function,” Reece says.

She also credits her parents, in-laws and hardworking employees.

“Their commitment to the creamery and constant support has been unmatched,” she says. “We could never have done it without them.”

On top of managing their dairy, the creamery and their kids’ activities, the Reeces also host ag tourism activities for the community.

(The Copper Cow Creamery)

On the long days, Reece grounds herself in her goals for her family and remembers: It’s just a season.

“The buyout and going through COVID — it was just a season. Any one of us can do anything for a season,” she says. “I know I’m not going to have to work 23 hours a day indefinitely. Soon I’ll be able to homeschool more like a regular homeschool mom again.”

Your Next Read: California’s Dry Dilemma: No Clear Winners in the Battle for Water Conservation

Jet Fuel May Propel the Future of Dairy Nutrition

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Advancements in agriculture continue to move at a supersonic pace. One of the latest developments: jet fuel made from corn.

Corn-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) takes biofuels to a new level beyond ethanol production. It actually begins with ethanol, which is then enhanced via “Alcohol-to-Jet” pathways to form a fuel suitable for aviation.

According to the American Coalition for Ethanol , SAF is “a renewable alternative to conventional jet fuel that could be used in today’s aircraft and immediately improve the environmental impact of flight.” Relying on renewable sources like corn, SAF is said to deliver equivalent performance to petroleum-based jet fuel with a fraction of its carbon footprint, and is suitable to use in today’s existing aircraft engines and infrastructure.

At an estimated 80% reduction in overall CO₂lifecycle emissions compared to fossil fuels, SAF promises to drive the “decarbonization” of air travel.

Like ethanol, corn-based SAF could yield massive quantities of co-products. The U.S. livestock industry is poised to embrace those resources, according to Dr. Kurt Rosentrater, Professor of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University.

On a recent episode of The Dairy Podcast Show , Rosentrater noted that after just two decades, dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) have become a widely implemented staple in animal nutrition.

“When the ethanol industry was in its earliest stages, I remember having conversations with companies saying, ‘in a couple of years, we’re going to be dealing with 10 million tons of DDGS. What are we going to do with all of that? We’re going to have to burn it and landfill it,’” he recalled. “Well, right now we’re sitting at about 33-35 million tons per year, and we’re not landfilling it, we’re not burning it. We’re using it in beef, dairy, swine, fish, and pet foods, plus we’re exporting about a third of it.”

Rosentrater credited dairy and livestock nutritionists with optimizing ingredients like DDGS for a variety of species. At the same time, ethanol manufacturers have fine-tuned production practices to create more consistent, specialized, and high-quality co-products.
He expects that same ingenuity to prevail if corn (and also potentially soybeans) is channeled at a large scale into SAF production. “In the past few years, there has been a big push among lots of different organizations about the idea of the ‘circular economy,’” he shared. “I laugh at that, because, in agriculture, we’ve been doing the circular economy for generations.”

The first commercial-scale facility converting U.S. corn into SAF is currently slated to be in the dairy-boom state of South Dakota. Gevo’s Net-Zero 1 plant near Lake Preston, SD, is projected to produce an estimated annual 60 million gallons of SAF, plus an accompanying 1.32 billion pounds of protein and animal feed and 30 million pounds of corn oil.

Although the South Dakota plant was initially slated to begin production in 2025, delays in financing and carbon pipeline approval/access have stalled the project.

Still, proponents of SAF note that airlines have already made commitments to purchase sustainable fuels to offset their carbon footprints. And they argue that using only the starch fraction of corn for fuel, while preserving the protein and nutrients for livestock feed, helps negate “fuel-versus- fuel” debates.

From Brew to Moo: The Sustainable Dairy Practices at Ayers Farm

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 11:33:49 GMT

A good brew isn’t just for humans — it’s on the menu for the Holstein cows at Ayers Farm in Perryville, Ohio, too. This unique twist in cattle feed comes from an unexpected source: the Budweiser plant in Columbus. At Ayers Farm, home to more than 600 Holstein cows, this innovative use of brewer’s mash, a byproduct of the beer-making process, has become an integral part of their operation.

(Ayers Farm)

A Sustainable Diet
At Ayers Farm, sustainability is a key focus. The herd’s nutritionist orchestrates a delicate balance of crops and upcycled food byproducts to ensure the cows’ diet is both nutritious and environmentally conscious. Kathy Davis, a seventh-generation dairy farmer at Ayers Farms, emphasizes the importance of this approach.

“By using a byproduct from another process, we prevent it from ending up in a trash pile,” she says, underscoring their commitment to sustainable practices and innovative feed solutions that benefit their cows and the broader agricultural community.

Davis says they have been feeding distillers grains ever since she was in high school in the late ‘80s. She says farmers are the ultimate recyclers, adding they also include corn gluten, soybean meal and cottonseed to their cows’ diets.

“It was close by, and we could incorporate into the ration what would be beneficial,” she says, noting that prior to feeding distillers grains, the farm used potato waste from a nearby Frito Lay plant. “That is when we were feeding out steers. The potato starch content didn’t make it a good fit to feed our cows, but we’re always looking for benefits, and the distiller grain is economical, and our nutritionist was really excited about the possible benefits for it.”

(Ayers Farm)

Behind the Scenes
Ayers Farm isn’t just feeding its cows better — it’s also incorporating technology to enhance the health and productivity of their herd. From GEA activity monitors on breeding-age heifers, as well as lactating and dry cows to integrated feeding programs, plus DeLaval cameras in the maternity pens, the farm is leveraging tech to stay ahead. These systems provide valuable data that helps manage everything from health indicators to milk production metrics, ensuring issues are flagged before they become problems.

“It’s not just about milk production; it’s about having a good workforce and external partners, such as nutritionists and veterinarians, that help us achieve a sustainable, rewarding livelihood,” Davis shares. “Ultimately, it has to return a good livelihood to us and for our employees, so that our work-to-life balance is good, and we feel like we’re accomplishing something when we come to work every day.”

In addition to the cows, the Ayers have an equal number of replacement heifers and farm 1,500 acres. A total of 25 people work on their farm, which also includes owner-operators.

Challenges and the Future
Despite their advancements, like many farms, Ayers Farm faces challenges, particularly concerning labor and logistical hurdles in milk hauling. Yet, they are adapting, trying innovative solutions such as breeding and beef-on-dairy strategies to improve margins.

Looking ahead, steady communication and strategic planning are crucial for Ayers Farm, especially with generational transitions on the horizon. Davis’ father and uncle are in their ‘70s, while she and her cousin continue to accumulate more responsibilities. Succession planning not only involves the transfer of assets but also adapting the day-to-day share of operation responsibilities to ensure smooth management handoffs.

Ayers Farm is a testament to how traditional farming values can coexist with innovative practices. By incorporating distillers grains, optimizing feed through technology and planning for future generations, Ayers Farm continues to thrive in an ever-evolving agricultural landscape.

Your Next Read:
The Strategy Behind an Eight-Generation Dairy Legacy

The Strategy Behind an Eight-Generation Dairy Legacy

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 16:43:44 GMT

Eight generations. 266 years. One of the oldest dairies in the country. No matter how you quantify it, the legacy of Long Green Farms is an impressive one. It’s the type of stewardship and long-term vision you can’t deny, even if you never intended to be the next generation to carry it on.

That’s the story for Alice and Caleb Crothers, the current owners and managers of the 150-cow dairy in Rising Sun, Md. As the third son on a small dairy, Caleb had originally set his sights on sports and a career apart from the farm.

He met Alice in college, and the couple laid down their own roots in Knoxville, Tenn. They were in the thick of successful careers with two kids under 2 years old when the call came. Caleb’s dad was diagnosed with cancer, and it was Caleb and Alice who were asked to come home.

(Alice and Caleb Crothers)

“Neither of us had really thought about it,” Alice says. “That was just not the place in life that we were. We were both very happy in our careers, but I don’t think that things in life are accidents.”

Caleb took leave from work to help take care of his dad and the farm, and never truly went back to his career. The family eventually moved to Maryland, and it didn’t take long for Alice to appreciate the well-built legacy she had married into.

“I think about this with the love I have for my children and what I want for them,” she says. “First and foremost, it has to be a financially desirable life. Second, it has to be an operationally desirable life.”

From her “outside” perspective, Alice credits a few important strategies that have carried the farm through eight generations.

“The family is financially conservative; they avoid debt at all costs,” she says. On top of that, each transition has followed a consistent plan, so expectations have remained clear over time.

Naturally, conservation practices are key to long-standing success, and Alice says those practices have gone hand in hand with the low-to-no debt financial structure of the farm.

“We’ve found a way for sustainability conservation efforts to benefit the farm, both financially and operationally,” she says. “A lot of these practices pay for themselves: they’ve been partnerships or collaborations that we’ve been paid for, and they’ve improved our bottom line.”

The farm’s sand separator is one example of very tangible time and money savings, combined with external support for the initial investment.

“We used EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) dollars to do the install,” Alice says. “We did have to invest our own dollars as well, but what do we get in exchange? For one, before the separator, we were paying someone to truck sand to us and paying for the sand. We’re no longer at the mercy of the trucker’s schedule and no longer purchasing sand. My husband will tell you he’s seen an improvement in herd health just by having access to the sand when we need it.”

The family is also in the process of installing a methane digester resulting from a grant from the state of Maryland. At full capacity, it will eliminate all of the electrical expenses for the farm. Other profitable conservation practices for the farm include a stream restoration project in partnership with a restoration group, no-till planting and cover crops and intentional engagement with the local community.

Engagement with the community is one space Alice has really made her own. Her non-farm background gives her the perspective to answer the questions that she, herself, asked before life brought her family to the farm.

She tells both rural and urban audiences: “The two most valuable traded commodities are time and money. Preserve means to take it to the next generation, to keep it safe. You’re conserving, you’re saving, you’re going to save time and money. Sustainability is essentially the exact same thing: taking care of and protecting.”

Your Next Read:
Enhancing Biosecurity on Calf Ranches: Balancing Animal and Human Health

The Future of Methane Reduction: Breakthrough Technologies Take the Lead

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:04:08 GMT

In a significant leap forward for sustainable agriculture, the groundbreaking Methane Eradication Photochemical System (MEPS) has successfully demonstrated its capability to eliminate dilute methane emissions from dairy barns at a commercial scale. This pioneering field demonstration marks the first real-world validation of a scalable technology that addresses methane emissions from livestock operations.

Methane poses a substantial environmental challenge, with a global warming potential 84 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. As livestock are responsible for approximately 30% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. the importance of MEPS in the dairy industry’s journey to net zero emissions cannot be overstated.

The U.S. dairy industry is actively working to reduce methane emissions through various strategies, including:

Improved manure management
Enhanced feed efficiency
Innovative technologies like anaerobic digesters

These efforts are part of a broader commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Field Trials in Denmark: A Major Milestone
The large-scale trial was conducted at the Hofmansgave Foundation farm in Denmark. The MEPS unit, housed in a standard 40' shipping container, efficiently processed air samples from a 250-cow open-sided dairy barn. This trial signifies a significant transition from laboratory prototypes to a commercially viable solution.

“The system successfully oxidized methane from dairy barn ventilation air across varying concentration levels, proving that MEPS can deliver consistent performance under real agricultural conditions with co-pollutants present. Across the initial tests, up to 90% of inlet air methane was eradicated over a methane concentration range of 4.3 ppm to 44 ppm,” says Matthew S. Johnson, co-founder and chief science officer at Ambient Carbon.

Industry Support and Collaboration
The support of Danone North America played an instrumental role in this field trial, reflecting their commitment to innovation that strengthens farm longevity and the supply chain. Ambient Carbon, in collaboration with Benton Group Dairies, works toward validating MEPS’ performance and supporting sustainable farming practices.

Jessie Copeland, head of regenerative agriculture at Danone North America, expresses satisfaction with the initial results.

“The success in Denmark paves the way for further strategic collaborations... reinforcing our shared commitment to enhancing farmer and supply chain resiliency,” he says.

Chris Williams, conservation lead at Benton Dairies, adds: “We are excited to work alongside Ambient Carbon to push the boundaries of sustainable milk production.”

Beyond methane eradication, MEPS also removes ammonia and barn odors, generating fertilizer as a by-product and enhancing resource efficiency through its closed-loop circular technology.

The Path Forward
As emphasized by Dave Kenney, CEO of Ambient Carbon, proving MEPS technology at scale is a crucial step toward delivering a commercial solution by 2026.

MEPS is poised to become the only effective and commercially viable solution for methane concentrations below 1000 ppm — which is typical of dairy barns. Its modular design and non-invasive nature allow flexible deployment across various barn sizes without affecting farm operations.

While the field trial focused on dairy barn emissions, the MEPS system holds promise for other sources of methane emissions, including manure storage, biogas plants and wastewater treatment facilities — potentially expanding its climate impact.

The successful demonstration of MEPS underscores a pivotal moment for agricultural sustainability, potentially transforming the dairy industry and beyond, while reinforcing the importance of innovation in combating climate change.

Your Next Read:
U.S. Dairy Exports Surge Dramatically as Global Demand Soars

Could Water Additive Reduce Cattle Methane Output?

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 15:32:18 GMT

As researchers strive to reduce methane emissions in the agricultural sector, grazing animals have not been privy to current feed-additive technologies. That could change soon, with a new, commercial product under development called Rumin8 .

Rumin8 is under development by a climate technology start-up company based in Perth, Australia. It contains a compound developed from rangeland plants and red seaweed. The organic active compound, Tribromomethane (TBM), is produced via a pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing process.

More than a decade of research has explored its efficacy in reducing methane output by targeting the methanogenic pathways in ruminant livestock.

As a feed additive, Rumin8 has been shown to reduce methane emissions in confinement-housed dairy and feedlot cattle by 50 to more than 90%.

But according to the Rumin8 founders, at any one time 96% of the cattle population in Australia, the U.S., Brazil, and New Zealand are raised in grazing systems, and there currently no methane-reducing additives available for these cattle.

A recent study conducted at Australia’s University of New England evaluated the efficacy of delivering a water-based formulation of Rumin8 to cattle through water troughs. Compared to a control group receiving no treatment, the Rumin8-treated cattle achieved an 81% methane yield reduction.

In the same study, an oil-based formulation was incorporated into a feedlot ration, producing a 95% reduction in methane yield. But the still-respectable 81% methane reduction via water delivery could still be highly valuable, given the large population of cattle in either remote rangeland operations or those with fewer animal handling touchpoints. And even in confinement housing, water dosing may be more practical and convenient, depending on the operation’s management structure and animal care routines.

Rumin8 founders say the product could be integral to the production of lower-carbon meat and milk. They emphasize that reducing ruminant methane enables animals to convert otherwise lost energy into increased productivity. Initial research trials have indicated productivity gains in the neighborhood of 9%.

To date, Rumin8 has been approved in feed additive form by regulatory bodies in New Zealand and Brazil . The product remains in the approval review process with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

Company officials say they are working diligently to accelerate access of Rumin8 products into the hands of producers, with “a view to reduce livestock methane emissions and improve productivity.”