Sustainability and The Dairy Industry
The future of dairy is happening today. The United States dairy industry is dedicated to addressing climate change and water quality while providing nutritious and affordable foods for a growing population. It’s more than a vision. It’s a pledge. As part of this pledge, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, founded by America’s dairy farmers, has set aggressive new environmental sustainability goals to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality, optimize water usage and improve water quality by 2050. These goals position U.S. dairy as an environmental solution.
The Dairy Industry’s Smaller Environmental Footprint
The U.S. dairy community has a strong track record of taking care of animals, air, land and water, and is a leader in environmental stewardship efforts. In fact, the U.S. dairy industry conducted a life cycle assessment (LCA) in 2008–the first in food agriculture on a national scale.
The LCA focused on fluid milk and showed the industry accounts for:
less than 2% of total GHG emissions in the U.S.
5.1% of water use
3.7% of U.S. farmland
Cows require a lot of time to rest and digest their food. Therefore, dairy farmers provide cows with a variety of bedding options. Cow fact: they spend up to 12 hours lying down daily. Some of the products used include sawdust shavings, sand, shredded recycled tire rubber, dried manure that’s been pressed and sanitized, and some barns even have waterbed-style mattresses.
The environmental impact of producing a gallon of milk in 2017 shrunk significantly from 2007, requiring:
30% less water
21% less land
19% smaller carbon footprint
Each day, the U.S. dairy community strives to earn a place on tables around the world while fulfilling commitments that will sustainably nourish generations to come. According to a recent FAO report, in the decade since 2005, North America (where the U.S. is the primary dairy producer) was the only region in the world to increase milk production while also reducing absolute emissions, making its GHG intensity for dairy products the lowest in the world. Since 1950, U.S. dairy herds have decreased from 25 million to 9.36 million dairy cows, still producing 60% more milk. Through improved genetics, reproduction practices, health practices, and diet, cows are more efficient today than in 1950.
Cows & Methane
Cows naturally release methane during rumination and digestion. Though methane traps 28 times more heat than carbon dioxide in its lifespan, methane is oxidized within 10 years of entering the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide remains for 1,000 years. Through hydroxyl oxidation, the amount of methane produced is equal to the amount being destroyed naturally. The methane cows produce is part of a natural cycle. As long as herds do not increase, there are no additional emissions in our atmosphere due to cows. Remember, herd numbers have decreased by 16 million since 1950.
Better Genetics & Milk Production in the Dairy Industry
All cow’s milk varieties offer thirteen essential nutrients, including fortified vitamin D. Alternative beverages like soy and almond can’t say the same. While it is fun to have variety, learn why dairy milk leads the way in nutrition and taste. Without a doubt, cow’s milk meets more of the dietary guidelines for vitamins and minerals compared to its plantbased counterparts.
Dairy Cows Reduce Food Waste and Help Crop Production
Food Waste in the Dairy Industry
Dairy cows are sustainable in every aspect, including what they put in their bodies. Dairy cows can eat up to 100 pounds of food per day and can drink as much as 50 gallons of water each day. To provide a healthy and environmentally friendly diet, dairy farmers utilize the byproducts of different industries or farms when working to create a nutritious feed mix.
Cows are the ultimate upcyclers, eating byproducts that humans cannot eat, such as citrus pulp, almond hulls, Brewer’s grain and more, that reduces a dairy farm’s food waste going into landfills. These byproducts are also beneficial to the cows, providing needed energy to more efficiently produce milk.
Crop Production
Dairy farming can also contribute to crop production. When growing crops, many dairy farmers reuse the waste from other practices. After cooling milk, cleaning equipment and then cleaning barns, the used water is recycled as irrigation. A benefit of reused water is that it has been enriched by the manure it cleared from barns. Manure itself is also used as a natural fertilizer for crops. This nourishes the soil for future years and benefits all farmers.
The Dairy Industry Becoming Greenhouse Gas Neutral
Cows naturally release methane during rumination and digestion. Though methane traps 28 times more heat than carbon dioxide in its lifespan, methane is oxidized within 10 years of entering the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide remains for 1,000 years. Through hydroxyl oxidation, the amount of methane produced is equal to the amount being destroyed naturally. The methane cows produce is part of a natural cycle. As long as herds do not increase, there are no additional emissions in our atmosphere due to cows. Remember, herd numbers have decreased by 16 million since 1950.
Additional Reading
