09/18/08 Dairy sustainability

Seeing a growing number of consumers buying products based on their environmental impact led the US dairy industry to a sustainability initiative. More than 250 dairy industry leaders and experts on the environment and energy met earlier this summer for a first-ever summit. Dairy Management Inc's Rick Naczi says the meeting was about doing the right thing, getting the job done. NACZI "The great thing about it was it brought in stakeholders from the whole value chain, so we're getting new partners who are coming in to help dairy farmers in this effort." Two other national organizations, the Milk Producers Federation and the International Dairy Foods Association, joined with Dairy Management Inc to address the economic, social and environmental sustainability of dairy. Midwest dairyman Dennis Haubenschild sees a real business value in this effort. HAUBENSCHILD  "If we can show to our consumers that we have a very green, environmentally sound product out there on the shelf, that's going to do nothing but sell more dairy products. And, if the dairy industry can be looked at as the green, or one of the first green industries, it's going to be nothing but positive." That sustainability summit focused on several issues such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting energy costs on the farm while continuing to grow the dairy business. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott