The role of dairy in a climate-safe future

The role of dairy in a climate-safe future

Food systems were on the agenda at this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), with the first-ever Food Systems Pavilion, putting how we sustainably feed a growing population centre stage. With National Agriculture Day in Australia coinciding with the close of COP27, it’s a timely reminder on the intrinsic link between providing a growing population with safe, nutritious dairy foods that are produced sustainably.

Egypt, host country of this years negotiations, announced an initiative aimed at increasing financial flows to farmers, increasing knowledge sharing and policymaking efforts for sustainable food systems. Funding of the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate was also doubled – from $4 billion to $8 billion. In October, Australia’s Federal Government announced $1 billion in funding will be made available for agriculture projects that increase Australia's water security, reliability and sustainability.

A climate-safe food system is about much more than emissions. Minimising food waste and water usage while revitalising biodiversity and rural communities are all crucial pieces of the puzzle.

Healthy animals on the agenda at COP27

Climate change affects not just our planet, but people and animals too. A new UN FAO report highlights the importance of including animal health in nationally determined contributions and climate commitments more broadly. Read the report.

Did you know? The UN FAO has found that improving livestock health and husbandry can reduce emissions by 30 per cent.

Dairy companies take on hunger and food security

Several of Australia’s biggest dairy companies are working with food rescue charity Foodbank to fight hunger. Find out more about the collaboration enabling Australians to access milk, regardless of their financial situation. In October, Bulla partnered with Coles and SecondBite to donate 20 cents from every tub sold of their ice cream – providing up to one million meals. Meanwhile, DA, ADPF and ADF are working together to provide a submission to the federal government’s inquiry into food security.

Did you know? Goal 11.5 of the Australian Dairy Sustainability Framework is to halve food waste by 2030, from a 2017 base year. A dairy sector Food Waste Action Plan is due for launch by the end of 2022.

New campaign targets dairy workforce shortage

With up to 22 per cent of dairy farmers unable to fill vacant positions, and dairy processors experiencing vacancy rates of eight per cent, Dairy jobs matter is a campaign to promote working in dairy and address workforce shortages. Dairy has also joined the tripartite Agricultural Workforce Working Group, established at the Jobs and Skills Summit in September. “We want to attract the best and brightest to our industry” said Fiona Simson, President of the National Farmers Federation. Find out more.

Did you know? Over 90 per cent of dairy employees are retained in the industry year-on-year.

Purchase power: sustainability just one concern for consumers

Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable initiatives from food producers, but there’s no single deciding factor in purchasing. Rather, a suite of influences is top of mind: health, price, taste and other social factors. These all play a role in consumers selecting who they purchase food from, and why. Read more from Food Navigator.

Did you know? Up to 68 per cent of people may be willing to halve consumption patterns to reduce environmental impacts – but a gap remains between actions and aspirations.

Dairy farmer proud of on-farm sustainability initiatives

"As a key part of the dairy food production cycle, it's my goal to always be proud of how we farm,” says Tom Middlebrook, a dairy farmer from Bowman, NSW. Tom works on the farm alongside his father and their team – family-owned for 100 years. Adopting new tech has been an important part of the business, and now more than ever, sustainability initiatives are a part of this approach. Find out more about the role of on-farm sustainability initiatives.

Did you know? The Australian Dairy Sustainability Framework includes targets to improve land management, increase water use efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity.

Top dairy farmers recognised in milk quality awards

Quality products are how Australian dairy consistently provides safe, nutritious food for Australians and the world. Since 2002, farmers have been recognised for bulk milk cell count – a low count indicates attention to on-farm practices that reduce the prevalence of mastitis amongst herds. See this year’s winners on the Dairy Australia website, announced in October.

Did you know? Australian dairy products continue to have zero non-compliant chemical residues.

Australia celebrates National Agriculture Day

Careers in agriculture were promoted in secondary schools last week, with a dairy farmer providing an online session for students. On demand sessions are also available for students at all year levels interested in a career in agriculture. A virtual reality program has also been developed for primary school students, empowering them to understand where their food comes from. Read more about the offerings.

Did you know? Providing a productive and rewarding work environment is a goal of the Australian Dairy Sustainability Framework.

Dairy Sustainability eNews

The role of dairy in a climate-safe future

Healthy animals on the agenda at COP27

Dairy companies take on hunger and food security

New campaign targets dairy workforce shortage

Purchase power: sustainability just one concern for consumers

Dairy farmer proud of on-farm sustainability initiatives

Top dairy farmers recognised in milk quality awards

Australia celebrates National Agriculture Day