One-Day Session Provides Insights, Strategies to Unlock Sustainability Potential
DAIRY NEWS – Dairy farmers who understand their carbon intensity scores and sustainability metrics will be better positioned to respond to customer expectations and maximize market opportunities. An upcoming Carbon, Crops + Cows program and field day presented by Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP) will provide dairy owners, managers, nutritionists, crop consultants and agronomists with a comprehensive foundation of how scores are calculated and how management decisions influence results.
The one-day workshop will be held at two locations: Tuesday, July 28, at Mystic Valley Dairy LLC in Sauk City, Wis.; and Thursday, July 30, at Grass Ridge Farm LLC in Pittsville, Wis. Registration begins at 10:00 each day, with the program running from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch and program materials provided.
The program will feature:
- Presentations and updates from experts Kelsey Lichtenwalner, lead animal scientist at Eocene Environmental Group, and Grace Moeller, manager of sustainability initiatives at National Milk Producers Federation.
- Interactive sessions where participants can use FARM-ES and other tools to evaluate how cropping practices, feed strategies, manure management and energy use can impact sustainability metrics.
- Hear first-hand insights from farmers — Mystic Valley Dairy’s Mitch Breunig and Paul Lippert from Grass Ridge Farm — who have participated in the Your Farm – Your Footprint® initiative and learn how data analysis has helped them innovate and make impactful changes on their farm.
- Tour the host dairy and discuss sustainability practices in the field.
“Carbon, Crops + Cows provides a great opportunity for dairy farmers to learn together and get a better grasp of the opportunities and challenges ahead,” said Brian Forrest, Stratford, Wis., dairy producer and Your Farm – Your Footprint participant. “The first step in any farm’s sustainability journey is understanding how the metrics work and getting a baseline score. Your Farm – Your Footprint is a simple, cost-effective and confidential way to begin the process for dairy farms of all sizes.”
The workshop will also highlight opportunities to producers through PDP’s Your Farm – Your Footprint® initiative, which empowers dairy farmers to know and understand their environmental footprint and offers solutions to shape the future of their farm. A farmer-led initiative, Your Farm – Your Footprint provides an unbiased, data-protected approach that includes a comprehensive sustainability assessment, customized farm action plan, a peer-learning community and financial assistance.
To learn more and register for the program, visit www.pdpw.org or contact PDP at 800-947-7379. Carbon, Crops + Cows is accredited for up to 4.5 Dairy AdvanCE continuing education credits. Follow along digitally in advance of and during the event by following PDP on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) is the nation’s largest dairy producer-led organization of its kind, focusing on producer professionalism, stakeholder engagement and unified outreach to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.”
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