SERIOUS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY

Serious About Sustainability
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When DFA farmer-owners recycle water, or use solar or turn waste into energy, it’s not just one farmer, it’s thousands. Across the country, DFA dairy farmers have been working for generations to help the planet — so you can feel good about the sustainably made dairy products you enjoy.

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WHAT WE'RE DOING

Sustainability is nothing new for DFA farmer-owners. For generations, they have found ways — both big and small — to help the planet. Thanks to long-standing and ongoing sustainable efforts on the farm, U.S. dairy only contributes to 2% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

a farmer standing out in a field

Recycling
and Reusing

DFA dairy farmers lower their carbon footprint by repurposing… pretty much everything, from water to (yep!) manure.

A broad view of solar panels in rows on a dairy farm.

Creating
Clean Energy

DFA dairy farmers harness and use renewable energy on their farms. Some farmers install solar panels and wind turbines, and they often share power too — partnering with their local towns and power grids.

Doing More
with Less

By using more efficient resources and methods — such as LED lights and energy-efficient cooling — DFA farmers use less (and waste less!).

How We're Doing It

Water
Recycling

Learn How

Fighting
Food Waste

Learn How

Manure
Recycling

Learn How

Solar
Panels

Learn How

Wind
Power

Learn How

LED Light
Bulbs

Learn How

Anaerobic
Digesters

Learn How

Energy Efficient
Cooling

Learn How

Regenerative
Agriculture

Learn How

STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENT

Being serious about sustainability means being a good steward of the land we use. DFA farmers support the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment, producing dairy in a responsible way for our communities and our planet.

View Stewardship Commitment

Explore Our Brands and Products

Looking to support sustainable dairy farming? Find and buy DFA farmer-owned brands.

See Our Farmer-Owned DFA Brands in Your Area

Discover More

If you’re as passionate about sustainability in dairy farming as we are, we’re here to help you learn more.

View the resources below and be sure to follow us on Instagram (@dfamilk) to see more of what DFA farmers are doing.

Cows walking together down a dirt path lined with luscious green grass.

Social Responsibility Report

From sustainable practices on the farm to making our dairy manufacturing facilities more efficient, get all the details about what DFA and our farmer-owners are doing to help our planet, our people and our communities.

View Report
two dairy farmers talking

Newsroom

Find articles about what DFA farmers are doing — as well as what you could be doing in your own life — to build a more sustainable present and future.

See More

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

We’re members of the Innovation Center’s Dairy Sustainability Alliance. Learn more about how the industry as a whole is working to ensure the sustainability of our farms and our food.

Visit the Center

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Water Recycling

We’re finding ways to reuse water again, and again and again. On dairy farms, water is recycled four times on average.

DFA farmers reuse water to chill fresh milk, keep their cows cool, clean the barns and water crops.

A dairy farmer smiles next to a dairy cow drinking water from a trough.

Fighting food waste

Some people call cows the ultimate recyclers, all thanks to their hearty stomachs.

When developing feed for their herds, DFA dairy farmers often include things that are indigestible to humans but delicious to a dairy cow — like almond hulls, citrus pulp and other grasses and grains. They also prevent food waste by using produce or leftover products not deemed up-to-standard to sell to humans (but will be loved by cows).

A row of cattle eating grain on the ground.

Manure Recycling

DFA farmers turn cow manure into a natural fertilizer for their crops and can even dry the manure to be used as animal bedding. This recycling process results in a 35% reduction of on-farm emissions!

Two farmers and a child walking away from the camera in a field of grass.

Solar Panels

DFA family farmers harness the power of the sun, helping lead to the creation of the dairy you love!

Solar panels have a carbon footprint 20 times smaller than that of coal.

DFA dairy farmers invest in solar panels that power their farms — with some even powering homes and businesses in their local community.

A woman and a man walk alongside a long row of solar energy panels.

Wind power

We’re not just blowing smoke about sustainability.

DFA farmers are investing in wind turbines that generate power from the wind, and they’re using that energy to power their farms.

Large wind turbines overlooking a field of crops.

LED Light Bulbs

You may use LED light bulbs in your home to save energy. Now, imagine you lived on a dairy farm spanning multiple buildings across many acres.

Opting for energy-efficient LED light bulbs to conserve energy on the farm is a bright idea for DFA farmers.

A view inside a dairy farm building, brightly lit with LED lights.

Anaerobic digesters

This is like composting on steroids.

DFA dairy farmers collect cow manure and food waste from local businesses, put it into an anaerobic digester (a machine that converts it into clean energy,) and use it to power the farm and even neighboring towns. DFA farmers use digesters to reduce 670,000 metric tons of carbon emissions per year.

A large red barn behind a wooden fence.

Energy efficient cooling

Dairy farming is pretty cool — and DFA dairy farmers are proving it by finding creative ways to keep temperatures down.

DFA farmers use efficient cooling methods to save energy. These methods include: energy-efficient fans set on timers that cool the cows; smart curtains which open automatically to allow a breeze or shade the cows as needed; and misting systems that keep the cows cool by spraying recycled water that evaporates and cools the air around them.

Energy-efficient cooling fans hanging in the rafters of a dairy farm barn.

Regenerative agriculture

For generations, DFA farmers have used tried-and-true practices — like planting cover crops or utilizing natural fertilizers — to restore and maintain the health of their soil.

DFA dairy farmers know how important healthy soil is, for their farms and for the planet. Our farmers plant cover crops, which help improve soil health. DFA farms have a total of 710,000 acres of them! They draw carbon dioxide out of the air – which means fewer emissions in the atmosphere.

Learn More
A farmer kneeling and inspecting a row of crops.