Top marks for dairy farmers on environmental targets

Published 9 May 11

A new report published this week reveals how dairy farmers are further reducing their impact on the environment. The expanded Dairy Roadmap report highlights the key achievements made across the dairy industry since the launch of the Milk Roadmap in 2008, and shows how dairy farmers have achieved and in some places exceeded targets.

Dr Karen Wonnacott, DairyCo R&D manager says: "The Dairy Roadmap provides a great news story for the dairy sector. Dairy farmers have played a significant role in ensuring that the industry meets its environmental challenges while also striving to make their businesses as efficient as possible."

Key achievements against 2010 targets by dairy farmers include:

  • ·         61% of dairy managed farmland has been entered into Environmental Stewardship Schemes which aim to encourage biodiversity (versus a target of 50%)
  • ·         More efficient water usage by dairy farmers through techniques such as re-using water from the milk cooling process, harvesting rainwater or installing bore-holes
  • ·         96% of dairy farmers have manure management plans to reduce the use of artificial fertilisers

"The Roadmap demonstrates the huge achievements that can be made when so many industry organisations work together," continues Dr Wonnacott. "The responsibility and commitment demonstrated by the dairy farmers to date,  to improve efficiencies and reduce environmental impacts is encouraging, but we all need to maintain our enthusiasm to ensure that future targets for 2015 and 2020 are met or exceeded too."