At this year’s World Dairy Summit there was a lot of buzz around sustainable dairy production. We talked to many visitors about the current challenges facing the dairy industry and about the latest technologies, movements and trends that are gaining a lot of interest at the moment. Overall, we experienced a huge focus on sustainable dairy production and how modern production methods combined with innovative technology are enabling a shift towards reducing carbon emissions.
In recent years the rise of plant-based alternatives and changing consumer trends have caused some concern as to the future of dairy products. However, the conversation this year tended towards a more positive outlook. Even though it seems that consumers are drinking less milk than before, this shift does not mean a decline of dairy products in general.
One of our booth visitors, Brand Manager, Anthony Ling from Neogen confims this; “The most exciting trend for me is that dairy is growing. I think it’s interesting how there’s going to be a continued shift towards dairy products rather than fluid milk, and I think that’s really important for the industry.”
As in previous years, discussions revolved around finding new ways to make dairy production more efficient with a focus on getting more out of raw materials, reducing waste and also reducing energy and water consumption related to production. In this context, continuous process control such as in-line NIR/on-line FTIR solutions garnered a lot of interest and potential.
“A lot of the trends have focused on carbon, sustainability, and trends on production and those methodologies that are going to help support the planet and decrease global warming,” explains Matt Haddon, Sr. Director of Sales, Global and Ingredients from Organic Valley, a cooperative of around 1600 family farms. Matt Haddon was particularly inspired to bring new knowledge about more sustainable farming methods back home. “What excites me is being able to take the information that I’ve learned back to the farm and help them plan for the future. The future is looking up for dairy products, let’s make sure that the cows are oriented towards that,” he concludes.
Turning waste into value
Waste management was another focus area. Mike Enos, from the USDA AMS Dairy Program explained that as farms are consolidating and becoming larger operations, they have environmental concerns with their waste. “What they are doing right now is turning that waste into energy as a biofuel. And I would say that that is a huge trend right now in our area.”
Mr. Sodhi, President of the Indian Dairy Association and previously CEO of Amul, discussed sustainability from an Indian dairy perspective, mentioning methane and manure management as practical ways to make dairy farming more sustainable.
“70% of the climate impact of dairy farming comes from methane emission,” Mr. Sodhi explains, continuing that “70% of methane emission can be reduced by 30%, by implementing a balanced diet. Similarly, in terms of manure management you can use manure for biogas and bio fertilizer. This is already happening in India.”
Mr. Sodhi also stresses recyclable packaging as another way in which Indian dairies are in the forefront. “Milk in India is sold in pouches, not wasting too much money on packaging and the plastic pouches are 100% recyclable. So, a very sustainable system. Minimum energy spent, minimum on packaging, focus on recycling and the benefit of supply chain efficiency.”
From Mr. Sodhi’s point of view, you cannot discuss sustainability without also talking about dairy as a valuable source of nutrition and as a source of income for India’s 80 million milk suppliers, which are often small farmers owning just two or three cows.
“Generally, the land reforms in India ensure that there's enough value to maintain villages and families with waste management and sustainability coming in further down the list,” he explains. This system is highly different than the growth oriented dairy industry we see in the western part of the world.
“In India dairy is not a business, it is the main source of livelihood for more than 80 million families,” Mr. Sodhi concludes.
Nutritional value is a priority
Dr. Yun Zhanyou, Vice President of Yili Group in China also discussed the balance between sustainability and the nutritional value of dairy products. “Dairy is a natural, nutritious product,” he explained. “Although there is a lot of challenge, the dairy industry, farmers, processors and even the sellers are confident in the future of dairy.”
Compared to dairy alternatives such as plant-based products, he is confident that dairy can be a sustainable option if you take the nutritional aspect into consideration. “If you consider natural, richly nutritious dairy, even for future diets, dairy shouldn’t be neglected or omitted,” says Dr. Yun Zhanyou.
Dr. Shyam Suwal, Head of Fractionation and Fermentation Technologies at Arla Foods also emphasized the significance of dairy as a crucial nutritional component.
He noted the positive outlook towards the future of dairy, despite concerns raised about its impact on climate change. Dr. Suwal acknowledged that working in the dairy industry often prompts questions about its future due to the sustainability challenges we face. “However, there is a widespread belief in the industry that dairy has a promising future,” he highlights, adding that “the dairy industry, Arla Foods in particular, is making substantial progress towards its sustainability goals, demonstrating its commitment to both the environment and the well-being of consumers.”
In conclusion, the key take-away from this year’s World Dairy Summit seems to be that despite the challenges of consumer trends and climate change, the global dairy industry is growing and working towards more sustainable farming and production methods, and the future of dairy is looking bright.
