It is a user-friendly online tool that provides self-assessment questionnaires, an environmental footprint calculator and a best management practices (BMP) library with useful information and resources on key sustainability topics:
- Environmental stewardship (field operations and on-farm activities)
- Farm management
- Economic performance
- Relations with local communities
- Workers’ well-being
- Animal health and care
The tool was developed by Groupe AGÉCO with the financial support of Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Canadian Dairy Network and the Canadian Dairy Commission under the Dairy Research Cluster Initiative.
It is designed to facilitate knowledge transfer and consolidate existing science-based, sustainability resources for dairy farmers all across Canada.
The tool is free and available at Dairy Farms +. Simple and fast registration is required to access all the specialized functions so farmers can customize it to fit their farm’s needs.
The tool’s three main modules will enable farmers to:
- Learn about best management practices (BMPs) and assess their farm’s performance
- Measure and benchmark their farm’s environmental footprint
- Take action to improve farm performance
Dairy Farms + is a one-stop shop to help improve a dairy farm’s environmental and social performance.
- The BMP library has 110 documented practices and references to choose from.
- Farmers can fill out the self-assessment questionnaires (long or short versions) to compare their performance to the sector’s best practices and support them in developing their own sustainability action plan.
- Farmers can calculate their farm’s environmental footprint and compare it with the provincial and national averages.
- Farmers can customize their sustainability action plan and prioritize their actions based on the tool’s recommendations or their farm’s goals and expected benefits.
Visit Dairy Farms + for more information. PD
Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) is the national policy, lobbying and promotional organization representing Canada’s farmers. DFC works to support sustainable dairy production; facilitate solutions to provincial/national challenges; provide credible research of dairy products on a national basis; and create innovative ways to grow the market.
