Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) supports programs, partnerships and pilot projects that help dairy farmers and agriculture-focused researchers expand our collective knowledge and adapt to new realities. Whether it’s on the farm or in a lab, DFC is committed to excellence, innovation and collaboration to ensure that today’s research paves the way for tomorrow’s success in the Canadian dairy sector.

Check out news from some of our programs and activities below.

FCC Sustainability Incentive Program renewed for 2025

Dairy farmers are integral to the success of a more sustainable Canadian agriculture industry. After all, caring for the environment has been foundational for generations working on the land. To help farmers move forward with their sustainability goals, DFC has once again partnered with Farm Credit Canada (FCC), Starbucks and Lactanet on FCC’s Sustainability Incentive Program.

The Sustainability Incentive Program rewards dairy farmers who meet a combination of herd sustainability metrics and proAction Environment module results – and this year, FCC has doubled the incentive amount.

Farmers who are FCC customers and successfully meet program requirements by adopting environmental and herd sustainability best management practices can receive annual incentives of up to $4,000.

Starbucks Canada is also providing an additional incentive of $1,000 to eligible applicants in the categories of Top Achieving and Most Improved. Applicants are eligible to receive incentives in both categories and could receive up to $2,000.

Farmers can visit online for more program details and to learn how to apply.

Listen to farmers talk about the Cool Farm Tool on The Canadian Podcow

Back in January, DFC and the provincial dairy associations implemented a pilot project testing an on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculator called the Cool Farm Tool. On The Canadian Podcow, hosts Sarah Sache and Andrew Campbell talked to two dairy farmers, and self-professed data geeks, about their experiences participating in the project.

In the interview, Josh Dillman and Janet Harrop go all-in on their specific on-farm sustainability journeys. They talk about farming in their respective provinces, how they found using the Cool Farm Tool and how they see the future of it and other GHG calculator tools in the Canadian dairy sector.

“I'm a measurable person, and I like to be able to know measurables,” Dillman said. “We've talked about greenhouse gas emissions around the industry for a while, and when the opportunity was presented to know what that number actually may be, even though I’m still learning what that means, obviously I had an interest in going through with the exercise.”

You can hear more about their thoughts on using the Cool Farm Tool, as well as a full catalogue of great episodes, by searching for The Canadian Podcow wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also check out the interview on YouTube.

DFC progress reports spotlight human nutrition, health, sustainability and proAction research and innovation

Every year, DFC makes investments, leverages grant opportunities and uses partnerships to advance research projects and improve services like proAction. The research programs are part of the investment priority areas and outcomes of the National Dairy Research Strategy, which seeks to better position Canadian dairy farms and dairy products in the marketplace.

DFC publishes annual progress reports featuring information on research investments, progress and developments from ongoing projects related to proAction, sustainability, nutrition and dairy production.

The 2024 proAction and Sustainability Progress Report provides farmers with updates on proAction activities and an overview of the advances in sustainability within the Canadian dairy sector. The report highlights new communication tools, proAction module updates and on-farm pilot projects that will be essential to further progress.

DFC’s 2024 Research Highlights features information on research investments, progress and developments from ongoing projects related to human nutrition, health and dairy production research. The report contains information about the pursuit of evidence-based health claims for Canadian dairy products, validating the superiority of dairy as an optimal protein source, the public health benefits of adding dairy to the diet and dairy’s role in bone health.

For updates on the progress of these research initiatives, dairy farmers can sign up for DFC’s Dairy Express newsletter by email.

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) is the national policy, lobbying and promotional organization representing Canadian dairy producers. DFC strives to create stable conditions for the dairy sector in our country. It also seeks to maintain policies that promote the sustainability of Canadian dairy production and promote dairy products and their health benefits. Visit DFC's website for more information.