The proAction program is not only about meeting standards – but it helps farmers build a stronger sector and future for their farms.

Dairy Farmers of Canada’s (DFC) proAction Farmer Resources library gives farmers easy access to tools and guidance to help them understand, meet and exceed proAction’s requirements. And in the process, farmers show Canadians their commitment to upholding strong, world-leading and wide-ranging standards in a consistent, transparent way.

Why proAction matters to farmers and all Canadians

With proAction, farmers build a relationship with consumers, who can enjoy Canadian dairy products knowing they’ve been produced to high standards on the environment, animal care and food safety.

“They can have complete trust in what we do – and that is, after all, what you want in a relationship,” said David Wiens, president of DFC.

ProAction also sets the stage for how DFC markets Canadian dairy. In Canada, all marketing and communications must be truthful and verifiable. ProAction provides the proof that DFC messages on national on-farm standards are true and credible.

“[ProAction has] become a shining beacon in terms of quality assurance in the agricultural industry,” said Vicky Morrison, chair of DFC’s proAction committee. “And that's a success for the Canadian dairy industry because at the end of the day, it's these standards that set us apart, and that's what makes our industry thrive.”

Why farmers will want to check out the proAction library

The proAction Resources for Farmers library is focused on helping farmers meet or exceed standards, while setting up their farms for continuous growth, productivity and long-term success.

It covers all six pillars of the program: milk quality, food safety, animal care, traceability, biosecurity and the environment. Videos, podcasts, fact sheets and guidelines offer continuous learning opportunities and flexibility, acting as useful reference materials for training new staff, updating protocols or looking for ways to troubleshoot common challenges.

For example, one farmer might train new staff with a video on animal care protocols, while another may use a record-keeping template to streamline validation prep. Many farmers keep fact sheets handy when revisiting standard operating procedures, investigating on-farm challenges or looking for a second opinion when fine-tuning existing practices.

ProAction resources support dairy farmers as they meet the program’s standards, make day-to-day on-farm decisions and look for ways to improve or adapt existing practices. Users can also learn more about the reasons and research behind the requirements.

ProAction relies on continuous improvement

The resources are the results of a key priority for DFC: knowledge translation and transfer (KTT). KTT ensures valuable research and expertise jumps off the pages of academic journals and into the barns, fields and conversations of Canadian dairy farmers. Much of the material behind the resources comes from DFC-funded research, which works to keep proAction relevant as the Canadian dairy industry evolves.

Part of KTT is ensuring resources reflect emerging research, regulatory shifts and on-farm realities. DFC regularly reviews and updates the proAction resources to ensure they remain consistent across the sector. It is why many of the resources have been developed in collaboration with industry and subject matter experts.

Farmer input continues to play a critical role in shaping future tools that address on-farm realities across the country. Their use of and feedback about the program’s resources is essential to reviews, updates and releases.

Listen now to The Value of proAction Podcast

DFC shares the story behind proAction and our sector’s commitments to quality, animal care, environmental sustainability and food safety in its new three-episode podcast mini-series, The Value of proAction. 

Hosts Julia Saraceni and Steve Roche talk to farmers, program specialists and industry leaders to learn more about how proAction evolved from focusing on on-farm food safety to gradually reflecting the broader needs, expectations and values of today’s dairy industry.

Farmers can find it on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud and Spotify by searching “DFC PLC.”

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.