For the dairy industry, there are lot of climate-smart opportunities. Navigating the decision-making process with lenders, as well as the financial implications at the farm level to ensure these climate-smart practices are cost-effective, are significant when deciding which opportunities make sense for dairy operations.

For the first time since 2019, the Midwest is mostly clear of drought advisories, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. In fact, May was one of the wettest months on record for Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota and regions of Michigan, with above-normal precipitation continuing throughout the growing season. Such weather has dairy producers in a pinch to manage manure appropriately.

How does your dairy push feed and manure? Do you rely on a skid loader and an employee? Pushing these responsibilities to automation can save labor, fuel, and equipment wear and tear.

RNG opportunities on farms are becoming more cost-effective, with improved technology and affordability, much like the evolution of color TVs. For those considering RNG, many third-party resources, including attorneys, CPAs, lenders and others experienced in the process, can help evaluate what makes sense for your operation.

The Your Farm – Your Footprint initiative is a unique program that meets the growing need of producers to know and understand their farms' carbon impacts and take charge of conversations about dairy sustainability.

To dairy farmers, carbon credits, or offsets, are best known in association with anaerobic digestion. These projects require big farms with significant amounts of manure and plenty of capital, resulting in credits sold to buyers outside of the dairy or even the food and beverage industries.

As a dairy farmer, you are no stranger to innovation and efficiency on the farm. So when approached by developers interested in building an anaerobic digester on your property, it is essential to consider the big picture. Here's what you need to know as you navigate this opportunity.