September 23, 2009

Dairy industry associations worldwide will pledge emission cuts during the World Dairy Summit in Berlin, Germany, with seven international dairy associations poised to sign the document Thursday (Sept 24).

 

In exchange for the pledge, the Global Dairy Agenda for Action will ask governments to provide a regulatory environment that recognises the important economic, social and environmental contributions of the dairy industry.

 

The dairy industry will address various ways to cut emissions from production of feed for dairy cows to processing, and packaging and distribution of milk, said Richard Doyle, President of the International Dairy Federation.

 

The declaration will be signed by Eastern and Southern African Dairy Association (ESADA); European Dairy Association (EDA); Pan-American Dairy Federation (FEPALE); Global Dairy Platform (GDP); International Dairy Federation (IDF); International Federation of Agriculture Producers (IFAP); and Sustainable Agricultural Initiative Platform (SAI Platform).

 

By 2020, the US dairy industry hopes to cut by 25 percent annual greenhouse gas emissions related to the production of fluid milk, according to the Innovation Center for US Dairy, which represents nearly 70 percent of the dairy supply chain.

 

The centre said such a reduction is equivalent to removing 1.25 million cars from the road.

 

The amount of the emissions cuts has not yet been announced.