Inaugurated this October, Nestle Dairy Farming Institute (DFI), located inShuangcheng of Heilongjiang province, is a state-of-the-art training facility that consists of a training center with classrooms, laboratories and dormitories, and three dairy farms of various sizes.

It is reported that Nestle has invested an estimated CHF30 million (US$31.4 million) in DFI, whichaims to offer world-class training and on-farm practices to dairy professionals in an effort to facilitate and support the modernization and transformation of the dairy farming sector in China. This will in turn enable the farmers to meet the country's fast-growing milk demand in a sustainable manner for years to come.

"Milk is becoming a vital part of the Chinese diet, so the institute represents our commitment to helping China move its dairy sector to the next stage of development in a sustainable and efficient manner," said Hans Joehr, Nestle's Head of Agriculture.

The institute expects to train around 700 students annually through 17 different courses, such as dairy farm management, breeding dairy cattle, animal health and welfare, milking hygiene, animal nutrition, and socio-economic management.

DFI's business partners includesAlltech, Alta Genetics, Avery, BoehringerIngelheim, East Rock, Elanco, FoesterTechnik, GEA, Goke • Storty, IFCN, Land o Lakes, SCR, Zoetis, as well as academic partners from the University of Wisconsin Madison and Northeast Agricultural University in Heilongjiang province.

First phase of training will commence on October 16.