Over the last 20 years, the Cornell Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) has worked with dairy farmers across New York state to employ research aimed at reducing agricultural operations’ environmental footprint.
NMSP’s Dairy Sustainability Key Indicators Project partners with farmers and farm advisers to conduct research that shows precisely how dairy farmers are making strides in such areas as nutrient use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, water quality impacts, animal and plant production efficiencies, and biodiversity on farms. Chobani is one of the biggest funders for this project in the hopes to develop and identify how applied research can help the industry make informed decisions about nutrients across the farm.
“Dairy sustainability is at the forefront of the dairy industry’s attention,” said Quirine Ketterings, professor of nutrient management in the Department of Animal Science in Cornell CALS and director of NSMP. “There’s peer pressure and a desire from within the industry to address ag and environmental management.”
Hear from three farmers participating in the Dairy Sustainability Key Indicators Project and learn more about the impacts of NMSP’s applied research.