FARM program releases Environmental Stewardship Version 3

ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management Program released Environmental Stewardship Version 3 supporting the dairy community’s efforts to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050.

FARM ES Version 3 gives dairy farmers a scientifically robust tool with more advanced features to assess the impact of potential practice or technology changes.

The update is critical as dairy farmers, cooperatives and processors continue to seek ways to advance their sustainability efforts in ways that make business sense.

“Environmental Stewardship Version 3 is a significant step forward in supporting dairy’s sustainability journey,” said Nicole Ayache, National Milk Producers Federation’s chief sustainability officer.

“This new version yet again demonstrates dairy’s leadership, showcasing our commitment to providing farmers with the best available science and insights as they pursue continued innovation and operational efficiencies.”

Version 3 incorporates the Ruminant Farm System model, a whole-farm model that simulates dairy farm production and environmental impact.

The RuFaS team is comprised of researchers and software engineers from across the country with deep expertise in their respective fields, including experts from Dairy Management Inc.

The process-based RuFaS model follows the biological, physical and chemical flows on the farm enabling more granular environmental foot-printing and scenario analysis.

FARM ES Version 3 offers farmers an advanced, more refined output compared to previous versions of the program, including estimates of carbon sequestration and the ability to analyze the environmental and milk productivity impacts of various practices and technologies.

Version 3 also contains optional data inputs, such as details on reproductive programs, culling information and cropping practices, for more tailored results.

A key focus for the rest of the year will be to collect farmer, FARM evaluator and other stakeholder feedback to further refine Version 3.

Feedback forms are available online for farmers and evaluators to provide suggestions. FARM also plans to host stakeholder webinars to foster discussion about the new platform.

To learn more, visit nationaldairyfarm.com.