Sustainable Nutrition

Taking care of the planet and nourishing local communities.

Sustainable Nutrition and Dairy Farming

All food has an environmental impact that should be weighed against its role in providing nutritional and health benefits.

A sustainable diet is one that benefits not only the planet, but also our health and communities. Dairy is a sustainable food and the dairy industry is dedicated to addressing climate change and water quality while providing nutritious and affordable foods that will nourish generations to come.

What is Sustainable Nutrition?

Sustainable nutrition is the ongoing science-based pursuit for solutions that provide affordable, accessible, nutrient-rich foods that can nourish the world’s growing global population, while also protecting environmental resources. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defines sustainable nutrition as:

…diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources. 

A sustainable diet is more than just a diet with a low environmental impact; it is also accessible, affordable, safe, and culturally acceptable.

Animal agriculture is often scrutinized for its role in climate change, however removing animal-sourced foods from the diet can have substantial negative health effects with only minimal environmental impacts.

Restricting sources of high-quality protein and other essential nutrients provided by animal-sourced foods, like dairy, is likely to have an unintended, negative impact on human health. Dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt can play an important role in every stage of life and provide a unique package of essential nutrients that are important for growth, development and overall health throughout one’s life.

Removing dairy cows from the food system would also have minimal impact on greenhouse gas emissions, while greatly reducing the availability of several important dietary nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D, which are already under-consumed nutrients in the American diet.

Dairy as a Sustainable Nutrition Choice

New England dairy farmers are committed to providing nutrient-rich foods that nourish people while strengthening communities and protecting the environment to ensure New England’s local food system continues to thrive.

Dairy is an excellent example of a real food that is sustainable and supportive of a healthy diet. Cow’s milk is the number one source of three out of the four nutrients of concern in the American diet, which are vitamin D, calcium, and potassium (the fourth is fiber). These are nutrients that most children and adults do not get enough of. On average, one 8oz serving of milk (one cup) costs $0.26 and provides 8 grams of high-quality protein, making it an affordable and accessible source of nutrition.

Dairy sustainability is a key aspect of responsible production. Dairy foods are produced by a community striving for continuous improvements in greenhouse gas emissions, water and animal waste handling, plus feed and production practices. Dairy farmers are committed to leaving a positive environmental footprint and to doing their part to nourish the planet for future generations.

Sustainable Dairy Farming

Despite what you may have seen in sensational headlines and documentaries, currently, dairy accounts for approximately 2% of U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions. As of 2007, producing a gallon of milk uses 90% less land and 65% less water, with a 63% smaller carbon footprint than in 1944. Also, dairy in the U.S. creates the lowest amount of greenhouse gases per gallon of milk compared to the rest of the world.

While the industry has made progress, there is always more work to be done. The dairy community is committed to continuous improvement, which is why aggressive 2050 environmental sustainability goals have been established.

Specifically, the U.S. Dairy 2050 Environmental Sustainability Goals are: 

  • Achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) neutrality
  • Optimize water use while maximizing recycling
  • Improve water quality by optimizing utilization of manure and nutrients

Learn more about the practices dairy farmers are doing to reduce their environmental footprint such as carbon sequestration, manure management, renewable energy, water stewardship and more.

Dairy is Local and in Season 365 Days a Year

When you choose dairy milk, you’re supporting local farmers and a product that contributes to a sustainable food system.

Dairy milk remains a consistently local food, even as food supply chains have become longer and more complicated. The majority of milk and dairy products in our region are sourced from the over 1000 family farms in New England or neighboring farms in Eastern New York. This is true whether you buy directly from a farm or buy milk at the grocery store.

Some foods are only regularly grown in certain areas of the country. For example, the top orange growing states in the U.S. are California, Florida, Texas, and Arizona. When it comes to milk, you’re never far from a local source because it’s produced in all 50 states.

Dairy farmers live near you and care about the environment and their communities just like you do.

Milk's Journey

From Farm to You

Milk is fresh. It usually only takes 48 hours on average for milk to travel from the farm to the grocery store.  Milk is efficient. Its journey is shorter than many other foods, which results in less fuel used for transport.

Sustainable Nutrition FAQs

What is sustainable eating?

Sustainable eating is about choosing foods that are good for the health of our bodies and the environment. A sustainable diet is also more than just a diet with a low environmental impact; it is also accessible, affordable, safe, and culturally acceptable.

What are sustainable food examples?

Sustainable foods are those that nourish people, the planet and communities. Dairy is an example of a sustainable food and the dairy industry is dedicated to addressing climate change and water quality while providing nutritious and affordable foods that will nourish generations to come.

It’s important to remember that sustainable foods are no longer sustainable if they are wasted. About 40% of food in the U.S. is wasted.

Here are tips to help reduce the amount of food we waste and how we can better honor the harvest.

What is the impact of dairy farming on the environment?

Dairy accounts for approximately 2% of U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions.  As of 2007, producing a gallon of milk uses 90% less land and 65% less water, with a 63% smaller carbon footprint than in 1944.

Also, dairy in the U.S. creates the lowest amount of greenhouse gases per gallon of milk compared to the rest of the world.

What are sustainable dairy farming practices?

Examples of sustainable farming practices include:

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