Innovations in Washington Dairy: Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

For decades, Washington’s dairy farmers have been re-imagining the complex connection between farms and the environment. Their aim: to sustain the land and resources that sustain us all. Dr. Jude Capper, Assistant Professor of Dairy Sciences at Washington State University, describes how modern dairy farms have become a model for resource management in her 2009 study, “The environmental impact of dairy production: 1944 compared with 2007.”

In the study, Capper determines that to produce the same amount of milk today requires just 10 percent of the land and only 35 percent of the water farmers required in 1944. Yet the animals today are healthier and the product has never been better.

 In fact, the research she conducted found that the carbon footprint for a gallon of milk today is 63 percent less than it was in 1944. 63 percent less…that’s a huge improvement!

While dairy farmers are historically known for protecting Washington’s precious natural resources through strict federal, state and local laws, they are less recognized for their commitment to developing new innovations that benefit everyone. As the number of people who care about the health and environmental impact of the products they buy grows, Washington’s dairy farmers are working to ensure that people’s lives are improved both nutritionally and environmentally.

How else are Washington’s dairy farms innovating for the environment? Stay tuned to learn how methane may power your home one day….

To learn more about how Washington’s dairy farmers are contributing to a healthy environment, listen to second-generation dairyman Eddie Avila tell his story in Washington Farmer Spotlight.