Earth Day is Friday, April 22, and the U.S. dairy industry always has reasons to celebrate the event. The National Milk Producers Federation says it’s an opportunity to refocus on its environmental and climate leadership within agriculture in the U.S. and around the world. Due to innovative farming and feed practices, a gallon of milk in 2017 required 30 percent less water, 21 percent less land, and a 19 percent smaller carbon footprint than in 2007. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization says North America was the only region in the world to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions since 2005 even as it increased milk production. That means the greenhouse gas intensity for dairy products is the lowest in the world. Dairy farms help guard against food waste by taking byproducts from other industries, such as almond hulls and brewer’s grains, and using them as feed. U.S. dairy intends to be GHG-neutral by 2050.
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