California Ag Network

Tag: California Dairies Inc.

  • National Dairy FARM, California Dairies, Inc., and Athian Join Forces to Monetize New Protocol for Reducing Dairy Emissions

    Thanks to a new partnership, dairy producers will soon have additional options for achieving and marketing verified greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from on-farm sustainability practices. The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), California Dairies, Inc., and Athian announced today they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a “carbon intensity” protocol supported by the FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) Program, which seeks to define, quantify and verify how production efficiencies and new practice adoption contribute to positive environmental outcomes.

    “Facilitating supply chain partnerships is an important part of our mission,” said Kendra Tolley, chief product officer for Athian. “So, this MOU is a perfect demonstration of how our technology works to unite common interests around delivering new revenue opportunities for farmers and Scope 3 solutions for food companies.”

    Athian is a technology company, founded in 2022, to connect food company buyers looking to source Scope 3 reductions with sustainability minded farmers in their supply chain. They have committed through this MOU to work with their Scientific Advisory Board and accredited third party auditors to define, verify and monetize the on-farm practices that will be part of the protocol and then identify buyers for the resulting outcomes (i.e. insets) they generate.

    “This partnership supports dairy farmers interested in carbon claim opportunities by creating a streamlined process,” said Nicole Ayache, chief sustainability officer for NMPF, which administers the National Dairy FARM Program. “Farms who engage in a protocol that aligns with FARM ES methodology can use data already collected by its evaluation tool to pursue efficiencies benefiting the environment and their business.”

    As part of the MOU, FARM will contribute advice on quantification methodology as well as data collection and calculation support so farmers who are interested in generating carbon claims can receive additional value from the data they collect for FARM ES evaluations.

    California Dairies, Inc., as the largest member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative in the state, will contribute to the MOU by supporting the development and implementation of this new protocol for the benefit of its farmer members.

    “CDI is guided by a promise to move as fast as technology and farmer economics allow,” said Darrin Monteiro, SVP, sustainability and member relations at CDI. “This MOU supports our promise, and we believe will play a pivotal role into the future of dairy sustainability.”

    The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program was created by NMPF with support from Dairy Management Inc. in 2009. Program participation is open to all U.S. dairy farmers, cooperatives, and processors. The FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) Program, started in 2017, is a farm-level environmental assessment and customer assurance program that provides tools and resources for farmers to measure and improve their footprint. FARM ES leverages the Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model, a cutting-edge, whole-farm model simulating dairy farm production and environmental impact. Learn more at www.nationaldairyfarm.com.   For more, visit nationaldairyfarm.com.

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

    Athian was founded in 2022 to help the livestock value chain capture and claim greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions by aggregating, verifying and certifying them, and then monetizing those reductions for farmers through the sale of the resulting insets. Athian’s platform is a secure software tool that simplifies data entry, upload, measurement and verification at scale, resulting in high-quality and credible GHG emission reductions that help satisfy Scope 3 goals and fund livestock producer sustainability measures. Athian provides a way for leading food brands to not only invest in climate and sustainability initiatives but also to mitigate enterprise risk by supporting the financial and environmental resilience of the farms in their supply chains. Athian is an Alloy Partners company based in Indianapolis, Ind. Learn more at www.athian.ag.

    California Dairies, Inc. is the largest member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative in California, producing 40 percent of California’s milk. Co-owned by nearly 300 dairy producers who ship 17 billion pounds of Real California Milk annually, California Dairies, Inc. is a manufacturer of quality butter, fluid milk products, and milk powders. In addition, California Dairies, Inc. is the home of two leading and well-respected brands of butter – Challenge and Danish Creamery and milk powder brand, DairyAmerica. California Dairies’ quality dairy products are available in all 50 United States and in more than 50 foreign countries. For additional information on California Dairies, Inc., visit www.californiadairies.com.

  • How Farmers can Win in Sacramento

    California farmers are fed up with losing elections and poor representation in Sacramento. That’s why a number of agricultural organizations have combined forces to turn things around.  According to Darrin Monteiro of California Dairies, Inc., California agriculture can win in Sacramento and the time is now to rally together and invest in protecting our future in farming. Watch this interview with Darrin as he shares the mission of the Alliance of California’s Farmers & Ranchers, following a recent presentation with American Pistachio Growers’ Political Action Committee.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor SQM Specialty Plant Nutrition for their industry support.

  • California Dairies, INC. Announces Launch Of Farm-To-Consumer Sustainability Effort

    California Dairies, Inc. (CDI), the largest dairy farmer-owned cooperative in California and second largest in the United States, today announced the formal launch of an initiative aimed at measuring, validating, and further improving sustainable business practices.

    CDI has assembled a team of experts in the field of sustainability across numerous priority areas: from environmental stewardship to employee welfare to animal husbandry and beyond. Our team has substantial knowledge of the dairy industry and expertise in sustainability from farm to consumer. Over the coming months, this team will work to quantify the current baseline status of CDI’s supply chain in key areas of sustainability, as well as lay out a roadmap of goals and targets going forward.

    “Given our exclusive production in California, CDI’s member farms understand the responsibility that comes with producing milk and have been on the leading edge of the sustainability movement,” said Brad Anderson, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Together with the industry experts we have teamed up with, we look forward to formally quantifying those efforts in the coming months in order to better communicate the work being done to our customers, consumers, and government regulators, as we chart an achievable roadmap for the future.”

    Today’s announcement builds on a long history of focus on sustainability by CDI and our family dairy farms. Twenty years ago, before sustainability became a household term, CDI co-founded Dairy Cares, a leading non-profit pursuing research and innovation in the area of sustainable dairy practices in California. According to a 2020 study in the Journal of Dairy Science, California dairies have already reduced the amount of land (89%), water (88%), and greenhouse gases (45%) per gallon of milk produced over a 50-year period.

    More recently in 2020, CDI joined farmer cooperatives and other dairy companies around the U.S., led by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, in co-signing the 2050 Environmental Stewardship Goals, which include a goal to be carbon neutral or better by the year 2050. Today’s announcement and the work being done is key to delivering on this commitment.

    “CDI’s membership has been leading the way in sustainable dairy farming investments, from water conservation to renewable solar energy to anaerobic digesters and more, and we continue to move as fast as technology and on-farm economics allow,” said Simon Vander Woude, Chairman of CDI’s Board of Directors. “This is an opportunity to showcase that hard work, while doubling down to drive innovation and further improve our environmental footprint, ensuring that our farms produce some of the most sustainable milk in the world, across all the various pillars of sustainability.”

    About California Dairies, Inc.
    California Dairies, Inc. is the largest member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative in California, producing approximately 40 percent of California’s milk. Co-owned by over 300 dairy producers who ship nearly 17 billion pounds of Real California Milk annually, California Dairies, Inc. is a manufacturer of quality butter, fluid milk products, and milk powders. In addition, California Dairies, Inc. is the home of two leading and well-respected brands of butter – Challenge and Danish Creamery. California Dairies, Inc.’s quality dairy products are available in all 50 United States and in more than 50 foreign countries. For additional information on California Dairies, Inc., visit www.CaliforniaDairies.com.

  • California Dairies, Inc. Names Brad Anderson President & CEO

    California Dairies, Inc. (CDI), today announced the selection of Brad Anderson as its next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective January 1, 2020.  Anderson, who currently serves as the cooperative’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), is succeeding Andrei Mikhalevsky, who has served as President and CEO since 2012 and recently announced his retirement from CDI at the end of 2019.

    “It’s been a privilege to lead CDI these past eight years during a time of great transition and change for the State’s dairy industry,” said Mikhalevsky.  “I believe the organization will be in strong hands under Brad’s leadership going forward.  He is a proven expert in corporate strategy, with particular experience in the food and beverage industry.  I believe he will continue the path CDI has taken in driving innovation and delivering value-added products to our customers worldwide.”

    Since joining the organization last September, Anderson has supported CDI’s effective implementation of the Federal Milk Marketing Order, led the due diligence and integration of CDI’s newly acquired Turlock North milk powder facility and created a cross-functional team to lead innovation and growth-focused capital investments.

    “We could not be more excited to have Brad as the next Chief Executive Officer,” said Simon Vander Woude, CDI Chairman of the Board.  “Brad has extensive knowledge of our industry and is a strong strategic visionary leader, which will move CDI forward into the future.”

    Anderson brings 28 years of experience in the food and beverage industry to this position.  Prior to joining CDI, Anderson was Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer at Dean Foods and held positions of increasing responsibility at Sara Lee Corporation, Pepsi Bottling Group and Earthgrains Company.

    “I am honored and humbled to be the next CEO of California Dairies, Inc., and I appreciate the confidence that both Andrei and the Board of the Directors have placed in me,” said Anderson.  “This is a dynamic time for CDI, and I look forward to continuing the company’s vision of being the leading source of dairy nutrition for a healthy world.”

    About California Dairies, Inc.

    California Dairies, Inc., is the largest member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative in California, producing 40 percent of California’s milk. Co-owned by nearly 400 dairy producers who ship 16 billion pounds of Real California Milk annually. California Dairies, Inc. is a manufacturer of quality butter, fluid milk products and milk powders. In addition, California Dairies, Inc. is the home of two leading and well-respected brands of butter – Challenge and Danish Creamery. California Dairies’ quality dairy products are available in all 50 United States and in more than 50 foreign countries. For additional information on California Dairies, Inc., visit www.californiadairies.com. California Dairies’ quality dairy products are available in all 50 United States and in more than 50 foreign countries.