California Ag Network

Tag: dairy supply chain

  • International Dairy Foods Association to Gather in California for 2026 Dairy Forum

    The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) is excited to announce that registration for Dairy Forum 2026 opens today.

    From January 25–28, 2026, more than 1,200 leaders from across the dairy supply chain will unite in Palm Desert, California, for the industry’s premier annual event. Held at the luxurious JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, Dairy Forum 2026 will bring together executives from dairy processors, cooperatives, retailers, and suppliers to strengthen collaboration, spark innovation, and shape a bold, dynamic future for the industry. This year’s theme—UNITED FOR DAIRY—highlights the industry’s shared commitment to progress through innovation, leadership, and cross-sector partnerships.

    “Dairy Forum 2026 is where the future of dairy takes shape,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. “This is the place for leaders to come together, build meaningful connections, and explore new strategies to grow, adapt, and lead. When we are united, the dairy industry is more resilient, more innovative, and more prepared to meet the moment.”

    Dairy Forum includes main sessions, deep dive sessions, panel discussions, special presentations by conference partners, and numerous opportunities to connect with leaders in the dairy industry. The 2026 event features keynote presentations from:

    • Rahm Emanuel, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Mayor of Chicago, White House Chief of Staff, and U.S. Congressman
    • Sarah Frey, farmer, best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur
    • Jason Dorsey, researcher, speaker, and best-selling author
    • Brad Nordholm, president and chief executive officer, Farmer Mac

    Set against the stunning backdrop of the California desert, the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa offers panoramic views, two championship golf courses, world-class tennis and pickleball courts, sparkling pools, and a luxurious day spa. Guests can enjoy a variety of dining options at signature restaurants offering fresh, local cuisine. With over 234,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor event space, it’s an ideal destination for gatherings in the heart of the desert.

    Sponsorship opportunities are available to organizations looking to elevate their brand among the industry’s most influential decision-makers.

    To register for Dairy Forum 2026 and explore sponsorship opportunities, visit www.dairyforum.com.

    The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3 million jobs that generate $198 billion in wages and $779 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.

  • 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.