In September, the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) will take place and it’s an event every dairy farmer should be aware of, if you aren’t already.
The Summit’s goal is to “launch bold new actions to transform the way the world produces and consumes food, as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.”
One of the ways this is happening now is through United Nations-sanctioned dialogues with key stakeholders, who are part of the UNFSS. Recently, NDC and USDEC partnered with The Nature Conservancy and the Global Child Nutrition Foundation to host a dialogue that included dairy’s essential role in sustainable food systems.
I was among the dairy farmers who had an opportunity to speak during this dialogue, which attracted more than 100 thought leaders from diverse sectors. School nutrition experts, scientists, dietitians and those from non-government organizations and brands participated. Not all attendees were familiar with the work of the dairy community and may have come with preconceived notions, so it was important for them to hear from farmers and others across our industry.
Candid conversation
The goal of our discussion was to identify practical solutions to better nourish future generations in more sustainable ways. I was pleased to share my views from two perspectives: as a New York dairy farmer and as a registered dietitian.
The farmer side of me focused on our commitment to sustainably nourish a global population, touching on the 2050 Environmental Stewardship Goals, Net Zero Initiative, the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program and efforts to reduce food insecurity.
The dietitian side of me emphasized how the foods we produce in a way that is good for the planet also are good for health. Dairy has such a convincing nutrition story thanks to its powerful nutrient package that is important for people throughout life.
I enjoyed the nature and candidness of our discussion and hearing different viewpoints. I learned as much from our participants as I hoped they learned from me. I was especially pleased with the feedback from students who are part of the checkoff-led Fuel Up to Play 60 school program and GENYOUth. They offered a powerful perspective and endorsement of dairy farming and our products, which resonated well with the group.
In the end, we all acknowledged the interconnectivity and complexity of issues involved within sustainable food systems, as well as what is needed to advance progress across all domains of sustainability – social, economic and environmental.
A summary of our group’s recommendations will be submitted into the official UNFSS process. Ours was just one of hundreds of dialogues happening in countries around the world to capture perspectives and game-changing solution recommendations. This underscores just how vital it was to provide our dairy-focused views.
On the right track
It goes without saying that consumers’ interests surrounding the climate and sustainability are only going to intensify, and they shape decisions made by companies that take milk from our farms to create a final product. “How” it was produced matters as much – and maybe more to some people – than its actual nutrition benefits.
This opportunity gave me and others in the industry the platform to deliver a very clear message that dairy is on the right track with our existing commitments to environmental stewardship, food and nutrition security and animal welfare.
I live and breathe dairy’s place in a sustainable food system each day that I step out onto my farm. I’m glad the story of not just what we do here in New York but what dairy farm families around the country do will have a voice in the conversation leading to September and beyond.
To learn more about your national dairy checkoff, visit www.USDairy.com or send a request to join our Facebook group. To reach us directly, send an email to TalkToTheCheckoff@dairy.org.
Be the first to comment