FARM Program Opens Comment Period for Version 2028

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program today began its open comment period for both the Animal Care and Workforce Development programs’ proposed Version 2028 updates to compile and incorporate farmer and industry feedback.

“Farmer involvement is critical to ensuring program standards are practical and achievable,” said James “Cricket” Jacquier, an Agri-Mark member-farmer and chairman of the FARM Animal Care Task Force. “Farmers who participate in the open comment period can provide feedback on practices and protocols that help promote U.S. dairy industry efforts in demonstrating our commitment to high-quality dairy products.”

All dairy industry stakeholders are invited to provide comments, feedback and concerns related to the proposed revisions by Oct. 2. Click here to view the proposed standard updates and complete the survey.

Animal Care standards, rationale and accountability measures are reviewed and revised by the FARM Farmer Advisory Council, FARM Animal Care Task Force and NMPF’s farmer-led Animal Health and Well-being Committee.

Key Animal Care directives include review of the evaluation process for injured tails and Fitness to Transport guidelines. The groups also reviewed calf nutrition, animal observations, documentation requirements and continuing education standards.

NMPF’s Animal Health and Wellbeing Committee will review the survey feedback and submit proposed recommendations to NMPF’s Board of Directors next March.

Proposed changes to the Workforce Development evaluation tool include wording adjustments to improve clarity and farm-level relevance of questions; restructuring certain questions and their response options to be less prescriptive (e.g. on timing of safety self-inspections); and exploratory additions to the evaluation to cover new topic areas.

The FARM Workforce Development Task Force and Farmer Advisory Council work together to put forward recommendations to the NMPF Executive Committee.

The National Milk Producers Federation Board of Directors will provide final approval on any and all recommendations. Once approved, FARM Version 2028 will take effect Jan. 1, 2028.

More information about Version 2028 development is available on the FARM Program website.