Dairy Farmers of Canada contributing to a greener future for Canadians by supporting Tree Canada’s National Greening Program

July 13, 2021 (Ottawa) – Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) is excited to announce a $100,000 investment in Tree Canada’s National Greening Program (NGP), which will support the planting of 25,000 trees in various locations throughout Canada. The NGP is supported in part by the federal government’s Two Billion Trees Program. Today’s announcement, made in conjunction with DFC’s Annual General Meeting, represents a major step towards that goal.

Canadian dairy farmers are dedicated to preserving our natural resources for future generations and taking concrete steps to fight climate change. Trees play an important role in diversifying and restoring native vegetation, stabilizing soil, creating habitat and corridors for wildlife, and promoting carbon sequestration and clean air for all.

Thanks to advances in agricultural technology and the sector’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, producing one litre of milk in Canada emits less than half the greenhouse gas emissions than the global average. Our carbon footprint decreased by 23% from 1990 to 2016 alone, according to data from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Still, the dairy sector is constantly striving to identify new innovations and efficiencies. This fall, our sector will again take its stewardship of the environment to the next level, when the environment module of the proAction® program is fully phased in. Under proAction, dairy farmers demonstrate stewardship of their animals and the environment, and produce high-quality milk under some of the world’s most stringent standards and practices.

Through investments in research, the adoption of new practices and creative partnerships such as this one, the dairy sector will continue to find innovative ways to support a greener future for all Canadians.

Quotes:

Pierre Lampron, President, Dairy Farmers of Canada

“Over the years, dairy farmers have made great strides in cutting emissions, land use and water use associated with milk production. We are thrilled to support Tree Canada’s National Greening Program, which will contribute to our collective future.”

Danielle St-Aubin, Chief Executive Officer OR Léo Duguay, Chair of the Board, Tree Canada

“Tree Canada is grateful to work with and receive the generous support of Dairy Famers of Canada. We applaud their commitment to sustainable practices and for planting trees as a way to preserve our country’s green spaces and mitigate the effects of climate change. We look forward to working closely together to make a positive impact across the country.”

Hon. Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Natural Resources

Planting two billion trees is more than a plan for climate action. It's a plan for creating thousands of good, green jobs. We're rolling out tree-planting projects right across the country, like this one with Dairy Farmers of Canada. Planting trees gets us to net-zero.”

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