Dairy Farmers of Canada invest in New Acre™ project to help achieve Dairy Net Zero by 2050

Ottawa, ON – June 20, 2023 – As part of their commitment to achieve net zero from farm-level dairy production in Canada by 2050, Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) have sponsored a one-year New Acre Project pilot to support farmers in building nature-based projects on marginal farmland. These projects, such as wetlands, grasslands and tree planting, will capture and store carbon, as well as deliver other benefits, like pollinator and wildlife habitat and flood and drought mitigation.  

New Acre Project, ALUS’ corporate ESG investment platform, helps purpose-driven corporations invest in the communities where they do business to generate social and environmental benefits through the creation of new acres of nature. The one-year 84-acre New Acre Project pilot sponsorship will help Dairy Farmers of Canada strategically allocate capital to support dairy farmers in implementing nature-based solutions that address local environmental challenges, build dairy sector resilience, and offset the carbon footprint of milk production. 

“ALUS’ vision is to sustain agriculture, wildlife and natural spaces for communities and future generations,” says Jill Weaver, Director of Partnerships at ALUS. “The Dairy Farmers of Canada’s New Acre Project pilot aligns with our mission by supporting farmers across Canada in building agricultural, environmental and community resilience, while also helping the sector achieve net zero by 2050. We’re excited about the synergy of positive outcomes that this project will produce not just for Dairy Farmers of Canada, but for all Canadians.” 

Every five years, Dairy Farmers of Canada measures the carbon footprint of milk production to guide carbon reduction activities. As of 2016, the production of one kilogram of milk generated 0.92 kg CO2e (as reported by Groupe AGECO). By helping farmers introduce carbon offset and reduction solutions to their operations, Dairy Farmers of Canada hopes to reach net-zero emissions in the dairy sector by 2050.  

Creating new acres of nature on marginal areas of dairy farms across Canada is one of the activities that will help them reach this goal, while also generating co-benefits for all Canadians. The projects supported by the pilot will be delivered by ALUS participants with dairy operations on their farms. 

“Dairy Farmers of Canada is excited to support ALUS’ New Acre Project and help dairy farmers across Canada maintain acres of marginal agricultural land,” says Pierre Lampron, president of Dairy Farmers of Canada. “No two dairy farms are exactly alike, but the farmers who run them all share an interest in improving the sustainability of milk production and reinforcing our sector’s resilience. The wide variety of ecosystem services supported by the project will help sustain positive environmental and economic outcomes in agriculture, which can only benefit future farmers and our country as a whole.” 

-30-