Nominations are now open for the 7^th annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards, which honor exceptional dairy farms, businesses and partnerships for their socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sound practices.

“The sustainability awards are a great way to celebrate the diverse ways in which the dairy community reinforces our collective commitment to sustainable practices,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Dairy Management Inc., which manages the program. “Each year, the awards recognize those farms and companies that are advancing positive and continuous change for dairy and for communities nationwide.” 

Nominations are open through Feb. 12. All farmers and organizations involved in U.S. dairy and those who promote dairy-related health and wellness are eligible to submit nominations in the following categories:

Dairy Farm Sustainability

The Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability category recognizes leaders in socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sound dairy production and exemplify a longstanding commitment to continuous improvement.  Successful nominations take a holistic approach to sustainability and provide replicable results that can inspire positive change industrywide. 

Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability

The Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability category exemplifies the triple bottom line of sustainability, having demonstrated steps to innovate, measure and communicate progress. It provides replicable success stories to benefit the dairy community and actively engage with peers and stakeholders to inform continuous improvement industrywide.

Community Impact

The Community Impact category recognizes community efforts that improve lives and communities through their positive impacts on health and wellness, hunger relief, workforce development, community volunteering and investment, and/or environmental stewardship. Successful nominations demonstrate instances where farms, cooperatives, processors or other dairy community stakeholders (either collaboratively or as a single entity) develop practical and effective solutions to shared challenges and goals of the communities in which they live and work.

Supply Chain Collaboration

The Supply Chain Collaboration category recognizes collaborative and market-based partnerships to demonstrate that truly sustainable outcomes benefit the entire industry rather than any one customer or supplier. This award highlights customer engagement through a collaborative farm, cooperative, and/or processor partnership to benefit all involved and provide best-in-class examples of sustainable dairy supply chains.

Winner Benefits

Program Details

Source: Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy