Dairy Australia has an important role in helping farmers to manage climate change. Dairy Australia has developed a Climate Change Strategy to guide its investments in research and development to help decision making by dairy farmers.

Like other agricultural industries, dairy is dependent on natural resources. We are very mindful of our stewardship role and the need to look after our water, our biodiversity and our soil, as well as reduce our waste and emissions, while managing climate change.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt by dairy farmers including water scarcity, temperature increase and extreme weather events, which can affect animal welfare, milk supply and the viability of the industry in some regions.

Dairy Australia invests in research and development to support decision making by dairy farmers and businesses. Dairy Australia’s Climate Change Strategy (2020-2025) will guide our investments to help ensure emissions reduction opportunities can be realised on-farm and across the supply chain.

Through its Sustainability Framework, Australian dairy has set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity across the dairy industry by 30% by 2030. We know that dairy farmers have been successfully implementing emissions reductions and adaptation actions on farm. A recent survey of 500 dairy farmers in 2020 found that almost all farm respondents (94%) have implemented at least one practice that reduces GHG emissions.

Dairy Australia’s role is to link research to on-farm actions and provide timely and usable information on managing climate risk and supporting decision making.