Climate change is coming for your cheese
By affecting cows’ diets, climate change can affect cheese’s nutritional value and sensory traits such as taste, color and texture. This is true at least for Cantal — a firm, unpasteurized cheese from the Auvergne region in central France, researchers report February 20 in the Journal of Dairy Science. Cows in this region typically graze on local grass. […]
Climate change and Fodder crisis in India dairying
India is the world’s largest producer of milk, contributing nearly 22% of global milk production. The dairy industry plays a vital role in rural livelihoods, food security, and the national economy. However, the sector is increasingly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, particularly through disruptions in fodder production. These challenges not only affect […]
Impact of climate change on smallholder dairy farmers in India
A considerable number of agricultural households in India engage in livestock rearing and milk production to supplement their income and improve household nutrition. This article examines how global warming impacts smallholder dairy farmers, particularly through a decline in milk yields. It finds a significant negative impact of higher maximum or minimum temperatures on milk yield, […]
India’s milk industry struggles as the climate changes
India’s milk industry struggles as the climate changes In a humid, late-July day this year, Chandan Singh went to milk his buffaloes, only to find five of them spewing foamy saliva. The village veterinarian diagnosed haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS), a bacterial disease also known as gala ghotu rog. Treatment cost around INR 15,000 (USD 179), which roughly equates […]
World Milk Day 2024-Risk register for our dairy industry
The meta crisis we face seems inevitable as humanity evolves into superorganisms driven by narrow goals. Our relentless pursuit of extraction, conquest, and the destruction of diverse cultures, species, and ecosystems is setting the stage for an impending disaster. In essence, mankind is unwittingly crafting the conditions for its own extinction. It’s time to establish […]
Creating a Risk Register for the Dairy Industry Amidst the Meta Crisis
Globally , Ist Jun is celebrated as World Milk day. Dairy is a globally essential food source, consumed by over 80% of the world’s population. It provides vital nutrients for people of all ages, supports millions of livelihoods through dairy farming, and contributes significantly to national economies in many countries. Happy World Milk Day to […]
Reflections on the Dairy Industry: 5 Valuable Lessons Learned in 2023
On the inaugural day of 2024, I reflect on the significant insights gained from the past year. It was a uniquely challenging year marked by the consistent availability of milk, leading to an unprecedented surplus in dairy commodity stocks that continues to grow. The relatively colder climate, coupled with summer showers, posed challenges to the […]
Feeding the world is more important than tackling climate change
As the world’s food industries took center stage at COP28 in Dubai, focus on the dairy industry’s contribution to the process of greenhouse gas reduction is getting the reasoned consideration it deserves. As dairy farmers, we also know that our product is used to create a wide array of nutritionally dense foods, beverages, and ingredients […]
Scientists Discover Dairy Cows That Produce Less Methane
Scientists have discovered that some dairy cows produce significantly less methane than others. While farming is vital for providing food and dairy to the world, it contributes a fair amount of greenhouse gas emissions, which leaders are looking to reduce as climate change worsens. Agricultural activities accounted for 10.6 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas […]
UN: New Meat, Dairy Alternatives May Reduce Climate Emissions
Emerging novel alternatives to animal products such as meat and dairy may contribute to significantly reducing the environmental footprint of the current global food system, particularly in high- and middle-income countries, provided they use low-carbon energy. This is a key finding of a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) assessment of such new alternatives to animal […]