Sustainability Program

At our core, MMPA is committed to cooperative social responsibility and sustainable business practices throughout our entire supply chain. Sustainability is vital to MMPA’s transparency, growth and success for our members, employees, stakeholders and our communities.

MMPA’s commitment to sustainability begins at the farm. MMPA’s farmer-focused Sustainability Program utilizes all four National Dairy FARM Program silos including Antibiotic Stewardship, Animal Care, Environmental Stewardship and Workforce Development.

Farmer Sustainability Advisory Committee

In 2020, the MMPA board of directors approved the formation of a Farmer Sustainability Advisory Committee (FSAC). The committee is made up of a representative from each of MMPA’s eight districts and is chaired by the vice-chair of MMPA’s board of directors. Their duties include meeting with customers and other stakeholders to provide recommendations to the board of directors regarding future MMPA sustainability initiatives.

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Farm Sustainability Projects

Cover Crops Project

The MMPA Cover Crop Project is a collaboration between MMPA, Unilever and Barry-Callebaut to demonstrate what farmers are doing for soil health and carbon sequestration through cover crops. In 2021, MMPA worked with MSU Extension to present a Virtual Field Day featuring six MMPA members in the Cover Crop Project to share their experience using cover crops and lessons learned. The field day included farm visits and interviews on topics such as seed selection for forage and conventional cover crops, manure management, planting and harvesting methods, and the practical application of cover crops in a dairy crop rotation.

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Feed in Focus

MMPA members have the opportunity to enroll in a Feed in Focus program to pilot, replicate and scale the adoption of best management practices (BMPs) in feed/forage production and feed efficiency. The program is designed to advance the Net Zero Initiative, a dairy industry-wide effort to make sustainable practices and technologies more accessible and affordable to all U.S. dairy farms.

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If you’re a member interested in participating in sustainability projects on your farm, please contact Sarah Michalek at smichalek@nullmimilk.com.

Members’ Sustainability Success Stories

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Our Sustainability Mission

To continually strive for a more sustainable future for our community, our environment, our economy’s health, and for the lives and world around us.