National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring
Responsible Management
Jamie JonkerSenior Director, Regulatory AffairsNational Milk Producers Federation
National Dairy FARM Program
• Industry-wide challenge, with marketplace implications
• Joint effort of DMI and NMPF, with involvement by other dairy organizations
• Goal: Bolster consumer trust and confidence in the U.S. dairy industry and demonstrate the industry’s commitment to the highest levels of animal care and quality assurance
• First step: Introduce a national on-farm animal well-being program and make it available to all producers
National Dairy FARM Program3-Year Plan
• 2009– Introduce Animal Care
component• Launch• Producer outreach• Finalize “Caring for Animals”
manual and checklists– Secure participation by
majority of U.S. milk• Industry education and
awareness• Material for co-ops, S/R’s
– Trade media plan– Training – field staff,
extension, veterinarians, etc.– Website for producer
training, education
• 2010– On-farm assessments– On-farm verification
system development• Methods• Threshold levels• “Certification”• Documents and tools
– Residue avoidance materials development
• 2011– Verification funding (via
non-Checkoff sources)– Implement on-farm
verification– Producer recognition – Additional materials
• Comprehensive set of dairy animal well-being guidelines
• Recommends best management practices based on the most current science
• Voluntary self-audit in a checklist format completed by producers
• Third party on-farm verification
Caring for Dairy Animals
• Joint effort of the Dairy Quality Assurance Center and National Milk Producers Federation
• Developed by scientific advisory board using the most current animal well-being research
• Endorsed by:– American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP)– Food Marketing Institute – National Council of Chain Restaurants
• Guidelines distributed widely in industry:Dairy Farmers Dairy NutritionistsVeterinarians Milk Cooperative Field Staff Other Dairy Consultants
DQA Caring for Dairy Animals
Reciprocal recognition with American Humane Certified program
“Certification by American Humane Certified and DQA assures consumers they are buying high-quality dairy products that are from humanely treated animals.”- Marie Belew Wheatley, President and CEO of American Humane (September 9,
2008)
DQA Caring for Dairy Animals
• NMPF/DMI/AABP joint effort• Top 10 culling and transportation decision
list• Distributed widely
– All dairy producers through cooperatives, proprietary processors, and producer requests – Ad in Hoard’s Dairyman
– Livestock Marketing Association– American Association of Bovine Practitioners– others
Culling and Transporting Dairy Cattle
Top 10 Culling & Transporting List
Questions?
Jamie Jonker ([email protected])Senior Director, Regulatory AffairsNational Milk Producers Federation