Dairy Sustainability: Our Key Takeaways from the Fall Meeting

Nearly 400 from the dairy industry gathered in Minneapolis last week for the 2024 Dairy Sustainability Alliance Fall Meeting. And while dairy sustainability is evergreen, the first-ever sell-out crowd proved that the topic has never been more critical than it is today.

The fall gathering featured a day filled with sessions from dairy industry experts and leaders, and the Nelson-Jameson team was in attendance to participate in the discussions that will help shape the future of dairy sustainability and solutions.

We had an incredible time at the summit where attendees learned ways to evolve their strategies along with the evolution of dairy sustainability itself. Below are just a few takeaways from the event.

Ross Smith, Beverages Director at Kantar, was among the first to take the stage at the conference. Smith spoke about how sustainability is increasingly multi-faceted and personal at the intersections of how people view their own wellness of the planet and their communities. Their perceptions of holistic well-being and ongoing sustainability pressures are influencing shoppers’ attitudes and changing the way consumers discover and purchase dairy.

Smith offered important data points that are indicative of consumers’s evolving priorities: 

• 56% cite cost as the biggest barrier to acting sustainably or more healthily
• 45% say the biggest barrier to buying sustainably is that it's hard to find
• 55% want clearer ingredient lists or clearer front and back labels from brands

Meanwhile, positive attitudes from consumers toward sustainability are gaining momentum:

• 37% have stopped buying certain products because of a negative environmental impact
• 57% feel they can make a difference through their choices and actions
• 37% actively seek out companies that offer ways to offset their impact on the environment
  
  

Key takeaway:

  Ross Smith perfectly illustrated with data how the current sustainability environment is a movement toward protecting our own environment. He summarized it with the ‘Three Cs’ – cost, convenience, and clarity. If food and dairy processors focus on helping consumers justify the cost while making shopping for sustainable goods and ingredients more convenient and transparent, the high tide will raise all ships.  

—Jarrod Rice, content marketing manager, Nelson-Jameson

Related: Learn more about Nelson-Jameson’s commitment to sustainability here.

Attendees had a chance to go hands-on with a powerful new dairy conservation platform in one of the afternoon breakout sessions. The free Dairy Conservation Navigator tool found at dairyconservation.org is an online platform created by the U.S. Dairy Checkoff that consolidates science-based information about dairy conservation topics and the practices and technologies that reduce a farm’s environmental footprint.

The platform simplifies complex sustainability topics by sharing educational materials and technical insights. It features summaries of over 80 practices, offering practical details on their economic and management impacts, along with an overview of each practice's environmental effects. Be sure to check out the Practices and Technologies tool to learn more!

Also demonstrated was the Conservation Connector, which Actus sustainability specialist Erin Huls called out as a standout session.

Key takeaway:

  The Dairy Conservation Navigator and Conservation Connector session really stood out. These tools seem like game-changers for the dairy supply chain, simplifying access to resources and supporting sustainability efforts. The Navigator provides science-based insights for sustainable farming decisions, while the Connector offers localized information on incentives, markets, and service providers. I couldn’t help but think how useful tools like these would have been years ago. It’s exciting to see resources like this finally here, simplifying sustainability efforts and creating opportunities for progress across the dairy industry.  

 —Erin Huls, Sustainability Specialist, Actus

Paul Ziemnisky, Group EVP of Health & Wellness at Dairy Management Inc., later took the stage to speak about consumers’ experiences with dairy’s role as a health and wellness solution. In 2023, research identified a $150B opportunity in nutrition and modern wellness, where dairy foods can emerge as a solution in areas where consumers are highly dissatisfied with current food, beverage, and supplement experiences.

The primary opportunities were outlined in four areas of focus for dairy producers:

• $59B Grow & Perform: Bone health, physical/athletic performance, sustained energy
• $55B Healthy Heart & Weight: Heart and metabolic health, weight management
• $26B Systems Supercharge: Digestive health, joint health, general health
• $15B Mental & Emotional H&W: Mindfulness, cognition, energy (fast acting)

Key takeaway:

  Listening to [Ziemnisky] talk about the movements of the dairy industry holistically servicing human beings’ health and wellness through the power of high protein products that consumers are asking for, I was struck again by the important part dairy plays. I spoke with Paul at an open discussion about product labeling and marketing of dairy products and how using athletes and influencers to promote and remove any dairy stigma the plant-based industry may have biased the general public towards.  

 —Wendy Johnson, Director of Safety and Corporate Compliance, Nelson-Jameson

Attendees also had the opportunity for open discussions in between sessions for attendees to share thoughts and ideas on what they learned. Shelden Young, Sustainability Solutions Specialist at Alfa Laval, had this to say after an open discussion session.

“Sustainability can be a lonely business, but events like this one remind me that the dairy industry is full of sustainability champions who are doing the hard work to ensure that the industry is strong for generations to come,” he said. “We are also exposed to the strong support system that exists up and down the value chain to make it happen. We had two tables discussing sustainability at the processing plant level and the conversation confirmed some assumptions as well as brought new thoughts to light to what is needed to move sustainability forward in processing plants.”

Mat Bartkowiak, Nelson-Jameson’s VP of Corporate Responsibility & Development, also shared his overall experience from the conference, drawing on his own discussions with industry leaders.

  It was insightful to get a sense of the sustainability challenges and opportunities that are out there throughout the supply chain...the ability to discuss needs on a processing environment level with industry peers during one of the breakout discussion sessions was especially insightful and will help to guide our interactions with our suppliers.  

The Nelson-Jameson team also had some time while in Minneapolis to attend additional meetings and off-site events on Monday ahead of the Dairy Sustainability Alliance conference sessions.

Fighting Food Insecurity

As a part of the Dairy Sustainability Summit, attendees were given the opportunity to visit the Second Harvest Heartland food bank. The organization’s mission states, “We’re here to advocate for systematic change, innovate how we source and distribute food, and empower our community to provide healthy food where it’s needed most.” And the Nelson-Jameson team had a first-hand opportunity to see that mission in action. Our team joined a volunteering event to sort and pack food, where we helped pack 2,604 pounds of food and nearly 8,000 meals! Learn more about Second Harvest Heartland and learn how you can help make a difference here.

Pictured: Mat Bartkowiak, Nelson-Jameson

Pictured: Wendy Johnson, Nelson-Jameson

Pictured: Erin Huls, Actus

Tour and a Tasting

The Nelson-Jameson team also had the opportunity to visit the Actus Nutrition (formerly Milk Specialties Global) headquarters to learn more about the leading global milk and whey protein ingredients manufacturer’s mission and its innovation. Learn more about Actus Nutrition here!

Food Safety is Always on the Menu

While much of the Fall meeting was geared toward sustainability, food safety is always a topic for discussion as one attendee pointed out from his time in Minneapolis.

  There was discussion of the risks of bacterial contamination and how unpredictable it is – thus never being able to have full risk reduction...Paraphrasing my favorite comment from a presenter … ‘It never ceases to amaze me how a single-celled, no-brain organism consistently outthinks me.’ … I guess the stress adage of ‘Don’t sweat the little things’ doesn’t apply in food safety.  

—Jeff Bolin, senior environmental scientist and principal at Dragun

A Commitment to Sustainability

In 2024, Nelson-Jameson was awarded an EcoVadis Bronze award, reflecting the quality of Nelson-Jameson’s sustainability management system and demonstrating our commitment to promoting transparency. As a member of the Dairy Sustainability Alliance, we’re invested in continuing our sustainability efforts and empowering our partners to do the same.

Learn more here!