The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program highlighted the launch of FARM Environmental Stewardship Version 3 at the Fall Meeting of the Dairy Sustainability Alliance, highlighting progress in dairy sustainability and stewardship.  

Nicole Ayache, NMPF’s chief sustainability officer, took the main stage to talk about the recent kick off and its incorporation of the Ruminant Farm System (RuFaS) model, a whole-farm model that simulates dairy farm production and environmental impact. Vermont dairy farmer Brian McGarry joined Ayache, sharing insights and opportunities for farmers and their cooperatives to evaluate potential technologies and measure progress.  

FARM’s Senior Director of Animal Care, Beverly Hampton Phifer, led animal care evaluators through Version 5 training in Green Bay, WI. Evaluators must be re-certified every updated version cycle and attend a recalibration training annually. This marks the ninth training of the year, with the last training for 2024 taking place last Monday in Fresno, CA.