TORONTO and OTTAWA — As part of their commitment to achieve net zero from farm-level dairy production in Canada by 2050, Dairy Farmers of Canada have sponsored a one-year New Acre Project pilot to support farmers in building nature-based projects on marginal farmland. These projects, such as wetlands, grasslands and tree planting, will capture and store carbon, as well as deliver other benefits, like pollinator and wildlife habitat and flood and drought mitigation.
New Acre Project, ALUS’ corporate ESG investment platform, helps purpose-driven corporations invest in the communities where they do business to generate social and environmental benefits through the creation of new acres of nature. The one-year 84-acre New Acre Project pilot sponsorship will help Dairy Farmers of Canada strategically allocate capital to support dairy farmers in implementing nature-based solutions that address local environmental challenges, build dairy sector resilience, and offset the carbon footprint of milk production.
“ALUS’ vision is to sustain agriculture, wildlife and natural spaces for communities and future generations,” says Jill Weaver, Director of Partnerships at ALUS. “The Dairy Farmers of Canada’s New Acre Project pilot aligns with our mission by supporting farmers across Canada in building agricultural, environmental and community resilience, while also helping the sector achieve net zero by 2050. We’re excited about the synergy of positive outcomes that this project will produce not just for Dairy Farmers of Canada, but for all Canadians.”
Every five years, Dairy Farmers of Canada measures the carbon footprint of milk production to guide carbon reduction activities. As of 2016, the production of one kilogram of milk generated 0.92 kg CO2e (as reported by Groupe AGECO). By helping farmers introduce carbon offset and reduction solutions to their operations, Dairy Farmers of Canada hopes to reach net zero emission in the dairy sector by 2050.
Creating new acres of nature on marginal areas of dairy farms across Canada is one of the activities that will help them reach this goal, while also generating co-benefits for all Canadians. The projects supported by the pilot will be delivered by ALUS participants with dairy operations on their farms.
“Dairy Farmers of Canada is excited to support ALUS’ New Acre Project and help dairy farmers across Canada maintain acres of marginal agricultural land,” says Pierre Lampron, President of DFC. “No two dairy farms are exactly alike, but the farmers who run them all share an interest in improving the sustainability of milk production and reinforcing our sector’s resilience. The wide variety of ecosystem services supported by the project will help sustain positive environmental and economic outcomes in agriculture, which can only benefit future farmers and our country as a whole.”
About ALUS and New Acre™ Project
ALUS (originally an acronym for Alternative Land Use Services) is a national charitable organization that provides expertise, resources, and direct financial support to 38 communities across six provinces where more than 1,600 farmers and ranchers establish and steward nature-based solutions on their land. These solutions deliver ecosystem services to help sustain agriculture and fight climate change and biodiversity loss for the benefit of communities and future generations. Projects such as enhanced wetlands, windbreaks, riparian buffer zones, wildlife habitats, adaptive agricultural practices and other impactful environmental solutions produce cleaner air, cleaner water, greater biodiversity, carbon sequestration, erosion control, flood and drought mitigation, pollinator and wildlife habitat, and other ecological services.
New Acre™ Project, delivered by ALUS, helps purpose-driven corporations invest in nature-based solutions on agricultural land that generate positive environmental, economic and social outcomes in the communities where they operate—one acre at a time. By investing in New Acre Project, corporations can strategically allocate capital and customize their impact. Each New Acre investment delivers tangible, reliable and measurable outcomes by empowering farmers and ranchers to produce ecosystem goods and services, like carbon sequestration, water filtration and enhanced habitat, that increase biodiversity and help build climate resilience.
To learn more, visit ALUS.ca and NewAcre.org
About Dairy Farmers of Canada
Dairy Farmers of Canada is the national policy, lobbying and promotional organization representing Canadian dairy producers. DFC strives to create stable conditions for the dairy sector in our country. It also seeks to maintain policies that promote the sustainability of Canadian dairy production and promote dairy products and their health benefits. Dairy farmers have set a goal of net-zero emissions from farm-level dairy production by 2050.
To learn more, visit dairyfarmersofcanada.ca
