Conclusions from the IDF Dairy Farming Summit on climate change

Conclusions and take home messages from the IDF Dairy Farming Summit on climate change in Edinburgh June 25-27, 2008

What have you learnt?

• We have been addressing a GLOBAL CHALLENGE/PROBLEM with LOCAL SOLUTIONS
• We are aware of the challenge/problems
• We are defining the different problems
• We are beginning to implement some solutions
• This will be an ongoing process

What are you taking home?

• We need to speed up growth in milk production to meet growing global demands and
• We have to manage the production and growth in a sustainable way
• We have to continue to work along the milk value chain to achieve this, the dairy farming part is of major importance in this work
• Communication and sharing of information will speed up and coordinate the development

What shall we do?

• We shall use IDF to coordinate international issues like basic research, setting of standards and contacts with other international institutions
• We shall use the national committees of IDF to encourage local research, training and contacts with policy and regulatory local bodies
• We expect media to take active part in informing both professional stakeholders and the public/consumers of the process
• DeLaval will be an active force in driving this progress in milk production forwards
• IDF, international and national public stakeholders, private dairy farmers and industry shall in a partnership make sure that the dairy supply chain will be sustainable within a foreseeable future
• One tool to facilitate that process is www.sustainabledairyfarming.com which is open and available to all