The California Dairy Sustainability Summit in March 2025 brought together more than 475 industry leaders, including dairy farmers and sustainability experts, to discuss the latest advancements in environmental stewardship, dairy nutrition, and innovation. From strategies to reduce emissions and enhance soil health to the evolving role of dairy in a sustainable food system, the event showcased the dairy community’s ongoing commitment to progress, all while advancing a holistic view on sustainability.
At Dairy Council of California, we embrace the concept of sustainable nutrition, which was also highlighted at the event through sessions like Mitch Kanter’s, who presented on dairy protein’s role in nourishing a sustainable future. Sustainable nutrition considers the health of both people and the planet, and is all about ensuring wholesome, nutrient-dense foods are accessible, affordable, and culturally relevant, while also preserving environmental resources and supporting local communities. Through this lens, dairy foods fare well because they provide high-quality protein and micronutrients essential to health, including calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and more.
Solutions to improve public health are increasingly prioritizing nutrition security — ensuring that people have consistent access to affordable, culturally acceptable, and nutrient-dense foods and beverages from both plant and animal sources that promote health. When coupling efforts aimed at sustainable nutrition and nutrition security, dairy foods become even more compelling because they are affordable, highly accessible, and offer a unique package of nutrients.
Dairy Council of California remains focused on its vision of advancing milk and dairy foods’ contributions to healthy, sustainable eating patterns. To do this, the organization works closely with the dairy community to champion the good work of farmers, processors, and marketers of dairy foods, while intentionally broadening conversations about sustainability to also include nutrition. By doing so, the dairy industry is well-positioned to be part of the solution to create a sustainable food system that supports healthy people, healthy animals, and a healthy planet. Join us in our efforts by visiting DairyCouncilOfCa.org.
