
Simplifying Conservation and Sustainability for Dairy Farms
Dairy Conservation Navigator
Dairy Conservation Navigator is an online platform that consolidates science-based information about dairy conservation topics and the practices and technologies that can reduce a farm’s environmental footprint. The platform simplifies complex sustainability topics through educational materials and shares technical insights from research and demonstration projects led by Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) and other credible institutions. 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. All content is supported by links to technical and scientific resources.
The platform serves as a one-stop resource for credible and practical dairy-specific insights. It is designed to help trusted farm advisors and farmers identify options and opportunities and support their decision-making.

Platform Goals
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Provide access to credible, science-based resources
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Build awareness of on-farm conservation options and opportunities
How It Works
Platform Components

Training Materials
Training materials support farm advisor training and information sharing at regional events

Filterable Practice List
Filterable practice lists help users identify and compare practices and technologies – both proven and emerging

Practical Insights
Practical insights into practice economics and management impacts, along with an overview of each practice's environmental effects

Research Results
Expanding collection of research findings from DMI's initiatives and connections to further technical and scientific resources.

Case Studies
Case studies that share farmer experiences with different programs and practices
Frequently Asked Questions
Environmental sustainability in agriculture is increasingly important to consumers. Every day, dairy farming impact the land, water and air we all share. But as good environmental stewards, farmers have always innovated and adopted new practices and technologies to produce nutritious foods using fewer natural resources. Farmers rely on their local network of trusted farm advisors and agricultural professionals to inform them of opportunities, guide environmental sustainability practice selection, and support practice implementation with funding and technical assistance.
Farm advisors need to access credible information from experts, learn about innovations and find funding opportunities that will benefit the farmers they work with. However, this critical information is currently distributed across thousands of platforms managed by organizations/agencies that operate at global, national, and state-wide scales. Many farm advisors don’t have the capacity to navigate this complex and ever-changing network of resources. These information communication barriers contribute to underutilization and inequitable distribution of resources and impede regional capacity to support sustainability.
Dairy Conservation Navigator complements existing tools to support decision-making by combining credible, practical dairy-specific insights into a single, easy-to-use platform. See Getting Started for more information.
Dairy Conservation Navigator is designed to support trusted on-farm advisors.
This includes:
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On-farm advisors: Dairy nutritionists; veterinarians; agricultural equipment and supply dealers; genetic representatives & DHIA testers; agronomists and crop advisors; pharma representatives; and bankers
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Value-chain stakeholders: Dairy cooperatives and processors; university extension
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Conservation professionals: County Soil and Water Conservation Districts; USDA NRCS staff; conservation or environmentally focused non-profits
In the dynamic and ever-evolving agricultural landscape, the role of well-informed and knowledgeable agricultural conservation professionals cannot be overstated. These advisors serve as a critical bridge between research, innovation, and the farming community, playing a pivotal role in disseminating cutting-edge information and best practices. Farm advisors provide key educational and technical assistance to farmers and are an essential component of successful modern-day, climate-smart farming. They impart knowledge to farmers about innovative sustainability practices and technologies, guide the practice implementation process, and may provide or help farmers access financial assistance.
Dairy Conservation Navigator can also be a great resource for farmers. If you are a farmer interested in contributing additional insights or information, we encourage you to contact us.
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Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) collaborated with over 70 subject matter experts nationwide to develop and review the platform's content. These experts included farmers, dairy veterinarians, dairy nutritionists, university extension professionals, conservation specialists, as well as staff and researchers from DMI, the National Dairy FARM Program, and Newtrient.
The platform includes both common and innovative practices:
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Common practices: Highlighting common and well-establishes practices showcases the environmental benefits of practices many dairy farmers are already implementing. Including these practices in the platform also offers educational value to stakeholders who are new to the dairy industry.
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Innovative practices: Emerging and innovative practices are included to help users explore the latest technologies and practices that reduce a farm’s environmental impact. The database provides practical, science-based, and objective information about these practices, supporting users' decision making.
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The Dairy Conservation Navigator is committed to providing the most up-to-date and relevant information on dairy sustainability practices. To ensure the platform remains a valuable resource for farmers and farm advisors, the organization plans to update the content frequently throughout the year. These updates will include the latest research findings, new sustainability practices, and emerging technologies that can help lower a farm's environmental footprint.
Additionally, the platform will continually refine its educational materials and technical insights based on feedback from stakeholders. This ongoing process will ensure that the information remains practical, credible, and aligned with the evolving needs of the dairy industry. By regularly incorporating new resources and responding to user input, the Dairy Conservation Navigator aims to be the go-to source for dairy-specific sustainability insights and decision-making support.
For detailed information on the sharing and usage of materials available for download, please visit our Terms of Use. This page provides guidelines and restrictions on how downloaded content can be used, ensuring compliance with our policies and protecting the integrity of the shared resources.
Absolutely! We're always eager to update the website with the latest research, implementation insights, financial case studies, and emerging practices. To share your insights or resources, please contact us. We are open to any feedback and are particularly interested in the following:
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Practical insights: We seek firsthand experiences from farmers and farm advisors on the implementation of agricultural practices, focusing on both successes and challenges encountered in real-world applications.
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Emerging practices: We're interested in learning about new and innovative practices that are gaining traction or showing potential to improve sustainability, efficiency, or profitability on farms.
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Recent research links: If you have access to recent research that supports or questions certain practices, please share these studies to help inform and guide decision-making on farms.
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Other relevant information: Any additional resources or knowledge that can contribute to improving on-farm practices are highly welcomed.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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LED AND FUNDED BY
Dairy Management Inc. and its related organizations work to increase sales and demand for dairy through research, education and innovation, and to maintain confidence in dairy foods, farms and businesses.
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