National Farmers Day marks an important time to not only recognize and celebrate the hard work and commitment of dairy farmers to produce a product that helps fuel our bodies, but to also talk about the essential role dairy farmers play when it comes to nourishing our planet and caring for the environment.

In the most recent episode of Midwest Dairy’s Dairy on the Air podcast, farm broadcaster Andy Vance talked with Krysta Harden, Executive Vice President of Global Environmental Strategy at Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), about the industry’s leadership role in sustainability efforts, as well as the importance of the entire supply chain working together to find solutions and create best practices when it comes to environmental stewardship.

Sustainability is crucial when it comes to how people perceive and shop for dairy, as consumers are asking for, and even paying more for, products that align with their values, such as sustainability. However, as shoppers become increasingly more removed from the farm—sometimes not in miles, but in lifestyle—many don’t know the full picture of how dedicated to sustainability the dairy community is. Because of this, she encourages the entire supply chain to work together to tell the story of dairy as an environmental solution.

In the conversation, Harden also discusses the importance of collaboration to increase consumer trust and drive dairy demand. By working together, the industry can better connect farmers with consumers and showcase their commitment to the land, to the animals and to the nutritious products they work so hard to produce every day.

She highlights the work that the Dairy Sustainability Alliance and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy are doing to bring partners and the entire supply chain together to listen, have candid conversations about environmental issues and discuss how dairy is an environmental solution that perfectly fits into consumer needs.