Most folks know ice cream is made with milk, cream and other good stuff depending on the flavor. But few ponder what milk itself is made of. Really, great milk is made up of healthy land, dedicated farmers, smart energy and a strong local community. Combine it all and happy cows result.
Since great ice cream can’t exist without great milk, Ben & Jerry’s Caring Dairy program works with dedicated family-operated dairy farms seeking a healthier connection among the land, the animals and the farmers. Ben & Jerry’s is based in Vermont, but the Caring Dairy mission includes 85 farms around the US and 340 in the Netherlands. Together, these dairies collectively produce more than enough milk to meet Ben & Jerry’s global demand.
The program begins with the farmers. A simple, web-based self-assessment of certain “sustainability indicators” allows them to look at their operations with fresh eyes.
Ben & Jerry’s helps each dairy develop a specific action plan to improve its practices, by evaluating: soil fertility and health, soil loss management, soil nutrition, farm financials, social human capital, pest management, biodiversity, animal husbandry and welfare, energy management, water management, local economy, and financial management.
Farmers then identify areas where their practices could be more sustainable and act accordingly. And Ben & Jerry’s believes in continually improving the sourcing for every single ingredient.
Bottom line: happy farmers and happy cows are at the heart of every pint of Ben & Jerry’s.
Content on this page is brought to you by Ben & Jerry’s, sponsor of the Climate change: too hot to handle hub.
