Can you tell us a bit more about yourself and your experience related to the dairy sector?
“I founded Deelo Consulting Services to design and execute sustainable sourcing programs for suppliers and food companies. Building off my career as a commercial farmer, Extension researcher and industry program director, I develop program frameworks to address sustainability risks and opportunities that align suppliers and buyers on goals, activities, key performance indicators, and outcomes.
In my role as consultant for North America Dairy Sustainable Sourcing at Unilever, I support suppliers to achieve sustainably sourced status, co-design impact programs for dairy farms and cooperatives and lead Unilever’s work on North America regenerative dairy and net zero in cooperation with brands and procurement. I also work directly with coops to design biodiversity and environmental stewardship programs. I volunteer on the board of The Livestock Institute of New England. In terms of background.
I earned my MS in International Agricultural Development from the University of California-Davis and BA from University of Wisconsin-Madison.”
What are the top questions you hope our ADPI members will ask you?
“I hope they can tap on my expertise!
- How can I support dairy farmers and cooperatives in communicating the work they are doing in environmental stewardship and conservation agriculture?
- What are food companies looking for from dairy producers and processors in regards to sustainability?
- I have a dairy group interested in sustainability. Where should they start?”
What makes an ingredient “sustainable”? There are so many definitions, so many measures – what will be most important to consumers in the future?
“Many consumers are aware of and care about supporting brands and producers that align with their personal values. They are seeking answers to questions about how to use their food dollars to support sustainable agriculture. They also do not understand the complexity of supply chains or production systems or soil health. Addressing human health and nutrient density of products on shelf has the most direct relevance and influence over these buying decisions…and, of course, happens to be the most difficult to prove scientifically. Making the connections between human health and ag production systems is an emerging field of study growing in popularity.
For food companies who are accountable to consumers and shareholders, sustainability covers a wide range of issues including soil health, water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change resiliency, animal welfare, labor and workers’ rights, energy use, and biodiversity.
How ingredients are determined to be sustainable varies between companies and there are efforts underway to improve alignment and reduce confusion for suppliers. Industry initiatives also provide guidance. The current challenge we are all working on is to figure out what are the practical, cost effective processes that will drive adoption of conservation practices, make good financial sense and communicate through data and information progress towards outcomes-focused goals like GHG emissions reductions and soil health improvements.”
Dairy ingredients are less processed than many competitive protein ingredients, we have shorter supply chains, less waste, and some ingredients like whey are truly upcycled. How can we better tell our story?
“The connection between sustainability and marketing is strong, but not my expertise! My layperson view is that we need to focus on the humans in agriculture to make those emotional connections between eaters and producers. I also think we need to have a solid message about the benefit dairy offers to communities and agriculture. Dairy systems are well positioned to be leaders in regenerative ag and circular economies in ag.”
Is there a disconnect between science and consumer perceptions, in particular on sustainability issues?
“Absolutely. And, that is ok. We have smart, thoughtful, purpose-driven food companies working to shape consumer perception and build demand for sustainable products. The science is important to helping us measure and validate what we know are best practices. It sometimes feels like we are moving at warp speed at the same time as feeling like a lazy snail. I believe the outlook is positive and most people working in this space are aligned and engaged.”
A recent article ranked whey as among the top 3 best proteins in terms of “global warming potential” – other recent publications take into account the quality of dairy proteins (DIAAS scores) when evaluating sustainability. Would you agree “global warming potential” is a good measure of sustainability?
“Climate smart agriculture is a helpful framework for engaging stakeholders across the supply chain to advance sustainability programs that ensure financial stability, secure sourcing 3
strategies, quality assurance and benefits to soil, water, air and human health. We should all be focused on measuring our contribution to GHG emissions and seeking opportunities to reduce our footprint and contribute to improving our ability to mitigate climate risks.”
In terms of changes an ingredient company could make in its processes, packaging or anywhere along its supply chain, what would have the greatest impact on measures of sustainability?
“Stay aligned with the industry standards for the GHG Protocol, including scope 3, and consider how programs like Science-Based Targets can act as a company-wide organizing principle. The more that sustainability as a practice and mindset are integrated into the roles of every individual working at the organization, the more minds we have focused on innovative, practical, scalable solutions that meet financial goals, customer needs, and contribute to the public good.”
Do you have an example of a company who has been able to implement changes timely, effectively and at a reasonable cost?
“There are lots of success stories out there. These efforts take investments in time and effort and must deliver value and benefits across the value chain. Contact me to learn more!”
