This section covers farm waste, energy, water and biodiversity management and provides information and resources on practices to reduce the environmental impacts of your on-farm operations.
Normal farm operations generate several waste streams. If not properly managed, stored and disposed of, agricultural waste can cause health risks, impact soil and water quality and result in a general loss of aesthetic value.
When storing hazardous farm waste, you should:
Federal and provincial regulations require that pesticides be disposed of in accordance with the manufacturer label. However, regulations in certain provinces include additional requirements that should be followed, such as specific instructions or prohibitions on container disposal. In general, empty containers are to be triple rinsed or pressure rinsed prior to disposal. Additional best practices include:
Storing pesticides should be avoided whenever possible to minimize the on-farm safety considerations associated with storage.
SAI Platform Dairy Working Group (2009) - Principles & Practices for Sustainable Dairy Farming
MAPAQ (2005) - Bonnes pratiques agroenvironnementales pour votre entreprise agricole
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Hiwassee River - Agricultural Waste Management
Hazardous waste should be returned to the place of purchase, disposed of at a waste depot or collected by approved waste removal agents.
In order to reduce the impacts of an emergency on the farm involving employees, family members, the environment or neighbours, farms should prepare an emergency response plan that includes the following (at minimum):
Also, farmers should make sure that clean-up equipment is readily available.
University of Minnesota (2008) - Manure Leaks and Spills: Emergency Action Plans for Minnesota
Clemson University (2003) - Dairy Training Manual - chapter 12: Dairy Farm Emergency Action Plans
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Hiwassee River - Agricultural Waste Management
Implement practices to reduce, reuse or recycle farm waste whenever appropriate and practical. For instance, electronic devices in good working order may be donated to charitable organizations or schools. In the case of non-reusable products containing hazardous materials, call upon the services of qualified businesses to dispose of the materials properly.
Before choosing a disposal method, first determine what is legally allowed at your farm, since regulations differ across provinces and municipalities. The cause of death, height of water table, proximity to open water or groundwater, topography of the farm, soil type, prevailing wind direction, population density, relationships with neighbours, time, effort and advanced preparation required will all influence disposal.
Energy for farm operations is often generated through fossil fuel (diesel, gasoline, oil), natural gas or propane. These natural resources are limited and costly, and farms should minimize their use. Improving energy efficiency on the farm will help farmers save money and reduce the impacts on the environment.
Lighting significantly influences dairy production. A well designed, energy efficient lighting system can mean more light, better livestock performance and lower energy costs. For instance, replacing older lamps with new energy-efficient lamps will reduce energy consumption and often improve lighting quality.
An energy audit helps to fully understand how energy is being used on your farm and identifies how the operation could be more energy efficient. With the findings of the audit, you can begin to reduce operating costs and improve performance.
Without an energy audit, you may never know where the problem areas are. Even though your farm is running well, performing an audit could help you achieve even greater efficiency while reaching or even exceeding your business goals.
Adopting new technologies or upgrading older equipment provides many opportunities to reduce energy use and save money. For instance, milking equipment such as milk pre-coolers and vacuum pumps and scroll compressors can result in 30–50% savings. Maintaining, cleaning or using energy-efficient ventilation systems can result in 15–50% savings, and using energy-efficient lighting systems can result in 15–75% savings.
Sound water quantity and quality management is in the best interest of every farm and is an important consideration to ensure a steady supply of safe drinking water for cattle. While regulations safeguard water quality, good management practices generally go one step further and provide additional benefits for the farm and the environment. Good practices in the barn and field are key to ensure efficient water use that does not negatively impact ground and surface water quality.
If a well is not constructed or maintained properly, or if a contaminant is spilled in the capture zone of a well, the quality of the water supply could be at risk. Bacteria, pesticide, fuel, fertilizer or other contaminants may get into the groundwater and make it unfit for human or farm use. If groundwater becomes contaminated, it can affect the health of your family and livestock. It may also affect the quality of the groundwater supplying other wells or lakes and streams in the area. Your neighbours and community could all be affected. It’s a lot easier and cheaper to prevent contamination than to clean it up.
To properly manage wells and groundwater, you should:
MAPAQ (2005) - Bonnes pratiques agroenvironnementales pour votre entreprise agricole
OFA - Water issue
Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition (2013) - Canada-Ontario Environmental Farm Plan (EFP): worksheet 2 - Water Wells.
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Letting cattle access streams can lead to reduced water quality and stream bank erosion. It is strongly recommended that farmers use fences around watercourses to keep animals away. There are many options when fencing is not feasible. To manage access to watercourses, you should:
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Silage quality is an important consideration and nearly every dairy farm in Canada stores silage. There are many silage storage options: tower silos, bunker silos or bags, pit silos, wrapping bales in plastic, etc. When stored properly, the silage preserves its quality and there is little risk to the environment. Silo leakage can impact the quality of the silage when valuable nutrients are lost and may also contaminate surface water or groundwater. Silage effluent has the potential to be one of the most potent sources of pollution on a farm since it is very acidic and contains high levels of ammonia and nitrates. In a stream, it can be an important cause of fish kills. To manage the risk of potential silage leaks, you should:
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Even a small petroleum fuel leak of just a few litres can lead to the extensive contamination of surface or groundwater, impacting human, animal and environmental health. Farmers should implement measures to avoid potential leaks. Fuel storage should have a secondary containment that will contain leaks should they occur. Fuel containers should be checked for safety in order to reduce the risk of punctures, spills and fires and be monitored for damages or leaks by recording gauge readings following filling and withdrawal.
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Most farm families are supplied by wells tapping into groundwater. As our environment changes so can the quality of our drinking water. The early detection of water quality problems can protect the health of your family and the sustainability of your business. Regular water testing will give property owners a reliable benchmark and may provide insight into future changes in water quality.
OFA - Water issue
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
A well designed and properly managed irrigation system reduces water loss to evaporation, deep percolation and runoff and minimizes erosion from applied water. The system should at least record water use and be adaptable to the irrigation schedule to take into account crop water needs, soil moisture holding limitations, rainfall and evapotranspiration. Irrigation systems will reduce irrigation water waste, improve water use efficiency and decrease the total pollutant discharge.
EPA - Irrigation Water Management
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Understanding water use is important to dairy farmers and their neighbours. Farmers need the information to size and develop efficient, cost-effective water systems, and neighbours require it to make informed decisions on the dairy’s impact on the water table. Accurately estimating and monitoring water use is key to minimizing costs and protecting water supplies. Metering can be an effective tool to manage water use on dairies and result in reduced costs and more efficient systems.
Saskatchewan Watershed Authority - Water efficiency on the farm
Ohio State University (2007) - Extension - Water Use on Ohio Dairy Farms
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Many conservation practices to re-use water in milk production and processing may be implemented. For example, the water used to clean milking parlours may be reused to clean production areas and then irrigate fields. Also, modern dairy farms often use a heat exchanger—a technology that uses cold water to partially cool milk—and then collect the water, which is used again as drinking water for cows. Other measures to reduce water consumption include:
U.S. Dairy (2013) - U.S. Dairy's environmental footprint
Saskatchewan Watershed Authority - Water efficiency on the farm
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Milking centre wash water is a mix of water, milk solids and fat, chemicals used to clean and sanitize the milking system and bulk tank and, possibly, small amounts of manure and animal feed. Because it contains nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen and detergents, acids and potential pathogens, wash water must be disposed of properly. Wash water poses a contamination risk to groundwater and surface water and should not be disposed of in ditches or watercourses.
OMAFRA (2014) - Handling Milking Centre Washwater
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
A key practice to avoid surface and groundwater contamination is to know the location of water sources and watercourses and ensure that manure, fertilizer and pesticide applications are carried out at a large distance. The larger the setback distance, the less likely an accidental application will occur in waterways and the risk of the overland flow of nutrients or pesticides into water is decreased. Dairy farms must observe a setback distance that is at least as large as prescribed by regulation. When a setback distance is not prescribed, then a reasonable distance should be maintained based on soil type, slope, vegetation, manure application practices (injected, surface applied with or without incorporation) and the type of water feature.
OMAFRA - Using Pesticides in Ontario
OMAFRA (2015) - Pesticide Contamination of Farm Water Sources
Alberta EFP - Going beyond minimum setback distances enhances water safety
Dairy Farmers of Canada (2015) - reference Manual: Evironment. proAction® Program. Draft version of July 2015
Through proper planning and management, biodiversity and wildlife habitats on the farm can be enhanced, often to the benefit of crops. Many agricultural management practices may be adopted to enhance both crop yields and biodiversity.
Biologically diverse ecosystems provide a number of critically important goods and services that benefit humans and the environment. While conserving and enhancing biodiversity may come at an upfront financial cost to producers, there are significant return benefits, including:
These goods and services can reduce the need for inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers, increase the productive capacity of the land and reduce production risks. They therefore have the potential to maintain or even increase farm profitability. In addition, maintaining biodiversity on agricultural lands can increase land value and provide opportunities to develop agri-tourism and other niche marketing activities.
Enteric methane (CH4) emissions from dairy cattle are a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to the sector's environmental footprint. It also causes a loss of feed energy during production, since approximately 6 to 10% of the total energy consumed by a dairy cow is converted to methane in the rumen and released to the environment. Reducing methane losses is therefore an environmentally sound practice that can also increase milk production and improve production efficiency.
A growing body of research shows that enteric methane emissions can be reduced through feeding strategies. While some of these strategies are experimental and require further development, others are applicable and show interesting potential. They include:
Before selecting a new feeding strategy, make sure to verify its effectiveness in reducing emissions, its potential impact on your profitability and the feasibility of its implementation on your farm.
Nature Québec (2012) - Des Pratiques agricoles efficaces, un impact bénéfique sur le climat
Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Program (2015) - Dairy AGGP Science Coordination and Implementation Workshop : Summary Report. April 16-17th 2015, Ottawa. 23 pages
Beauchemin & al. (2008) - Reducing Methane Emissions from Dairy Cows.
University of Guelph (2017) - Nutritional Changes that Reduce Greenhouse Gases