Environmental stewardship: on-farm activities

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:



  • locate farm waste storage areas away from feed handling, input storage and livestock housing areas to prevent cross-contamination and avoid attracting pests

  • make sure farm waste storage areas and containers are adequate for the amount of waste generated between disposal times

  • clean farm waste storage areas often enough to avoid creating conditions that can cause cross-contamination or attract pests

  • whenever possible, use containers with lids to store farm waste until removal

Priority practice
Easy to implement

Potential benefits:

  • Soil health
  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness


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:



  • emptying liquid rinse from containers into the sprayer

  • damaging empty containers to prevent re-use

  • returning unopened or leftover product to the dealer



Storing pesticides should be avoided whenever possible to minimize the on-farm safety considerations associated with storage.

Priority practice
Easy to implement

Potential benefits:

  • Soil health
  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness


Hazardous waste should be returned to the place of purchase, disposed of at a waste depot or collected by approved waste removal agents.

Priority practice

Potential benefits:

  • Soil health
  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness


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):



  • a map of hazards and emergency equipment that has been communicated to the local fire department

  • a list of the emergency responders to be contacted in an emergency

  • a list of farm contacts (i.e. farm owners and employees)

  • written directions to the farm for emergency responders

  • procedures to follow in the event of an emergency



Also, farmers should make sure that clean-up equipment is readily available.

Priority practice
Easy to implement

Potential benefits:

  • Soil health
  • Water quality


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.

Easy to implement

Potential benefits:

  • Climate change
  • Soil health
  • Water quality


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.

Priority practice

Potential benefits:

  • Water quality
  • Animal welfare
  • Good neighbourliness

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.

Easy to implement

Potential benefits:

  • Profitability
  • Climate change


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.

Potential benefits:

  • Profitability
  • Climate change


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.

Potential benefits:

  • Profitability
  • Climate change

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:



  • identify all the wells on your property and including them in your farm plan

  • divert all surface water away from wells

  • maintain a distance between the permanent chemical mixing/loading area and the nearest surface water of at least the area prescribed by regulations

  • maintain a distance from the manure storage or outdoor livestock yard to the nearest surface water of at least the area prescribed by regulations

  • maintain wells in good condition

  • inspect wells on an annual basis

Priority practice

Potential benefits:

  • Biodiversity
  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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:



  • use alternative watering systems, such as nose pumps or solar pumps, in a location that will divert animal traffic away from watercourses

  • provide salt and shade for cattle in a location that will divert animal traffic away from watercourses

  • maintain a low density of cattle in the pasture

Priority practice

Potential benefits:

  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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:



  • minimize silage production in order to limit silage storage

  • manage moisture levels of stored silage

  • locate your silage storage away from and down slope of surface water

  • implement a silage effluent collection system or a system to reduce and remove leachate

  • direct silage effluent away from watercourses and wells

  • collect and store silage effluent before disposing of it

  • maintain silage storage facilities in good conditions

Priority practice

Potential benefits:

  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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.

Priority practice

Potential benefits:

  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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.

Easy to implement

Potential benefits:

  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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.

Easy to implement

Potential benefits:

  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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.

Easy to implement

Potential benefits:

  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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:



  • fixing leaks, since a leaking pipe joint or dripping faucet can contribute to the loss of 10 gallons of water per unit per day

  • securing water bowls by building concrete bases to prevent shifting, leaks and overflow from the side of the trough

  • collecting rainwater from the barn roof to water livestock (test the water to determine suitability for livestock watering)

  • recycling pre-cooler water that chills the milk for washing

  • using the cow cooling system only when needed (rather than continually)

  • reusing the last wash water cycle (cleanest water) for the first wash on the next milking cycle

  • diverting wash water from a clean-in-place system to a storage tank. This water can be reused to wash the parlour

Potential benefits:

  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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.

Priority practice

Potential benefits:

  • Profitability
  • Business risk
  • Biodiversity
  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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.

Priority practice

Potential benefits:

  • Profitability
  • Business risk
  • Biodiversity
  • Water quality
  • Good neighbourliness

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:



  • soil formation and retention processes (e.g. vegetated strips or buffer zones help maintain soil productivity and prevent soil loss due to wind and water erosion)

  • nutrient breakdown, storage and cycling (i.e. breaking down nutrients and maintaining water quality)

  • reduction of pest populations (i.e. diverse plant populations help maintain healthy populations of pest-controlling wildlife, which, in turn, helps reduce crop losses)

  • pollination services (i.e. diverse plant species support pollinators such as bees and flower flies, which enhance yields for pollinator-dependent crops)



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.

Potential benefits:

  • Biodiversity
  • Good neighbourliness
  • Soil health
  • Water quality

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:



  • supplementing diets with fats and oils (note that supplemental levels should not exceed recommendations since a significant decline in dry matter intake can dramatically decrease milk production) - up to a 15% reduction in enteric CH4

  • frequently optimizing the diet to provide the nutrients required by all animal classes (i.e. lactating, dry, replacements) - up to10% reduction in enteric CH4

  • harvesting forages at optimum maturity to maximize digestible energy content and ensure appropriate preservation for high quality - can reduce enteric CH4 by 15%



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.

Potential benefits:

  • Climate change