Nestlé Health Science is collaborating with Royal Dairy farm in Washington state to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions through climate smart farming practices.

Together, Royal Dairy and Nestlé Health Science are aligned on four key areas of environmentally-focused innovation: cow feed, manure management, renewable energy, and regenerative agriculture, to show how dairy milk can be a sustainable source of nutrition.

To help bring this sustainable source of nutrition to families, Royal Dairy joins Nestlé Health Science's family of dairy suppliers for Carnation Breakfast Essentials nutritional powder drink mix, which is available at national retailers.

"Dairy farmers are experts who know their land and what will work on their farms best, but high costs and technological barriers mean many farmers need support transitioning to practices that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Christiane Baker, Director of Sustainability U.S., Nestlé Health Science. "Royal Dairy is pioneering a comprehensive regenerative approach to dairy that helps reduce our carbon footprint while also supporting a more sustainable food system for all. We're proud to help Royal Dairy implement additional sustainable solutions that can better their business and the planet, and we look forward to exploring ways to expand this initiative in the future."

Austin Allred and his family purchased Royal Dairy in 2016, which started its path to sustainability. The Allred family is on a path to incorporate even more practices that are sustainable and centered around their land and animals. Raised and trained as a fruit and vegetable farmer, Austin and his family understand the importance of nutrition and soil health in food production. Nutrient-rich manure improves soil health, which more efficiently grows feed for cows, which is then converted into nourishing milk for people. The farm's 10,000 cows produce more than one million gallons of milk per month.

"It has always been Royal Dairy's mission to produce food sustainably so we can take care of our land, our cows, and our families for years to come," commented Austin Allred, Founder, Royal Dairy. "My family and I are thrilled to partner with Nestlé Health Science and its brand Carnation Breakfast Essentials to advance our sustainability practices further and bring climate smart dairy to consumers throughout the country. We look forward to exploring new ways we can bring sustainable dairy products to more families."

The Nestlé Health Science and Royal Dairy collaboration is a part of the Dairy Scale for Good pilot, which aims to demonstrate practices and technologies that are sustainable, feasible, and economically viable on a commercial dairy farm.

This pilot is a key pillar of the U.S. Dairy Net Zero Initiative, which advances research, on-farm pilots and new market development, as an essential first phase to make sustainability practices more accessible and affordable to farms of all sizes and accelerate progress toward the industry's 2050 environmental goals.

"The industry collaboration behind the Net Zero Initiative means we are focused on finding and scaling solutions that work," said Karen Scanlon, EVP of Environmental Stewardship, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. "Through the extraordinary partnership with Royal Dairy and Carnation Breakfast Essentials, we will learn how food industry partners work together to lower barriers for greater emission reductions. What's more, we will broadly share lessons on how to support continuous progress while offering a nutritious and sustainable dairy choice for families."

Photo courtesy of Nestlé.