There is a growing desire among consumers, retailers and others to understand the impact of food production on the health of the land and the people who consume it, and on the economic health of those who produce it.

Many experts — both in and outside the food industry — are defining, quantifying and measuring production and processing activities to meet this need for information, transparency and continuous improvement.

Understanding environmental impacts begins with agreeing on how to measure them. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy is utilizing a multistakeholder process to develop the following information about U.S. dairy’s impact on the environment, communities and economic vitality:

• Sustainability Reporting in U.S. Dairy: the publication of industry-level reports highlighting the industry’s investment in sustainability research, strategies and solutions
• Sustainability Measurement Framework: the development of a common framework for measuring and reporting on sustainability indicators at the industry and organizational level
• Measurement Resources: the creation of science-based measurement and decision-support tools for farms and businesses across the value chain