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Being sustainable is important for our generation and generations to come. That’s why dairy farmers are committed to sustainability. Learn more on how dairy farming is sustainable. While this post is sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers, all opinions and my love of dairy are my own.

Is Dairy Farming Sustainable?

Sustainability is very important to our environment. Sustainability affects the air we breathe. Sustainability affects the food we eat. But what exactly is sustainability? According to the dictionary sustainability is “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.” Avoiding the depletion of natural resources. Now, you may do your part at home, and if you don’t I encourage you to do so.

Things you can do at home to help avoid the depletion of natural resources:

• Reduce water waste.
• Recycle. Anything and everything you can. Your recycling bin should always be fuller than your trash bin.
• Use reusable water bottles and coffee cups.
• Conserve energy. Shut those lights off!
• Buy farm fresh ingredients.

By purchasing farm fresh ingredients not only are you getting the freshest ingredients for your family, but you are also supporting farmers. Farmers work very hard to not only give us food, but to be sustainable. Sustainable agricultural practices work to protect the environment and expand the Earth’s natural resource base.

Dairy is a very important part of our diets, so may be surprised to know that producing dairy has a small impact on the environment. In 2008, U.S. dairy was the first agricultural sector to commission a life cycle assessment on fluid milk, which showed that dairy accounts for just 2% of total GHG emissions in the U.S. Since then, dairy farmers and companies have continued to find ways to reduce emissions and overall environmental footprint.

So, is dairy farming sustainable?

YES.

How are Florida Dairy Farms sustainable?

Thanks to innovative practices in cow comfort, improved feed and genetics, and modern barn design, the environmental impact of producing a gallon of milk in 2017 shrunk significantly, requiring 30% less water, 21% less land and a 19% smaller carbon footprint than it did in 2007.

Dairy farmers upcycle resources like byproducts from other agricultural industries to produce milk in a more sustainable way. Data from a nationwide study indicates U.S. dairy is responsible for only 5.1% water use and less than 2% of the U.S. total carbon footprint. It also uses just 3.7% of U.S. farmland.

The amazing Florida dairy farmers at Milking R Dairy here in Central Florida discuss sustainability in dairy farming here:

I have actually had the opportunity to tour the Milking R Dairy farm and it was an absolutely incredible experience. Dairy farming is truly a lifestyle, it’s not a job. The Rucks family (along with all dairy farmers) work for the cows, the cows don’t work for them.

How is the use of water usage in dairy farming sustainable?

I figured I would show you rather than try to explain 🙂 This way you can see how dairy farmers conserve water.

Cow feed plays an important role in a sustainable food system

Dairy cows can eat leftovers that people don’t, like almond hulls and orange peels, which would otherwise end up in landfills. Before the “leftovers” are feed to the dairy cows, they are endorsed by animal nutritionists who work hand-in-hand with dairy farmers and veterinarians to create the best diets for cows.

Florida dairy farms often use citrus pulp from all the wonderful citrus grown here in Florida, cottonseed hulls, and stale baked goods in their cow feed. Florida citrus pulp and peel is what is left after we make Florida grapefruit or orange juice. The peels and pulp are dried and converted into pellet-like feed which gives the cows energy and calcium. I know citrus always give me a little boost of energy too, I love that it does the same for our dairy cows.

Other common products in cow feed include: brewers grains, distillers grains,and  hominy (mixture of corn bran, corn germ and part of the starchy portion of corn kernels), which we have a lot of in Florida as well.  All the products in the feed bring different nutritional benefits like fibers, proteins, and more. Plus, cows enjoy the taste 🙂

Are dairy farmers committed to be sustainable into the future?

YES.

The Net Zero Initiative (NZI) is an industry-wide effort that will help U.S. dairy farms of all sizes and geographies continue to implement new technologies and adopt economically-viable practices in feed production, cow care, energy efficiency and manure management – making progress towards GHG emissions reductions and significant improvements in water quality and quantity and farmer livelihood, from field to farmgate.

In 2020, U.S. Dairy set aggressive new environmental sustainability goals to achieve carbon neutrality or better, optimize water usage and improve water quality by 2050. To reach these goals, the U.S. dairy supply is working together to ignite new technology, increase science-based research and collection and expand practices, resources and tools for more farmers, cooperatives and processors.

As of July 2020, 27 dairy companies representing 68% of the nation’s milk production voluntarily adopted the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment and contribute to U.S. dairy’s ability to track, aggregate and report on progress. The U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment is a social responsibility pledge through which the U.S. dairy community demonstrates its progress in important areas like animal care, environmental stewardship, food safety/traceability, and community contributions.

Florida Dairy Farmers and dairy farms all over the nation are committed to not only making sure we have nutritious milk for our families, but to sustainability.

Did you know that real milk offers a unique nutrient package that’s difficult to match in any other single food or beverage. Learn more about the health benefits of milk and be sure to thank a dairy farmer 🙂

Be sure to check out Florida Milk for more dairy-licious recipes and follow on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

And while you are at it, check out all the healthy recipes on Food Wine Sunshine and follow on me Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for more FOOD WINE AND SUNSHINE.

Find out exactly What Can Florida 529 Prepaid College Plans Funds Be Used For. This post is sponsored by Florida Prepaid College Plans, through my role as a Believer Blogger. All thoughts are my own.

What Can Florida 529 Prepaid College Plans Funds Be Used For?

When researching and planning to open a Florida 529 Prepaid College Plan, one of the things you may be researching is what exactly can the prepaid funds be used for. Florida 529 Prepaid College Plans are a cost effective and proactive way of locking in the future cost of tuition. So, of course Florida 529 Prepaid College Plans can be used for college tuition. The Plans are designed to work at Florida colleges and universities so when your child is ready for college, the Plan pays the costs covered under your plan type, even if the cost of college is higher than anticipated when your plan prices were set.

But what if your child gets a scholarship or Bright Futures and some (or all!) of their tuition is covered?

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! Getting a scholarship or Bright Futures is a huge accomplishment and deserves a WOOHOO!

But what about those Florida 529 Prepaid College Plan funds? How can Bright Futures and scholarships work with partnership with your Florida 529 College Prepaid Plan funds?

Scholarships funds, along with benefits payable from your Florida Prepaid Plan, can both be applied to your student’s account.  In most situations the college/university will bill Florida Prepaid first, and then any scholarships or Bright Futures awards can help cover the remaining expenses that are not covered under the Plan (such as books, transportation or lab fees).

The remaining balance of Bright Futures will be deposited to the student’s bank account, and those funds could be used towards additional expenses like housing.

The more college expenses that are covered, the more probable your child will graduate college debt-free. As parents we all worry about our kids graduating college with a lot of debt, I know I don’t want my kids leaving college with a large amount of student loans. Which is why both of my kids have Florida 529 Prepaid College Plans. They are also studying hard to hopefully receive scholarships as well.

What Can Florida 529 Prepaid College Plan Funds Be Used For?

• Tuition
• School-related Fees

If your child is granted a scholarship and doesn’t need all (or any) of the Florida Prepaid Plan funds, you can request a refund. You can also use your Florida Prepaid College Plan funds towards the cost of graduate school or transfer the funds to a family member.

Florida 529 Prepaid College Plans are a risk-free way that over 1 million Florida families have started saving for their child’s future education. We are one of those 1 million families! I couldn’t be more excited to see what the future holds for my kids.

When you are ready and have about 15 minutes, you can get started with Florida Prepaid here.

So, what can Florida 529 Prepaid College Plan funds be used for? Tuition and school-related fees to help your child graduate college with as little debt as possible.

Still have questions about Florida 529 Prepaid College Plans? Be sure to check out these Frequently Asked Questions. And don’t hesitate to reach out to me, we opened our first Plan about 16 years ago!

Learn more about Florida Prepaid College Plans online and feel free to follow Florida Prepaid College Plans on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to stay up to date with information on Open Enrollment but get tips on college and more. You can also give the Florida Prepaid College Board Customer Service team a call, the Florida Prepaid College Board phone number is 1-800-552-4723.

Be sure to follow Food Wine Sunshine on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for more helpful tips, things to do in Florida, and family fun.