HIGHER NET PROFIT, ZERO NET EMISSIONS

Agronomist Simon Jette-Nantel on the value of investing in Net-Zero

By Robert Price

SETTING A NATIONAL TARGET OF NET-ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2050 may have seemed like news when Dairy Farmers of Canada announced it in 2022, but dairy farmers across Canada have been committed to responsible, environmentally sustainable farming practices for decades.

What DFC’s public commitment does is challenge milk producers to find greater efficiencies in their businesses – efficiencies that will benefit the environment as much as it profits their farms.

“I think [the commitment to Net-Zero is] the industry saying we can see where the customer’s going, where the social demands are evolving, and we feel the need to be in tune with that,” says Simon Jette-Nantel, an agronomist at Lactanet.

Jette-Nantel says the dairy industry’s commitment to Net-Zero also “gives direction” to the institutions standing behind Canada’s dairy farmers. “The commitment has given people in the industry – on the research side and knowledge transfer side – a clear direction that we need to provide the tools to help to find our way and get the industry to meet that target.”

Spurring Innovation

Jette-Nantel says Net-Zero commitments can spur profit and innovation. Think of it as a spark that ignites investments, improved financial results and reduced emissions.

Getting to zero will take effort and time but JetteNantel says a focus on improving feed efficiency and herd genetics will, in time, deliver a good return on investment to producers and a healthy return to the environment. So too will improved heifer management. Optimizing genetics to lower a cow’s first calving means a more productive working life for the cow. Cows that stay productive longer can mean fewer cows on the farm, less labour, and better margins. “And if it ends up also reducing the total amount of heifers you’re keeping, then it will also contribute in terms of reducing greenhouse gases,” he adds.

Genetic improvements, like improved feed efficiency, are long-term investments with a three- to five-year window before farmers will see a return. “But” says Jette-Nantel, “the investment cost is minimal because it’s a matter of genetic selection.” Select the right cattle and the right feed today and harvest significant savings later.

Many solutions in the Net-Zero commitment happen at the level of each individual farmer. “It’s all about trying to find which investments are best for your farm because every farmer will start from a different place,” he says. Farmers with newer barns may already have an energy-optimized facility. Others with older farms can make minor investments, like better cooling systems, that pay off in terms of cow comfort, higher productivity and lower emissions.

“What I like about setting targets now is that it allows the industry a span of 25 years to adapt. At some point within those 25 years, most producers will have to build new facilities and will be able to consider a number of those factors to make the right investment for them and at the same time to try to meet the Net-Zero target.”

A Time To Reflect

The Net-Zero journey is an opportunity for producers to remember why they do what they do. Why do you have this farm? What are the values of this farm? What does it stand for?

“Oftentimes, these values are very deeply embedded and producers don’t necessarily recognize them. But recognizing what you’re doing and how it serves the greater purpose can motivate you and all the stakeholders, employees and everyone around you,” says Jette-Nantel.

“Being able to identify all those practices that serve both the greater good and your bottom line – I don’t have to talk too much about it to convince you that it’s a good thing.”

WHAT IS AN AGRONOMIST?

An agronomist works in the field of agronomy which is a branch of agriculture that deals mainly in field-crop production, soil and land management, and water resources.

Agronomy integrates all aspects of crop production, from variety selection to harvesting, and from soil management to entomology. It is a science that finds ways to grow crops effectively and commercially while protecting the environment.