This officially launches the second phase of the implementation process, which includes the start of on-farm evaluations for participating producers. The National Dairy FARM Program, created by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), provides consistency and uniformity to best practices in animal care and quality assurance in the dairy industry.

A participation fee is a shared responsibility for all participants of the National Dairy FARM Animal Care Program to fund the enrollment of on-farm data in a private database, as well as to pay for third-party verification of the program. While support for the development of educational training materials has been available from the national dairy check-off, such funding sources cannot be drawn upon for third-party verification.

“Producers can participate independently or through their cooperative or processor. Producers who are affiliated with a cooperative or proprietary processor should contact their representative to see if their milk marketing organization is participating in the program; or to encourage them to join in,” said Betsy Flores, NMPF Director of Regulatory Affairs.

The National Dairy FARM Program™ is a voluntary, nationwide program designed to bring consistency and uniformity to animal care through education, on-farm evaluations and objective third-party verification.

The first phase of the program provided educational materials to producers through the release of the Animal Care Manual and the Quick Reference User Guide. As a supplement to these materials, the Animal Care DVD is now available online in both English and Spanish.

The National Dairy FARM Program Animal Care video highlights best management practices for a variety of issues, including animal health, environment and facilities, animal nutrition, and transportation and handling. The content of the video is consistent with the principles and guidelines of the National Dairy Animal Well-Being Initiative, which was introduced in 2008.