Dairy Farmers of Canada and Starbucks Canada brew a sustainable future together

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) and Starbucks Canada (Starbucks) have launched a new collaborative effort to help advance sustainability in the dairy sector.

Starbucks has committed $500,000 to support sustainability-focused projects in dairy over the course of this year, rewarding the continued efforts to Canadian dairy farmers on their path to net zero.

The partnership includes three projects, the first of which is already underway for 2024 in collaboration with Farm Credit Canada (FCC) and Lactanet for FCC’s Dairy Sustainability Incentive Program. This program rewards farmers who are successfully adopting environmental best management practices and encourages continued sustainable farming by granting annual incentives of up to $2,000 to FCC customers who meet select criteria. Starbucks will also provide additional funding to the FCC program in two new categories: Top Achieving and Most Improved.

David Wiens, president of Dairy Farmers of Canada, says the support of Starbucks will help recognize more farmers’ commitment to environmental management and show Canadians that sustainability begins with the people producing their food.

“When farmers set out to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, we knew we would not do it alone. DFC welcomes Starbucks as they join us on this leg of the journey,” says Wiens.

Dairy is an integral part of the Starbucks menu. Supporting the long-term health of the Canadian dairy sector is one of the latest efforts in the company’s global commitment to a resource-positive future – giving more than it takes from the planet by reducing the company’s carbon emissions, water usage and landfill waste by 50 per cent by 2030.

Farmer applications are scheduled to reopen for the Sustainability Incentive Program on May 21, 2024.