Sustainable dairy nutrition a focus at World Dairy Summit

Global population growth will continue to drive demand for responsibly produced foods and nutritionally adequate, healthy and affordable diets, a conference at the IDF World Dairy Summit 2013 in Yokohama, Japan is set to report. The conference on “Future Direction of Milk and Health” on 1 November will demonstrate how dairy has operated in a manner to continually reduce its impact on natural resources while contributing significantly to dietary quality and nutrient adequacy around the world.

Mary Anne Burkman, senior director of the Dairy Council of California, will outline the updated resource guide, “Sustainable Dairy Nutrients are Essential to Human Health,” which provides current, science-based information on which to validate the claim that milk and dairy foods are nutritious, affordable and sustainable choices in a wide range of healthy dietary patterns.

This internal guide was developed by the IDF Standing Committees on Nutrition and Environment in collaboration with the Global Dairy Platform (GDP). “Thanks to its unique network of scientific and technical experts, IDF has been a global leader in consolidating clear, concise information which details the multiple ways the dairy industry utilizes sustainable practices to provide a family of products boasting an irreplaceable package of nutrients,” explains Burkman. “We have the opportunity to broaden the discussion of environmental stewardship among key stakeholders to include food security and nutritional quality. In that holistic context, milk and dairy foods emerge as ‘must have’ food choices.”