Good dairy
The Good Dairy Award which launched in 2011, celebrates companies who are using or committing to using higher welfare dairy systems for cows and calves.
There are over 250 million cows used to produce milk in the world, including around 24 million in the EU-27, 9 million in the USA and around 1.85 million in the UK. Commercial milk production is increasing rapidly in southern Asia, including in countries that have not traditionally consumed milk, such as China. Developed countries typically use cows from specialised milking breeds. The Holstein-Friesian type is the dominant breed in the USA, UK and much of Europe.
The awards programme works by recognising and rewarding producers, manufacturers, food service, retailers and public bodies for working in a sustainable and responsible way. We build upon what we have learnt from developing voluntary standards with some of the leading food companies in the world and helping them to be leaders of the growing movement for sustainable and ethical food.
Compassion awards companies that allow greater access to pasture grazing for their dairy cows and for reducing key welfare health problems such as lameness, culling rate, mastitis and cow condition. To win a Good Dairy Award, companies should also be rearing all their calves in high welfare systems where they are raised in social groups with adequate bedding and fed an appropriate fibre diet.