Posts for Category: Sustainability

WASHINGTON, March 21, 2025 – IDFA provided comments to the California Air Resources Board regarding the implementation process for the state’s climate related disclosure laws.

IDFA continues its advocacy before state legislators and regulators in select areas, with recently filed comments seeking compliance flexibility as California implements its extended producer responsibility law. IDFA also joined with allies to oppose key state legislation, including overly stringent extended producer responsibility bills in New York, and bans on FDA-approved food and color additives […]

December 2023 By Mike Aquino, director, ESG, International Dairy Foods Association Each time a Conference of the Parties (COP) is convened, a diverse group of stakeholders from around the world comes together to discuss approaches to global climate management. These conferences are large undertakings. COP28, which just came to a close in Dubai, hosted approximately […]

Earlier this month, California legislators passed the first mandatory climate disclosure bills in the United States as part of a “Climate Accountability Package.” If signed into law, these corporate disclosure requirements will be administered by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).</p> <!– /wp:paragraph –> <!– wp:paragraph –> <p>The two bills—one mandating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting and the other requiring climate-related financial risk disclosures—aim to drive transparency and progress in corporate climate risk management. Governor Gavin Newsom has stated his intention to sign both bills pending minor revisions and is expected to sign them before October 14.

WASHINGTON, September 7, 2023—The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced today it has joined the steering committee of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA). FACA consists of more than 80 organizations representing farmers, ranchers, forest owners, agribusinesses, manufacturers, the food and innovation sector, state governments, sportsmen and sportswomen, and environmental advocates. The organizations have […]

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, which governs the most widely referenced framework for GHG accounting and reporting, has initiated a process to review and update standards. As part of this review period, GHG Protocol announced an opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback via survey and/or written proposals. On March 14, 2023, IDFA submitted public comment in response to this feedback request. This issue of GHG corporate accounting standards is one that IDFA has been focused on since last summer when we submitted comments to the UN High-Level Expert Group on the Net-Zero Commitments of Non-State Entities after consulting with the newly-established IDFA Sustainability Committee.

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today named Mike Aquino as director, ESG (environment, social and governance (ESG)). Aquino was trained as a food scientist at Drexel University and has since held several professional positions in the food and agriculture space, including with Danone’s research and development pilot facility in White Plains, N.Y., and on the Global Sustainability Team at General Mills addressing corporate citizenship issues such as Scope 3 emissions reduction planning and animal welfare. At IDFA, Aquino will help to manage the trade association’s work in sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and ESG policy and programming within the U.S. dairy supply chain. He will join the IDFA Regulatory Affairs team on Monday, Jan. 30, reporting to Danielle Quist, vice president and counsel, in collaboration with the Public Affairs and Communications team under Matt Herrick.

On behalf of America’s dairy processing industry, IDFA applauds the historic investments announced today by USDA in climate smart food and agricultural practices, including dairy production. Approximately $700 million of the more than $3 billion committed today by USDA to voluntary, incentive-based efforts will support climate and conservation projects in dairy and dairy-related businesses, catapulting the United States into a position of global leadership in climate-smart food and agricultural production.

As your trade association, IDFA knows that the dairy industry plays a vital role in sustainable food systems by nourishing people, communities, and the planet. But not everyone else knows it. So, how is IDFA making sure policymakers, regulators, and thought leaders know what dairy is doing on sustainability? IDFA staff recently began a set […]

Strategic planning exercise led by IDFA members prepares the dairy industry to thrive in the next decade of change and disruption WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2021—The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), the broadest trade association representing all segments of the dairy supply chain in the United States, recently completed a pre-competitive strategic planning process led by […]