For this reason, farm leaders initiated the development of the proAction program to ensure every Canadian dairy farm had the same quality assurance standard. The proAction initiative documents farmers’ proactive commitment to high standards and attention to detail.
ProAction is a rigorous and credible program that allows farmers to continue to achieve the world-leading standards on food safety, animal care and traceability. Not only are Canadian dairy farmers committed, with proAction, they also prove they do the right thing every day through procedures, record-keeping and good management practices. In the past two years, an outstanding 99 percent of dairy farms have maintained their registration on proAction.
With validations having now covered three modules (food safety, animal care and traceability), Dairy Farmers of Canada is pleased to share some of the highlights from its first progress report for proAction:
Third-party recognition
ProAction is recognized by third parties such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for its meticulous and consistent record management and the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) for its animal care component. This recognition means proAction is relevant and meaningful for Canadians.
Spotlight on animal care
The animal care module serves as an evaluation tool to verify that farms meet or exceed the requirements of the code of practice. The results from the first year of on-farm validations show a high level of compliance with animal care requirements, reassuring our customers about farm practices, including the end of tail docking, and the level of care for animals on Canadian farms.
Continuous learning and improvement
Trained independent professionals audit each farm in person at least once every two years, ensuring farms demonstrate they meet standards every day. Thanks to the measures of proAction, experts will always be able to monitor the progress of the industry over time and continue to implement innovative mechanisms to improve on-farm practices.
The outcomes of the proAction report not only provide sound empirical evidence and research-based approaches that show the effectiveness of the program but also demonstrate that farmers are committed to improving their farm practices and achieving overall excellence.
Canadian dairy farms continue to increase their efficiency and improve their farm practices, resulting in a lower environmental footprint for a glass of milk. From 2011 to 2016, farms achieved 7 percent fewer GHG emissions, 6 percent less water used and 11 percent less land used.
In the years to come, DFC will continue to measure and report on the work of Canadian dairy farmers as they implement farm practices that have a proven track record for efficiency and sustainability and continue to produce the highest-quality milk with healthy, well-cared-for cows. Through credible metrics and independent validation, proAction shows Canadians how dairy farmers lead the way to meet clearly defined, world-leading standards to produce safe, high-quality milk. This commitment is part of our pledge to always raise the bar within our industry and deliver quality milk to consumers.
To read the report and learn more about program visit proAction program. 
Founded in 1934, Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) is the national organization which defends the interests of Canadian dairy farmers and strives to create favourable conditions for the Canadian dairy industry. Working in accordance with supply management principles, DFC promotes safe, high quality, sustainable and nutritious Canadian dairy products made from 100% Canadian milk through various marketing, nutrition, policy and lobbying initiatives. Driven by a strong sense of community and pride, DFC and Canadian dairy farmers actively support a number of local and national activities. Visit dairyfarmers.ca for more information.
