There’s a lot of buzz around renewable natural gas (RNG) as a means for dairy farmers to diversify revenue while improving their carbon footprints. For many operators, it can be a particularly attractive option, especially given the current market and economic conditions.

What sets successful dairies apart from the rest of the industry? According to agricultural economist Bruce Dehm, president of Dehm Associates LLC, there are four key indicators of success: efficient milk production, low or profitable cost per hundredweight, effective management, and financial stability/sufficient cash flow and equity.

Twenty-five miles inland from the Atlantic coast, along the Savannah River, you can still see the rise and fall of the ocean tide.

With interest rates, inflation and input costs on the rise and milk futures trending in the opposite direction, a lot of dairy producers I talk to are asking me this question: Is it possible to be a profitable dairy farming business, despite these external pressures?