EmPower+ Initiative Launched to Reduce Dairy Farm Greenhouse Gas Emissions

On November 7, 2025, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, along with Farmers for Sustainable Food, launched EmPower+, a new initiative designed to connect farmer-led innovations directly with the environmental goals of the dairy value chain. The program offers data support services and a portfolio of solutions aimed at improving production efficiency while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

EmPower+ integrates on-farm innovation with a comprehensive accounting methodology to measure, report, and verify emission reductions at the farm level. This approach allows for verified emission reductions to be embedded into milk procurement, creating opportunities for recognition of measurable environmental performance.

According to Tim Trotter, CEO of Edge and its affiliate Farmers for Sustainable Food, the program is built on credible data, third-party verification, and aligns with the global GHG Protocol, establishing a foundation for accountability across the dairy value chain. The initiative supports farms in creating a comprehensive data stream that is protected for both the farmer and the processor.

Farms participating in the program, either independently or with their processors, can utilize EmPower+ to meet business goals. The program empowers farmers to understand how their practices impact their emissions footprint and make informed decisions to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. Processors, in turn, can use the data to meet value chain reporting requirements and demonstrate measurable Scope 3 GHG reductions.

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is the second-largest dairy cooperative in the United States by milk volume. It provides a platform for farmers across the Midwest to have a powerful voice in legislative and market discussions.