International Dairy Federation Launches the IDF Women in Dairy Report 2024 at the Women in Dairy Roundtable

Oct 15, 2024

The International Dairy Federation (IDF) is proud to announce the release of the IDF Women in Dairy Report 2024 during the Women in Dairy Roundtable held at the IDF Business Meetings, just ahead of the IDF World Dairy Summit 2024 in Paris. This pivotal report highlights the substantial contributions of women within the global dairy sector and underscores how women’s empowerment is critical to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5, which seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Through the dedicated work of the IDF Task Force on Women in Dairy, IDF is committed to fostering gender equality and strengthening women’s roles across all facets of the dairy value chain. From farming and industry to science, policy, and governance, IDF initiatives are designed to raise awareness of the invaluable impact women have on the dairy sector. A key part of this mission is the IDF Women in Dairy Knowledge Hub, which showcases the achievements of women in dairy worldwide, providing role models and inspiration for current and future generations.

The IDF Women in Dairy Report 2024 is the second edition of this landmark publication and celebrates the transformative role of women in the global dairy sector. The report features 16 case studies from across all continents, including two examples with global reach, demonstrating the varied ways in which the dairy sector supports women’s empowerment. These case studies highlight how dairy contributes to improved nutrition, family income, livelihoods, educational opportunities, and community sustainability.

“The IDF Women in Dairy Report illustrates how women in the dairy sector are driving progress and fostering well-being in their communities, while also contributing to the overall sustainability of our sector,” said Laurence Rycken, Director General of IDF. “From local communities to international platforms, women are at the forefront of innovation and growth in dairy.”

The report is part of IDF’s ongoing efforts to ensure women’s contributions to the dairy sector are recognized, valued, and supported. It amplifies the visibility of their work and highlights the essential role that gender equality plays in achieving sustainable development in the food system.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.