Reflections from the 2024 International Congress on the Dairy Industry

The 11th International Congress on Dairy Industry was held on June 5th and 6th at the Plaza Mayor, Medellín, Colombia. This event brought together leaders and experts from the dairy industry to address challenges and opportunities. Grupo Plastilene had the honor of moderating the Panel titled “Challenges and Solutions for the Dairy Industry in the Era of Climate Change”.

Panel of Experts

The panel was moderated by Luisa Ribero and included the participation of:

• Carlos Naranjo From GAIA Environmental Servicios
• Profesor Rolando Barahona from the National University
• Esteban Arroyave from Celsia
• Ana María Gómez from Asoleche

Main topics addressed

Impacts on the dairy industry supply chain

Carlos Naranjo from GAIA started the conversation speaking about how the main environmental impacts have an effect on the dairy supply chain. For him farming is the industry’s highest impact factor, but some other important factors include refrigeration at home, and packaging. Naranjo emphasized the importance of optimizing production processes and reducing the environmental impact of packaging, especially when home refrigeration is omitted in products like UHT milk packaging.

Energetic Initiatives in the Dairy industry

Esteban Arroyave from Celsia shared lived experiences with the use of solar panels in the dairy industry. He highlighted the reliability and autonomy that the panels offer especially in a context where constant blackouts are common. This technology therefore is not only an improvement when it comes to sustainability, but it guarantees a constant and safe source of energy.

The role of academia in responsible agriculture

Professor Rolando Barahona highlighted the fundamental role of academia in the implementation of responsible agricultural practices. He highlighted how making decisions based on scientific research is of the utmost importance, as well as how educating future dairy industry professionals on the diverse array of solutions available is paramount. Barahona also talked about the need to promote sustainability and efficiency in dairy production.

The importance of packaging in food preservation

Ana María Gómez, president of Asoleche, addressed the importance of packaging in the dairy industry. She highlighted that an adequate amount of integration in the supply chain is essential to reduce food waste and ensure dairy products arrive in the best conditions to all regions of the country.

Strengthening Sustainability

During the second half of the panel there were concrete examples of how sustainability has been strengthened in the dairy sector. Esteban Arroyave mentioned the need to replace old fridges for more up to date and energy efficient models and promote a transition into clean energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Professor Barahona emphasized the importance of more efficient farming practices. He provided detailed information on adequate food sources for cattle as a means to improve milk production and reduce the environmental impact.

On the other hand, Carlos Naranjo noted the importance of cattle diet and its role in the prevention of deforestation and cattle expansion. Mentioning the need to use efficient machinery to adopt sustainable production practices.

Finally, each panelist shared their perspectives on the future challenges of the dairy industry. They all highlighted that micro and macro changes can have an important impact on this and every other industry.

At the end, there was a general consensus regarding the importance of all stakeholders in the supply chain to enact tangible changes and solutions.

The International Congress on Dairy Industry was an invaluable platform for Grupo Plastilene to share findings, as well as our sustainable portfolio catered to the dairy industry. We are proud to have been part of this crucial conversation and we will continue working towards sustainable solutions in the industry.