The Value of a Precompetitive Forum
Founded by dairy farmers in 2008 through their checkoff, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy is a unique national forum that brings together leaders from across the entire dairy value chain – farmers, cooperatives, processors, customers, and allied industry – to address precompetitive priorities and strengthen trust in the dairy sector.
Guided by the voices and perspectives of farm and industry leaders, the Innovation Center builds alignment, sets shared priorities, and accelerates best practices on the most important topics impacting food and agriculture today, from modern wellness and environmental stewardship to food safety, nutrition, and innovation.
Through expert-led committees and task forces, the Innovation Center draws on research and data, drives industry-aligned strategies, and develops tools and resources to support long-term business viability and trust. It enables the industry to speak with a unified voice and lead with purpose in an evolving global food system.
The Innovation Center doesn't just build consensus – it drives action. The precompetitive discussions and resources act as a springboard for participants to implement meaningful improvements within their own unique businesses, helping ensure dairy remains essential, trusted, and sustainable for generations to come.
Since the Innovation Center’s inception, dairy farmers and importers have primarily funded our efforts through Dairy Management Inc. and the national checkoff program. Dairy companies and others contribute financially to specific programs and initiatives that advance shared industry goals.
Materiality: Informing Industry Priorities
A cornerstone of the Innovation Center’s work is ensuring industry strategies are guided by the issues that matter most. That’s why the Innovation Center was one of the first agricultural organizations to conduct a national materiality assessment in 2018, and has continued to build on that leadership with assessments in 2021 and 2025.
The 2025 U.S. Dairy Materiality Assessment marked the industry’s first use of a double materiality approach, examining both how U.S. dairy impacts the world around it (“inside-out”) and how external risks and opportunities affect the industry (“outside-in”). This approach, grounded in guidance from global sustainability standards, brought new depth to the assessment while reinforcing long-standing priorities for U.S. dairy.
Like previous assessments, the 2025 process engaged stakeholders within and outside the dairy value chain to ensure a comprehensive understanding of impacts, risks, and opportunities. The results are used to inform Innovation Center strategy, guide industry-wide efforts, and serve as a resource for individual companies conducting their own assessments.
Governance Structure
The Innovation Center is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of chief executives and chairs from dairy companies, as well as leaders from key industry organizations. This leadership ensures the Innovation Center's initiatives align with industry needs and are held to rigorous governance standards.
