SURVEY SAYS:
Farm data demands not REALLY voluntary, Responses shed light on key concerns
ADC Survey Results Feb. 24 through March 14, 2026:
“Are You in Control of Your Data?”
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Dairy farmers across the country are increasingly being asked to provide detailed operational data to cooperatives, proprietary processors, and supply-chain partners for sustainability and Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting. These requests can include herd records, feed and manure data, cropping practices, energy use, fuel consumption, and other aspects of farm business management.
Many farmers say these requests are time-consuming and involve sensitive business information. This is occurring even though federal agencies, including U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under both the Biden and Trump Administrations stepped back from Scope 3 requirements, citing concerns that they are outside a company’s direct control, controversial, and difficult to regulate and verify.
Farmers contacting the American Dairy Coalition (ADC) say programs tied to the dairy checkoff program’s Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Net Zero Initiative through the FARM ES program appear to be expanding beyond their original voluntary intent. These efforts aim for net-zero emissions by 2050. However, farmers report that once processors and supply-chain partners adopt these programs, participation becomes effectively required for those marketing milk. Today, more than 80% of U.S. milk production is represented by cooperatives and plants enrolled in FARM.
At the same time, farmers point to ongoing scientific debate about how methane is measured. They emphasize that dairy cattle are part of a natural cycle, not a one-way ‘new’ emissions source, and say measurement methods should reflect that difference.
To better understand these concerns, ADC conducted an anonymous survey of members and non-member producers across key dairy regions from Feb. 24 through March 14, 2026. Responses came mainly from the Upper Midwest (with 70% of responses from Wisconsin) as well as the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. The results show widespread concern about how farm data is being requested, handled, and used.
A majority of respondents (72%) said they have been asked to provide detailed farm-level data, while 77% said participation is not truly voluntary in practice. Farmers described varying levels of pressure: 25% said requests were “strongly encouraged,” 32% said they were told participation is required to sell milk, and 20% reported concern about penalties or loss of contract.
At the same time, 87% said they did not believe they signed a data-sharing agreement, and another 13% were unsure—pointing to a lack of clarity and informed consent.
Concerns about trust and fairness are also significant. Eighty percent (80%) of respondents said they do not trust their data is secure, and 92% reported receiving no compensation for providing it. More than one-third (36%) believe they have already undergone sustainability-related audits, with another 15% unsure, indicating confusion about how these programs are being implemented.
Farmers were unified on key principles: 100% said farmers should own and control their farm data, and 85% support federal action to ensure transparency, set limits, and require fair compensation when such data is collected.
While farmers were told these programs would remain voluntary and that data would be used in aggregated form, survey results suggest many do not see that happening in practice. These findings suggest a need for clear guardrails, stronger farmer protections, and greater accountability in how farm data is collected and used.
To read more detailed analysis and a list of comments offered anonymously by survey respondents as well as through the confidential intake line, click here
