Danone has launched its Milk Academy, providing dairy farmers worldwide with tools, training and expertise to strengthen resilience and sustainability.
Danone has launched the Milk Academy, an industry-first global training initiative designed to help dairy farmers adapt to economic and environmental pressures while strengthening the resilience of the global dairy supply chain.
Through the Milk Academy, we’re accelerating the transformation of dairy farming together — making it future-fit, resilient, and ready to meet the needs of customers and consumers.”
The multi-year programme, announced this week, will provide farmers of all sizes with accredited training, technical expertise and digital resources, enabling them to build long-term sustainable businesses.
Three global Centres of Excellence form the core of Danone’s Milk Academy, supported by local training sessions and a digital knowledge platform that connects farmers worldwide. The first centre opened in Ohio this week, uniting 60 dairy farmer partners from nine countries with Cornell University and technical experts from Lely, MSD Animal Health, Worldwide Sires (Select Sires) and Zoetis. A second centre will open in Belgium later this year, in partnership with Wageningen University, focusing on mid-sized farms, followed by a third in Morocco in 2026, tailored for smallholder farmers.
Vikram Agarwal, Chief Operations Officer at Danone, said: “What it takes to thrive as a farmer these days is changing. At Danone, we’re committed to giving our farmer community unparalleled access to the knowledge, expertise and tools that will make their businesses more agile and resilient and ultimately will strengthen the dairy supply chain. By working hand in hand with our farmer partners, academic institutions, and technical experts, we are fostering knowledge exchanges and building capabilities bridging science and practice for more impact. Through the Milk Academy, we’re accelerating the transformation of dairy farming together — making it future-fit, resilient, and ready to meet the needs of customers and consumers.”
Accredited training and knowledge sharing
Farmers participating in the programme will receive accredited training from Wageningen University & Research and Cornell University. The curriculum covers herd productivity, animal longevity, manure management, soil health, regenerative agriculture for feed and crops, and methods to reduce methane emissions. Business-focused modules will also cover succession planning, risk management and resource allocation.
Tom Overton, Department Chair of Animal Science and Director of the PRO-DAIRY programme at Cornell University, said: “The Cornell PRO-DAIRY and Agricultural Workforce Development teams are excited to partner with Danone on the Milk Academy. Working with farmers to help them enhance their management skills to improve cow health and well-being, management of people and their businesses, and stewardship of the environment is our passion, and we are delighted that Danone has chosen to partner with us.”
Geurt Heimensen MSc, Manager at Wageningen Academy, added: “We look forward to contributing our scientific knowledge and expertise to this Danone programme and to the wider transition towards climate- and nature-positive dairy. This aligns strongly with WUR’s ambition to create real impact in practice. It’s about ensuring that our knowledge reaches those who need it most, in various continents. As an independent research and education institute, Wageningen University & Research is committed to empowering people with the skills and insights needed to drive sustainable change.”
Alongside in-person training, Danone will launch a new digital platform offering access to academic and technical expertise, alongside opportunities for best practice sharing across the company’s international farming community.
The Danone Milk Academy is a central pillar of the company’s Danone Impact Journey, its long-term roadmap to create more sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems. By investing in farmer upskilling and innovation, Danone aims to accelerate the shift towards regenerative agriculture while strengthening productivity, cutting emissions and securing resilience across the global dairy supply chain.
