Making BC milk the cream of the crop
Dairy Education and Research Centre Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Happy cows give great milk Throughout the world there are more than six billion consumers of milk and milk products. In 2011 the world’s dairy farms produced over 730 million tonnes of milk. Milk is an important food source with many nutrients which are especially important in nurturing the development of young children. It is also a key contributor to improving nutrition and food security, particularly in developing countries. By improving livestock and dairy technology, we offer significant promise of reducing poverty and malnutrition in the world. UBC Dairy Centre: Showcasing the best of BC Milk. The UBC Dairy Centre, located in Agassiz, BC, is recognized as a world-class facility for the development of best practices in the dairy industry. An international roster of dairy and agriculture researchers, professionals, and students come to this high-calibre dairy farm with a commitment to understanding how to help cows thrive and produce the best milk. The results of their work are critical to developing a sustainable and safe milk industry. We have an opportunity to advance the work of students and researchers by recognizing their need for safe and accessible accommodation. The Dairy Connection Residence will provide BC milk producers better access to high-calibre animal welfare research that helps increase cattle comfort. Happier cows lead to better milk production and quality, which benefits everyone in the Canadian dairy industry.
Dairy Connection Residence: A commitment to animal welfare. Our researchers, interns, and students need to provide round-the-clock care for dairy cows involved in their research projects. This requires living in the town of Agassiz, BC, hours away from our main campus in Vancouver. However, shortterm, affordable housing in the area is limited. We have designed a solution to recognize and strengthen the rich learning that only occurs when researchers and students share spaces with one another, are close to their research, and learn to depend on each other to build a greater sense of community. We propose to establish The Dairy Connection Residence, which will provide a short-term, residential environment for researchers and students who are doing innovative work of benefit to the dairy industry, increasing milk production through conscious attention to animal welfare. With adequate housing, opportunities for collaborative research will increase and a stronger global network of dairy researchers will emerge. The residence will provide a collegial environment for researchers and students. The overall cost of constructing this 10,800 square-foot complex is estimated at $2.5 million. What could we do together? We have earmarked matching funds to achieve this goal and look for partners to help us complete the capital required. We invite you to join us in this endeavour. For more information, please contact:
Design+Content: J. Hsu w/ L. Sproul rev 5/2013
Niki Glenning Development Officer, UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems 604.822.8910 niki.glenning@ubc.ca