For the first time the entire IFCN network met at one conference in Parma: volatility is here to stay, and farm efficiency is the strongest lever to manage it

Dairy market volatility is here to stay, and dairy farm efficiency is the strongest lever to manage it, was the key message of the IFCN Conference 2026, IFCN reports.

More than 200 farmers, processors, researchers, farm input suppliers and industry leaders met in Parma, Italy, on 27–30 September 2026 under the theme «The Future of Global Dairy: Efficiency, Innovation & Cooperation in a Volatile Market». For the first time the whole IFCN network came together at one event, linking global dairy data, farm-level realities and market outlooks.

Key points:

  • volatility is here to stay, and farm efficiency is the strongest lever to manage it;
  • long-term trends are increasingly shaped by climate and population growth, while short-term price swings are harder to predict;
  • the exceptional global milk supply growth of 2025 lost momentum in 2026;
  • better protein efficiency significantly cuts nitrogen losses without compromising animal performance;
  • participants co-created a Dairy Roadmap 2035.

Day 1: global dairy market outlook – volatility is the new normal

Opening the conference, IFCN Managing Director Łukasz Wyrzykowski stressed the need to turn reliable dairy data into better decisions across the supply chain.

Hubertus Gay of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said long-term market trends are increasingly set by climate and population growth, while short-term price swings are becoming harder to predict, and advised the industry to «embrace volatility».

IFCN’s Head of Research & Development Andrea Lendewig added that the exceptional supply growth of 2025 lost momentum in 2026. Demand remains supportive and increasingly diversified, but climate risks, weaker farm economics and geopolitical uncertainty are making volatility a permanent feature.

Alberto Menghi of CRPA showed how Italy creates value through processing and premium cheese, with future competitiveness depending on exports, labour availability and water.

Pietro Paganini argued that the sector’s challenge is communicating dairy’s value for food security and nutrition rather than producing milk.

Deepak Dubey and Mohammad Al Rifai of Kemin demonstrated how precision nutrition, optimising feed efficiency, amino acid balance and nutrient use, raises farm profitability while reducing nutrient losses and environmental impact.

The closing panel agreed that businesses must plan for the long term while staying flexible. In Menghi’s words: «Farmers and processors need to plan for the next 10 years, while recognizing that market volatility will continue.»

Day 2: dairy farming systems worldwide – from global trends to farm-level solutions

IFCN’s Katrin Friedrichs and Gabriel Sarmiento presented a global overview of farming systems, showing that long-term competitiveness increasingly rests on productivity, efficiency and the ability to adapt to structural change.

Hugo Quattrochi described consolidation and intensification in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil;

Paidamoyo Chadoka outlined Zimbabwe’s investments in water security, renewable energy, genetics and climate-smart technology; and Tieu Duc Viet reported that Vietnamese farmers remain optimistic and are finding practical ways to adapt to high temperatures.

New Zealand’s Matthew Newman stressed that growth must come from value creation rather than volume: «Every region should understand its natural advantages, protect them, and build value around them.» Ernesto Reyes of the Global Dairy Platform highlighted dairy’s role in jobs and livelihoods: «Employment is the most important indicator to achieve resilience.» Italian dairy farmer Pietro Baldrighi named climate change, water availability and generational renewal as key challenges, while Simona Caselli, President of Granlatte Granarolo Group, showed how the cooperative model shares added value between farmers, processors and consumers.

Partners Alltech, Bayer, Lallemand, smaXtec and Cargill showed how data, technology and collaboration improve decisions on farms.

Bayer’s Patrick Gerlich said efficiency starts with genetics, crop management and feed quality, because «sustainability starts before the cow eats».

Lallemand’s Luis Queirós presented a whole-farm approach built on silage quality, feed efficiency and nutrient recycling: «We try to work with nature and not against it.»

smaXtec’s Charlie Sheppy showed how real-time animal data helps detect heat stress earlier, and Cargill’s Celeste Grande introduced Herd Lifetime Productivity, a holistic approach to unlocking a herd’s genetic potential.

Tara McCarthy summed up the day with the concept of «coopetition», cooperation combined with competition, noting that «coopetition requires trust». Participants agreed that efficiency, resilience and sustainability are closely linked and that no single company can tackle future challenges alone.

Day 3: Dairy Roadmap 2035 – feed efficiency as the biggest lever

The final day, opened by the Kemin–IFCN Dairy Efficiency Session, looked at how the industry can meet growing global demand while becoming more resilient.

Milica Kocić and Expedito Netto of IFCN used global farm data and modelling to show that higher productivity, feed efficiency and better resource use strengthen the economic, environmental and social sustainability of dairy farming.

Michel de Haan presented long-term research showing that better protein efficiency significantly reduces nitrogen losses without compromising animal performance, and Heather White, Kelly Nichols and Bram Pauwelyn confirmed that precision protein nutrition benefits farmers, consumers and the environment.

In a workshop, participants then co-created the Dairy Roadmap 2035, setting priorities for efficiency, sustainability and long-term competitiveness, with reliable data, practical solutions and stronger value-chain collaboration at its core.

Source: IFCN