Arla Foods has joined forces with major retailers to test a new cattle feed aimed at cutting emissions.
- The trial features methane-reducing feed additive Bovaer, potentially slashing methane emissions by 27%.
- 30 farmers from Arla cooperative are involved in this significant sustainability initiative.
- Key partners include Morrisons, Tesco, and Aldi under Arla’s FarmAhead customer partnership initiative.
- The trial aims to explore the integration of feed additives into regular farming practices.
Arla Foods has embarked on an ambitious collaboration with supermarkets Morrisons, Tesco, and Aldi to tackle emissions from dairy farming. By experimenting with a novel feed additive named Bovaer, the partnership aims to reduce enteric methane emissions from cows by an average of 27%. This initiative is part of Arla’s FarmAhead customer partnership project, which seeks to integrate sustainable practices in farming.
The trial involves 30 farmers from the Arla cooperative, providing insight into the application of feed additives on a broader scale. Paul Dover, Arla Foods UK agricultural director, emphasized the significant opportunity in reducing methane emissions at the farm level. “We know that reducing methane is a big opportunity when it comes to improving our carbon footprint,” he stated. The collaboration underscores the collective support within the food and grocery sectors for British farmers transitioning to sustainable farming methods.
Representatives from Morrisons, Aldi, and Tesco expressed their commitment to this collective effort through Arla’s FarmAhead initiative. They acknowledged the potential of feed additives in addressing climate challenges within the food system. By engaging in such collaborations, these retailers aim to identify scalable changes that can significantly reduce emissions.
This initiative builds on earlier efforts, such as Tesco’s trial with Bovaer at Grosvenor Farms, which sought to lower the carbon footprint of each cow by about 1.3 tonnes of CO2e annually. Morrisons has also been proactive, partnering with Sea Forest to introduce seaweed-based feed to cut carbon emissions from beef production. These efforts highlight the active role retailers are playing in fostering sustainable practices in agriculture.
The collaborative methane-reducing trial by Arla and key retailers marks a significant step towards sustainable farming.
