Under the partnership, Arla and Muller have pledged to reduce-on-farm emissions by 30% by 2030, with all 400 dairy suppliers from Tesco’s Sustainable Dairy Group (TSDG) set to participate.
Measures will include methane-reducing feed additives, improvements to animal welfare and carbon footprinting will be leveraged while farmers will also explore other ‘nature-led’ initiatives as part of focused groups.
Tesco, Arla and Muller will create ‘clear guidelines’ on sustainability targets and ethical practices that would allow farmers to choose the most appropriate practices that suit their operations while allowing them to meet targets.
The three organizations will also produce a report to highlight how the entire dairy supply chain can become more sustainable, and the funding and resources this would require. For this, the organizations will reach out for input and support from suppliers and retailers from across the dairy industry.
Bas Padberg, MD at Arla Foods UK, said: “The UK dairy industry puts natural, nutritious food on the table for millions of people every day. But we also know that we must accelerate our action to address the ongoing challenges that the climate emergency presents to our food system.
“We can do more together than we can alone and with real collaboration we can drive a transformation. That’s why through Arla’s initiation of the partnership, Arla and Tesco welcome the rest of the dairy industry to join us on this journey.
“With all our major fresh milk supply customers already on the Arla FarmAhead Customer Partnership, we are now in a strong position to lead the change that is needed, together with our farmer owners. The time is now to unite, invest, and make a lasting impact for generations to come.”
Rob Hutchison, chief executive of Müller Milk & Ingredients, added: “We know our customers and consumers expect us to play a role in driving positive environmental changes within the dairy industry, and our commitment to this is underlined by our ambition to reduce emissions from our supplying farms by 30% by 2030.
“We’re delighted to work together with Tesco and Arla on initiatives like the Future dairy partnership which are key in helping us achieve our goal of creating a better dairy future.”
Will Hosford, Arla Farmer and Dave Jones, Muller farmer and joint chair of the TSDG, concluded: “Through our longstanding relationship with Tesco, Arla and Muller, we have collaboratively set out standards to measure our carbon footprint, improve animal welfare and biodiversity on our farms. All whilst still producing highly nutritious food at an affordable cost.
“We recognise that there is even more to be done and that will require additional effort and cost. Through this partnership and collaboration with the industry, we can share our experiences and benefit wider farmers to secure a more sustainable future for dairy.”
