Arla Foods is calling for increased UK government support to help farmers adopt sustainable practices, as it launches a methane-reduction trial in collaboration with Morrisons, Tesco, and Aldi.
The initiative will test Bovaer, DSM-Firmenich’s methane-reducing feed additive, to explore its potential in lowering emissions from dairy farming.
Given the operating costs involved in implementing feed additive based strategies, Paul Dover, UK agricultural director at Arla Foods, emphasized the critical role of government in facilitating the transition.
“We need to ensure farmers are supported in this transition, and financial assistance is one area where the government could play a crucial role,” he tells us.
But is there a dearth of policy and financial frameworks to drive the adoption of such technologies?
Currently, no UK government funding is available for methane-reducing additives under the Sustainable Farming Incentive or other agri-environment schemes.
Arla is actively engaging with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to advocate for greater support for innovative tools like Bovaer, explains Dover.
Collaborative effort with retailers and farmers
The Bovaer trial, part of Arla’s strategy to integrate sustainable practices into existing farming operations, involves close collaboration with its retail partners and farmers.
The goal is to ensure the methane blocker can be seamlessly incorporated into feeding routines without disrupting milk production.
“Transitioning to more sustainable food production needs to be a collaborative effort. Investment on farms, now and in the future, will be essential to produce sustainable food,” Dover says.
Through the FarmAhead Customer Partnership, farmers participating in the trial will receive comprehensive support, including cost analysis and best practices for scaling the additive’s use.
Listen: The path to net zero in dairy
Read: How to achieve 30% cut in methane reductions by 2030
Sector-wide impact
This initiative reflects the broader challenges faced by the European retail and wholesale sector, where 98% of carbon emissions are attributed to Scope 3 sources.
According to a study by EuroCommerce, the sector accounts for 1.6 gigatons of CO2e annually, roughly one-third of Europe’s total carbon footprint. Addressing emissions from value chains requires investment in sustainable mobility, infrastructure, agriculture, and the circular economy.
The Arla lead says the supermarket chains have already shown a commitment to innovation in sustainable farming:
“Our retail partners are recognizing the benefits of trialing new approaches to farming, and their investment in projects like Bovaer demonstrates their commitment to supporting more sustainable dairy farming,” Dover adds.
Scaling up sustainability
Bovaer has been proven to reduce enteric methane emissions, a major contributor to dairy farming’s carbon footprint, he maintains. The focus now is on achieving scale through industry-wide collaboration among farmers, milk processors, supply chains, and government, according to Dover.
The methane-reduction trial aligns with Arla’s pledge to reduce Scope 3 CO2e emissions by 30% by 2030.
Alongside this project, the milk supplier is also working with Tesco and Müller UK & Ireland through the Future Dairy Partnership, aiming to further reduce emissions and enhance animal welfare across the dairy sector.
Educating consumers about sustainability efforts in dairy is another key focus. Adopting practices like Bovaer requires collaboration at every level, stresses Dover.
