Finnish dairy firm Valio has said that it is aiming to develop a carbon-neutral dairy structure by 2035.
The move will both combat climate change and also provide food manufacturers with more sustainably-sourced ingredients.
Dairy Footprint
“Our goal is to cut dairy’s carbon footprint to zero by 2035," commented Timo Pajari, SVP, Food Solutions Sales at Valio.
"It is a good example of our concrete sustainability actions. Instead of just compensating for emissions, we are making major changes in our production chain in order to bring the carbon footprint of dairy down to zero in the future."
The business is undertaking 'carbon farming training sessions' for its dairy farmers, which will see 200 volunteer farms trained between now and the end of 2020, while it is also rolling out a new grass seed mix that further improves the carbon binding ability of grasslands.
Additional Measures
Other measures being introduced include the use of biogas to replace fossil fuels, and the development of plant-based packaging.
“Our 2035 goal − carbon neutral dairy − means that the same amount of emissions is reduced and removed from the atmosphere as is generated on the farms, in transportation, at the plants, and in package manufacturing,” said Pajari.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
