Kerry Group has today (Wednesday, February 2) launched a €6 million dairy sustainability programme for its more than 3,000 milk suppliers.
The ‘Evolve’ initiative will provide farmers with educational and financial support to help them with the transition to more sustainable farming practices.
The processor said that by adopting science-based actions and best practice, carbon and ammonia emissions will be reduced, water quality will improve and biodiversity will be enhanced.
The programme will focus on energy and production efficiency; knowledge transfer; herd health; and grass, fertiliser and soil management.
Kerry milk suppliers will be encouraged to adopt or continue the following practices on their farms as part of the Evolve programme:
- Use of protected urea;
- Incorporating clover in swards;
- Grazing management;
- Extended grazing;
- Good animal health and welfare;
- Improving Economic Breeding Index (EBI);
- Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS);
- Improve biodiversity on farm;
- Nutrient management planning.
Kerry Group said that the average milk supplier could earn up to €2,000/herd, depending on the actions they take.
Payments will be given for lime, protected urea, slurry analysis, milk recording, herd health testing, grass measuring and low protein feed – but this is all subject to certain terms and conditions being met.
Click on the image below to read about the incentive measures available for Kerry milk suppliers in more detail:
Farmers will also be encouraged to engage with the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) on water quality.
Kerry Group has also outlined that 200,000 trees will be planted across its milk supplier catchment area by 2025 through a partnership with the charity Trees on the Land.
Kerry Group strategy
Commenting on the announcement, Pat Murphy, CEO of Kerry’s dairy business, said: “At Kerry we have a proud tradition of working with others to achieve better outcomes.
“Our Beyond the Horizon sustainability strategy sets out ambitious targets for the business and today our dairy business is making a significant financial commitment of up to €6 million per annum aimed at supporting our milk suppliers in the adoption of sustainable actions in 2022 and beyond.
“Our ambition is to reach over two billion people with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030. A central element of this strategy is a commitment to work with our suppliers to reduce emissions intensity by 30% across our supply chain,” he added.
“Our Evolve dairy sustainability programme underpins our ambition to work with our milk suppliers in achieving these targets and in forging a sustainable future,” he concluded.
General manager of Kerry Agribusiness, James O’Connell, noted that the company’s suppliers are already amongst the most sustainable in the world.
“We are absolutely committed to working with them in building upon that advantage and in accelerating the enhancement of biodiversity and water quality across our catchment and in reducing carbon and ammonia emissions,” O’Connell explained.