Arla launches new report revealing carbon footprint data from almost 2,000 dairy farms and the steps being taken to reduce farm emissions by 30% by 2030

The data and the report findings will help the farmer owned dairy cooperative continue its journey to meet its science based targets of a 30% emissions reduction per kg of milk at farm-level by 2030, a first step on its journey to carbon net zero.

Arla farmer and member of the Arla Foods Board of Directors, Arthur Fearnall comments:

“There are a lot of differences in how dairy is produced around the world. As a cooperative, Arla farmers want to help the public understand dairy farming better. We have put a huge amount of time and investment into collating the data which we will now use to make decisions on farm. I hope our report is another step on that journey to provide better food education. We want the British public to feel the same sense of reassurance and pride about just how committed Arla farmers are to producing their dairy products as sustainably as possibly.”

According to the report Arla’s raw milk emissions come from six key areas on farm:

• cow digestion (46%)
• cow feed (where and how it is produced) (37%)
• manure handling (9%)
• energy production and usage (5%)
• emissions from peat soils (1%)
• all other areas grouped together (2%).

The data also finds that there is no one way to farm sustainably. It is the farmers who balance their resources successfully whose farms create the lowest amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

The report highlights the newer technologies and current research and trials that Arla is participating in which it believes could play a key role in the cooperative becoming carbon net zero. These include:

• Research to identify how to quantify and speed up carbon sequestration (the process of carbon being taken out of the atmosphere by trees, grass or hedgerows), which will naturally offset some of Arla’s emissions in the future given 79% of Arla’s farm land is used to grow grass
• Implementing precision slurry spreading techniques, currently used by 53% of UK farmers which can help reduce air born emissions of ammonia by between 30% and 90%
• Supporting current research efforts across the scientific community to provide greater clarity around the difference in impact of methane vs CO₂ due to their lifespans, and the further consideration that needs to be given to the cycles of biogenic methane and how these are accounted for
• Harnessing the power of slurry as a source of energy and fuel through anaerobic digestors on farm, and as a potential future fuel source for Arla’s milk tankers
• Increasing the renewable energy produced on farm, with 27% of Arla farmers already producing green energy from wind or solar
• Developing and trialling new technologies that will continue to enhance animal welfare on farm such as Arla UK 360’s Happy cow measure and cow scanner trials

Graham Wilkinson, Group Agriculture Director for Arla Foods comments:

“We know that to feed a growing population, we have to produce natural, nutritious and affordable food that is made in the most sustainable way. Dairy can and should be part of a sustainable diet and our new report is a major step forward in demonstrating just how much action is already underway across Arla farms as we move towards carbon net zero dairy production.

“I’m really pleased that our farmer owners have collated this data and agreed to release it. All food production creates emissions, but our farmers are stepping up to help with the climate and environmental crisis we face. If we want more biodiversity, fewer emissions through natural processes and a reduced reliance on ultra-processed foods, then the only answer is to support British farmers, who already have many of the answers, but not always the financial resources to implement them.”

Arla’s climate checks is one of the world’s largest externally validated sets of carbon footprint data for farms. Since launching last year, 7,990 farms across seven European countries have submitted data to 203 questions covering the number of animals, feed composition, crop production, use of fertilizer, manure handling, use of electricity, fuel and renewable energy. This data has then been validated by external assessors in every market a process which will be repeated annually.