Our Vision: A net zero future for dairy farming
Our vision is that the future of the dairy industry can be Net Zero.
We're doing our bit to help transform the dairy industry around the world, by working hand-in-hand with farmers to chart a new course. We are implementing farm-level solutions at scale across many countries and in collaboration with suppliers from whom we source our milk.
Focusing on scaling climate-smart agriculture initiatives is crucial for our journey toward net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and will help reduce the carbon footprint of many of our products. For instance, in the U.S., we're collaborating with the nation's dairy industry including through our suppliers who contribute to the industry's transformation.
USA: evolving an industry
We joined the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy's Net Zero Initiative in June 2021 to support dairy farmers across the country. Together, we support the implementation of new technologies and the adoption of environmental practices that we expect will also be economically beneficial. The aim is for the industry to achieve net zero carbon emissions, while optimizing water usage and improving water quality by 2050. These actions will play a major role in moving our brands like Carnation along in their sustainable ambitions.
American farmers in our supply chain are already on-board, like Jon Rebeiro, farm manager at Trinkler Dairy, which was our first net zero demonstration farm in the U.S. "Today on the farm, we use a lot of sustainable practices, all of our manure that's produced by the cows is either used to fertilize crops or it's dried and used for bedding."
South Africa: pioneering self-sufficiency
We launched a dairy pilot in George, South Africa on the Skimmelkrans farm. At this farm, cow manure is collected, pressed and separated into solids and liquids. The solids are released into the soil as compost, and the liquids into the pastures as irrigation, meaning less methane is released into the air.
Skimmelkrans operates in a diverse ecosystem: from releasing manure back into the soil, to growing their own animal feed without having to buy large quantities from external feed suppliers, as well as conserving water. All these practices help in taking good care of the cows on the farm and the milk products it produces.
Brazil: helping dairy farms implement regenerative practices to reduce emissions
In Brazil, for example, the Nature por NINHO® certification program trains and incentivizes farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices that result in lower carbon. These practices include water conservation, manure and waste management, crop rotation and better animal welfare to enable sustainable farming. This program has proven results in greenhouse gas reductions and farmer profitability.
Pakistan: training women agripreneurs in dairy farming and finance
To support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to empower dairy farmers and improve livelihoods in communities, Nestlé Pakistan has trained over 14 000 women agripreneurs in the last 4 years on dairy farm best practices that range from recycling manure, to improving animal nutrition and conserving water. Rural women have a big impact on the wellbeing of families and communities. When we help build their success through knowledge and training, we expect positive impacts that ripple throughout the region.
Partnering with suppliers to scale proven solutions while supporting farmers
We are expanding collaboration with several of our leading dairy ingredient suppliers.
New Zealand-based Synlait Milk Ltd. recently joined Nestlé in a unique three-way partnership with its farmer suppliers to help fund innovative tools to reduce emissions on-farm. The partnership focuses on on-farm solutions that improve efficiency. These include wastewater management systems, low carbon emissions feed options, advanced soil testing, alternative fertilizers, and tree planting. In the model, Nestlé, Synlait and its farmer suppliers will co-invest in these solutions over a seven-year period.
Another example is the partnership with Fonterra where projects include planting native trees on marginal farmland for carbon capture purposes, reducing on-farm greenhouse emissions by optimizing the use of nutrient sources, including fertilizers, and demonstrating approaches to achieve net zero emissions and farm profitability.
Collaborating with external experts
Through investing in research and collaborating with external organizations, Nestlé has been able to map the different sources of emissions on dairy farms, enabling further innovations that address each emissions source – such as the digestive systems of cows, feed production, manure management, fertilization, energy, and transport.
One such collaboration is with KlimaStaR Milch in Switzerland. Together with the milk producers Aaremilch, Zentralschweizer Milchproduken (ZMP), and Emmi, the project aims to make more efficient use of natural resources and help further reduce the climate footprint of milk and dairy products.
Together with the Canton of Vaud, the Prométerre Association and the WWF, Nestlé is a founding member of AgroImpact. This initiative aims to offer tailor-made support on agricultural practices to farms to promote the reduction of CO2 emissions and soil carbon storage, while implementing rigorous scientific methodologies to accurately calculate their effects.
A strong commitment to decarbonizing the dairy supply chain
Inaugurated in 2023, the Nestlé Institute of Agricultural Sciences researches novel approaches to reduce dairy emissions. This includes through the development of methane-reducing feed supplements, manure management and improved livestock diets.
Nestlé also joined the Dairy Methane Action Alliance in December 2023. This new global alliance works with companies to drive accountability, transparency, and action in the dairy sector on methane emissions.
Through our dairy climate plan and different projects around the world, Nestlé is embedding innovation that helps reduce dairy’s impact on the environment whilst at the same time accelerating the transition to regenerative global food systems.
