Glanbia Ireland has today (Tuesday, February 15, 2022) unveiled plans for an annual €18 million sustainability action payment for its milk suppliers.
The processor stated that the three-year programme is designed to help dairy suppliers reduce their carbon footprint; enhance water quality and biodiversity; and improve air quality and soil health.
Glanbia said that the payment forms part of its overall sustainability strategy, Living Proof. It aims to slash the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to each litre of milk by 30% within eight years.
The strategy also has a target a 30% absolute reduction in carbon emissions from Glanbia processing sites by 2030.
Glanbia payment
The initiative announced today means that dairy suppliers will receive a payment of 0.5c/L (including VAT) by delivering specific sustainability actions.
Glanbia explained that this “will equate to almost €3,000 in 2022 for the average supplier”.
The company said that over the course of the three-year programme, over €54 million will be available to farmers as they adopt specific actions.
The measures are closely aligned with the climate action measures identified in Teagasc’s emissions reduction Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) climate plan.
Commenting on the announcement, Glanbia Co-op chair, John Murphy said: “We all have a role to play in climate action, water and biodiversity protection and air quality enhancement. It is important that our family farms are assisted as they continue to enhance the environmental and economic sustainability of their farms.”
Options for suppliers
Glanbia explained that for 2022, the initial year of the programme, all 5,000 milk suppliers will receive the payment in full.
However, to qualify for the 2023 payment milk suppliers will need to start implementing sustainability actions on their farms this year.
Farmers will be asked to deliver seven sustainability actions from a total of 16 options.
The processor explained that delivery of the actions will be verified by a combination of Glanbia Ireland records and through the Bord Bia Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS) programme.
Click on the image to see the 16 options that Glanbia suppliers can choose from:
The actions are divided into six categories and include methods to help reduce carbon emissions including grass measuring; using multi-species sward and clover; improving the herd Economic Breeding Index (EBI) and milk recording.
Suppliers can use protected urea and Low Emissions Slurry Spreading (LESS) to improve air quality. They could also choose to plant trees and hedgerows for biodiversity.
Some may focus on animal health and welfare through improving udder health or joining the Twenty20 Beef Club run by Glanbia and Kepak.
There is also an option to protect soil health and water quality by using nutrient management planning.
Glanbia Ireland chief executive, Jim Bergin said that the company would “continue to actively seek out leading edge technologies” to support suppliers in their actions.