Tesco, Arla and Müller join forces to drive progress in dairy

Arla farmer Will Hosford and Muller farmer and joint chair of Tesco’s Sustainable Dairy Group, Dave Jones, said: “As farmers, we are custodians of the countryside and our animals, and want to leave our farms in a better place for future generations. We recognise that there is even more to be done and that will require additional effort and cost.” Photo: Canva

The largest British supermarket Tesco and its milk suppliers Arla and Müller UK & Ireland have joined forces to launch a farmer-led partnership aimed at putting sustainability at the heart of the dairy industry.

The Future Dairy Partnership marks a significant step towards uniting the dairy industry to accelerate a reduction of emissions, farm in harmony with nature and commit to higher animal welfare standards, the 3 companies say.

With climate change already impacting food production in the UK, uncertainty regarding the future of the dairy industry is leading to a reduced supply of milk and has the potential to effect food security. To tackle these issues, Tesco, Arla and Müller have pledged to bring together organisations from across the dairy industry to reduce on-farm emissions by 30% by 2030.

With both Arla and Müller uniting in the partnership, all 400 of Tesco’s Sustainable Dairy Group (TSDG) farmers across the UK will be part of the initiative. The suppliers and retailer are also broadening the partnership by reaching out to other organisations across the dairy industry for input and support.

The Future Dairy Partnership will drive progress across several key areas, including:

• Innovation: The partnership will include on-farm projects, such as the trial and roll-out of methane-reducing feed additives, as well as exploring new levers through a dedicated farmer focus group, which will test nature-led initiatives alongside reducing their carbon footprint. Additionally, the partnership will review how to up-scale these innovations for adoption across the UK dairy industry.

• Industry reports: An industry-wide report will be produced that highlights the pathway to more sustainable dairy and the innovation and financial support needed across the agriculture sector to achieve this ambition.

• Sustainable Dairy Blueprint: This document will provide farmers with clear guidelines on sustainability targets and ethical practices, whilst ensuring farmers and processors have the flexibility to select the methods that best suit their operations and still meet these targets.

Arla farmer Will Hosford, and Muller farmer and joint chair of Tesco’s Sustainable Dairy Group, Dave Jones, said: “As farmers, we are custodians of the countryside and our animals, and want to leave our farms in a better place for future generations. We recognise that there is even more to be done and that will require additional effort and cost.”

Bas Padberg, managing director at Arla Foods UK, the British division of the Danish Arla cooperative, comments: “The UK dairy industry puts natural, nutritious food on the table for millions of people every day. But we also know that we must accelerate our action to address the ongoing challenges that the climate emergency presents to our food system. We can do more together than we can alone and with real collaboration we can drive a transformation. That’s why through Arla’s initiation of the partnership, Arla and Tesco welcome the rest of the dairy industry to join us on this journey.”