Friday, 29 January 2021 10:25

Fonterra joins forces with DSM to lower carbon footprint

Written by  Staff Reporters
Fonterra and Royal DSM are joining forces to tackle sustainability in farming. Fonterra and Royal DSM are joining forces to tackle sustainability in farming.

Fonterra and Royal DSM, a global science-based company active in health, nutrition and sustainable living, are teaming up to work on reducing on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in New Zealand.

While the organisations have a long-standing working relationship, the new collaboration is based around DSM’s feed additive product Bovaer, which reduces methane emissions from cows by over 30% in non-pasture-based farming system.

While New Zealand dairy farms are acknowledged as having the lowest carbon footprint in the world among major milk producers, Fonterra says it recognises that biological emissions produced by cows are a major contributor to the country’s overall emissions and is working to do whatever it can to find ways to reduce them.

Fonterra group director Farm Source Richard Allen says that finding a solution to the methane challenge requires more than just the hard graft farmers are putting in.

“We need to find a breakthrough in reducing emissions from cows and Bovaer could provide exactly that. This work with DSM is an exciting opportunity for the Co-Op.”

Fonterra chief science & technology officer, Jeremy Hill, says the co-op wants to explore and validate how Bovaer could work here in New Zealand, where cows are predominantly fed grass.

“We also see this as an opportunity to further accelerate our global leadership in low-carbon dairy products to create more value for our New Zealand milk.”

“Fonterra is working closely with DSM New Zealand to ensure that any innovation is well tested and can easily be distributed and used by our farmers,” he says.

Mark van Niewland, global programme head for DSM Nutritional Products says they are proud to be in collaboration with Fonterra.

“Both companies have worked together for many years, and it’s a pleasure to extend this to the filed of sustainability and climate change,” he says.

“With Fonterra, we have an important partner to potentially commercialise Bovaer in New Zealand and globally. We look forward to combining our expertise and passion.”

More like this

Cynical politics

OPINION: There is zero chance that someone who joined Fonterra as a lobbyist, then served as a general manager of Fonterra's nutrient management programme, and sat on the board of Export NZ, a division of lobbyist group Business New Zealand, doesn't understand that local butter (and milk and cheese) prices are set by the international commodity price.

Why is butter so expensive in New Zealand? Fonterra explains

Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.

Featured

Why is butter so expensive in New Zealand? Fonterra explains

Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.

National

Machinery & Products

Fliegl offers effluent solutions

Founded in Germany as recently as 1977, today, the Fliegl Group employs more than 1100 workers, offering an expansive range…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Taxonomy talk

OPINION: Is the Government's taxonomy proposal dead in the water?

Cynical politics

OPINION: There is zero chance that someone who joined Fonterra as a lobbyist, then served as a general manager of…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter