Mars agrees major environmental deal with Fonterra for climate-smart agriculture
Countryside in Waikato, New Zealand
An innovative new environmental programme from Mars Incorporated and New Zealand dairy group Fonterra, could potentially produce enough sustainably farmed milk supplies for the equivalent of 20 billion Snickers bars per year, has been unveiled, writes Neill Barston.
The initiative has been supported by $27 million investment to back climate-smart agriculture, in response to growing global eco-concerns regarding greenhouse gases.
According to Mars, the environmental move has been agreed in the wake of its overall eco targets of cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 50% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline.
As the company explained, around half of the investment will be allocated to providing funding for on-farm tools and technology to around 2,000 Fonterra dairy farmers. The remaining funds will go into the pockets of about 165 farmers each year who make the most progress against sustainability goals in amounts of up to $15K USD, on average, per farmer annually.
Furthermore, the Farmer Forward Program stretches across 26,000 hectares of farmland — equivalent to approximately 50,000 NFL football fields.
As the company noted, the strategic programme is a cornerstone of the multinational conglomerate’s Moo’ving Dairy Forward initiative – a multimillion-dollar platform launched last year to drive investment in new technologies and partnerships to slash GHG emissions across the Mars global dairy supply chain.
Dairy is the company’s fourth-largest carbon footprint contributor—that means Mars can only achieve its ambitious sustainability goals with the help and partnership of dairy farmers.
In terms of its wider greenhouse gas commitments, Mars, Incorporated has decreased its GHG emission by 16% worldwide while increasing its global annual sales by 60% over the same timeframe.
“Dairy farmers are on the front line of advancing climate-smart agriculture, which is why we’re putting them first through the launch of our Farmer Forward program,” said Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Procurement and Sustainability Officer, Mars Snacking. “Through this initiative, we’re investing roughly $27 million in Fonterra farming families over the next five years to deliver critical financial support and significant emissions reductions. It’s a true win-win, because we know making dairy more sustainable takes real effort and real investment.”
As a family-run business, Mars understands dairy farmers’ desire to ensure the future of their farm for generations to come. Funding from Mars will incentivise farmers to not only accelerate emissions reductions but also empower them build resilient businesses for the future.“Fonterra and Mars have been working together for decades, with sustainability really taking a front seat in recent years. Fonterra has clear ambitions when it comes to climate and it’s through partnerships like this with Mars, that we can support our farmer owners with achieving our targets,” said Charlotte Rutherford, Director of Sustainability, Fonterra. “We are grateful for Mars and its shared commitment to protecting the environment. It’s a true testament to the power of partnership and innovation.”
In addition, more than 200,000 cows supply dairy for Mars’ iconic confectionery brands, including M&M’S and SNICKERS. Yet, raw ingredients account for 65% of the total GHG emissions from Mars’ snacking portfolio. Reducing these dairy-related emissions plays a significant part in meeting the greater sustainability ambitions outlined in the Mars Net Zero Roadmap to achieve net zero GHG emissions across the company’s full value chain by 2050.
