An annual €18m Sustainability Action Payment has been announced by Glanbia Ireland. This three-year programme hopes to assist the company’s 5,000 milk suppliers to enhance the environmental and economic sustainability of their family farms. The venture will focus on reducing carbon footprint, improving water quality and biodiversity, and enhancing air quality and soil health.
Dairy suppliers are expected to receive an extra 0.5c per litre (including VAT), which equates to around €3,000 for the average supplier.
The Sustainability Action Payment will be made to all suppliers that deliver any seven sustainability actions from a total of 16 options with the actions to be verified by a combination of Glanbia Ireland records and the Bord Bia Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme.
This year, all suppliers will receive full payment. To qualify for next year’s payment suppliers need to start implementing their on-farm sustainability actions in 2022.
John Murphy, Glanbia Co-op chairman states that, “This initiative is designed to reward suppliers for adopting a series of measures identified as key to delivering on our comprehensive sustainability strategy, Living Proof, with a strong framework of measures for farmers to implement with verifiable proof-points.”
“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.”
LSL News.