Circularity in the dairy chain
The dairy sector by nature is a part of many circular production systems.
Resources such as land, water, air, feed (inedible for humans), fertilizer and energy are used in a resource efficient manner to produce circular products such as milk, meat and manure. It is our responsibility and in our interest to use and maintain these resources in a long-term sustainable manner so that they are available to future generations.
The dairy chain is very waste efficient and recycles naturally its resources but there is potential to improve efficiency even further at several levels in the production chain, as well as in retail and in consumer level.
How have we achieved emission improvements and reduced nutrient losses?
With the efforts of all the actors across the dairy chain, many measures to limit the emissions to air and nutrient losses to water have been implemented.
A broad spectrum of measures towards improvement:
Productivity improvements
- Improved farming practices increase productivity and efficiency.
- Better animal health, welfare, and breeding reduce GHG emissions.
- Targeted feeding solutions lower methane emissions.
Energy production on farm
- Solar panels, wind turbines, and anaerobic digestion reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
- Energy-efficient solutions cut fuel and electricity use.
Sustainable transport
- Efficient trucks and fossil-free vehicles reduce milk delivery trips.
- Optimized logistics routes cut transport emissions.
Manure and slurry solutions
- Better nutrient management and storage reduce losses and leaching.
- Practices such as slurry injection and acidification lower emissions.
- Improved barn and storage design reduces on-farm GHG emissions.
- Biogas from manure generates heat, power, and fuel.
Farmland carbon storage
- Carbon farming practices increase soil organic matter.
- Hedgerow management and agroforestry preserve carbon stocks.
Sustainable protein sourcing including soy
- Increased on-farm feed production reduces protein imports.
- Roughage and other fodder provide most protein from sustainable on-farm sources.
- Responsibly produced soy strengthens sustainable supply chains.
What is our progress so far
The European dairy sector has significantly reduced its methane emissions in the past decades1. For instance, the carbon footprint per produced unit of milk in Europe is already among the lowest in the world and the sector is fully committed to further decrease its carbon intensity and contribute to the achievement of the EU GHG emissions reduction goals. Here are our main results so far, at EU level:
From 1990
To 2020
%
Reduction in methane emission from dairy enteric fermentation
%
Reduction in GHG emissions from dairy manure management
%