Tesco has announced it’s partnering with Grosvenor Farms, one of its key UK dairy farms, to trial a methane-reducing feed supplement for dairy cows.
Identified as having one of the lowest carbon footprints of any UK milk producer, Grosvenor Farms, one of the original members of the Tesco Sustainable Dairy Group (TSDG), has added the methane-reducing feed supplement to the diet of 400 cows as part of the trial.
Methane from cattle burps and manure is a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In digesting their high fibre diet, cows emit methane as a byproduct. Globally, cows and other farm animals are responsible for about 14% of human-induced climate emissions. The innovative ingredient Bovaer®, supplied by dsm-firmenich has been shown to reduce methane emissions by up to 30%. If implemented across the whole of Grosvenor Farms, it could lead to an overall reduction in farm greenhouse gas emissions of up to 12%.
The supplement works by suppressing the enzymes responsible for producing methane, leading to a reduction in the amount of methane produced as the cow digests its food with no impact on animal welfare.
As a result of the enhanced feed, the carbon footprint of each cow is projected to reduce by about 1.3 tonnes CO2e annually. If the four-month trial is successful, Tesco hopes to scale up the use of Bovaer® across the TSDG, reducing emissions and helping to create a more sustainable food system.
Grosvenor Farms, Cheshire, is one of the UK’s leading dairy and arable farms, working by the principles of regenerative agriculture and circular farming, to produce high-quality foods in a commercially and environmentally sustainable way.
The TSDG, now in its 17th year, consists of more than 400 British dairy farmers who are paid on a cost of production+ model for the fresh milk they supply to Tesco, ensuring a consistent fair price for every pint of milk. Tesco paid £40 million above market price over the 2023 calendar year to its TSDG farmers.
Natalie Smith, Head of Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries at Tesco said:
“Leading the transition to a low carbon agriculture sector is something we’re really passionate about at Tesco. We’ve been carrying out innovative trials like this for a number of years now, so I’m delighted we’re going to be partnering with Grosvenor Farms on a project that could have such a significant effect on emissions reduction in our supply chain.
“It’s only by working alongside our suppliers and farmers that we’ll achieve our shared net zero ambitions, while continuing to provide our customers with quality British produce, including 100% British milk.”
Mark Roach, Managing Director, Grosvenor Farms, said:
“We see commercial and environmental sustainability as mutually reinforcing, producing high-quality milk while also working to improve soil health, eliminate pollution and recycle waste. We already have one of the lowest carbon footprints for milk production in the UK and we are very pleased to be working with our partner Tesco to trial innovative technologies like Bovaer® in order to develop a lower-carbon milk supply chain and in doing so support our ambition to be a carbon net zero milk producer by 2030.”
The innovative trial is the latest in a series of steps taken by Tesco to help support its farmers, growers and producers to become more sustainable, protect nature and biodiversity on farm, and encourage customers to shop Tesco’s range of quality British produce. These steps have included:
- Publishing a Best of British site – making it even easier for Tesco customers across the UK to shop the best British grown and produced food, and support British farmers and producers in the process.
- Launching a partnership between Tesco and NatWest to provide financial assistance for farmers who want to switch to sustainable farming such as by introducing solar panels and heat pumps to help decarbonise their farms.
- Announcing a change to chicken stocking density, with all Tesco fresh chicken grown with 20% more space than the industry standard by the first half of 2025. The change reinforces Tesco’s commitment to UK agriculture and 100% fresh British chicken, while driving a major improvement in welfare.
- Ongoing support for produce suppliers facing tough growing conditions due to waterlogged fields and cooler weather – innovating to ensure British supply where possible, while working closely with trusted partners to ensure good availability for customers.
- All Tesco UK fruit and veg growers are now LEAF Marque certified, with the entire Tesco global fresh produce supply chain to move to LEAF Marque certification by 2025.
- Large-scale commercial field trial of Low Carbon Fertilisers – with five major fresh produce suppliers to identify the most planet and cost-effective alternatives to conventional fertiliser.
- The Tesco and Harper Adams University’s School of Sustainable Food and Farming (SSFF) Future Farmer Programme was launched last year and is helping up-and-coming British farmers develop their skills in sustainable agriculture.
