May 2, 2008

UK dairy industry goes green
 

The UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched The Milk Roadmap, which is aimed to address the environmental consequences of producing liquid milk through the supply chain from farms to retailers.

A bid to source half of all milk packaging from recycled materials by 2020 is one of a series of goals revealed to make the dairy industry more environment-friendly.

Aside from this, the roadmap outlines plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms by 20 to 30 percent by 2020.

Milk and meat production account for about 7 percent of the UK's greenhouse gas emissions, Defra said.

Other targets include increasing the number of farmland covered by environmental stewardship schemes to 65 percent, enhancing animal welfare and cutting emissions from soil and fertilisers.

In addition, producers have pledged to improve water efficiency by up to 15 percent each litre, source 40 percent of energy from renewable sources by 2020 and recycle or recover 70 percent of non-natural waste on farms.

Processors have committed to playing their part by aiming to source 20 percent of non-transport energy from renewables or combined heat and power which is more efficient than conventional energy production, along with a 30 percent reduction in water use.

Retail commitments are not yet in the roadmap but it has suggested that major retailers establish good relationships with farmers and milk processors to help meet the targets.

The draft document will be reviewed in September.