January 29, 2021

 

Fonterra partners with DSM to lower carbon footprint

Fonterra and Royal DSM are teaming up to work on reducing on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in New Zealand, Fonterra announced on January 29.

 

While the companies have a long-standing working relationship, the new collaboration is based around DSM's feed additive product Bovaer®, which effectively and consistently reduces methane emissions from cows by over 30% in non-pasture-based farming systems.

 

Fonterra recognises that biological emissions produced by cows are a major contributor to New Zealand's overall emissions and is working to do whatever it can to find ways to reduce them.

 

Fonterra Group director (Farm Source) Richard Allen said that finding a solution to the methane challenge requires more than just the hard graft farmers are putting in.

 

"We need to find a breakthrough in reducing emissions from cows and Bovaer® could provide exactly that. This work with DSM is an exciting opportunity for the co-op."

 

Fonterra's chief science and technology officer, Prof. Jeremy Hill, said the cooperative wants to explore and validate how Bovaer^® could work here in New Zealand, where cows are predominantly fed grass.

 

"We also see this as an opportunity to further accelerate our global leadership in low-carbon dairy products to create more value for our New Zealand milk," Hill said. "Fonterra is working closely with DSM New Zealand to ensure that any innovation is well tested and can easily be distributed and used by our farmers."

 

Mark van Nieuwland, global programme head for DSM nutritional products, said they are proud to be in collaboration with Fonterra.

 

"Both companies have worked together for many years, and it's a pleasure to extend this to the field of sustainability and climate change," van Nieuwland said. "With Fonterra, we have an important partner to potentially commercialise Bovaer^® in New Zealand and globally. We look forward to combining our expertise and passion."

 

Bovaer^® was featured by the World Resources Institute as one of the ten global breakthrough technologies that could help to feed the world sustainably.

 

If the Fonterra-DSM trials prove successful, it could help continue New Zealand's leadership role in low carbon dairy production.

 

- Fonterra