Livestock farmer sustainability initiative launched by Dunbia

Major meat processor Dunbia, a division of Dawn Meats, has launched a project with nine beef and sheep farmers across the UK in a targeted effort to cut carbon emissions on farm.

Dunbia expects the sustainability initiative to identify broader supply chain opportunities to build more resilient and profitable farms, and hopes to share findings with its suppliers.

A variety of different management practices will be tested including adapting grazing rotations and the use of multispecies swards.

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Dawn Meats sustainability director Gill Higgins said each of the farms would be provided with expert advice and insights to enable evidence-based decisions and the adoption of techniques tailored to their individual farms.

This forms the latest phase of its Plan Four Zero Activate programme, which has already collected carbon footprint measurements from more than 1,350 UK farming enterprises.

On-farm benchmarking

Dunbia is also partnering with the Soil Association Exchange to carry out on-farm benchmarking on biodiversity, soil, water, and carbon storage.

Soil Association Exchange chief executive Joseph Gridley said it was working to help farmers turn robust data into practical action with clear insights and tailored advice.

Dawn Meats has committed at least €100m (£87m) to the group’s sustainability strategy and aims to reduce Scope 3 emissions intensity by 28% per tonne of finished product by 2030.

Head of agriculture at Dawn Meats, Sarah Haire, added: “Our commitment to supporting our farmer suppliers as they navigate an increasingly complex sustainability landscape – and doing so through simple, practical on-farm actions – reflects our belief in what’s possible when we work together.”