Danish agribusiness company makes it easier for farmers to document climate action

The Danish agribusiness company, DLG, is at the forefront and can, as the first agribusiness company in Europe, declare its feed mixes’ climate footprint according to international guidelines from GFLI. This should make it easier for farmers to document their climate actions.

November the 1st, DLG’s customers and owners in Denmark will have access to data showing the climate footprint of the compound feed they receive from DLG.

“Danish farmers have already done much to reduce their climate footprint and are among the most resource efficient in the world. At a time where sustainability and climate are high on the agenda, it will be even more important to be able to explain the agricultural climate footprint. Therefore, our customers will soon be able to get to know the climate footprint of the feed mixtures they receive from DLG. It increases transparency and makes it easier for them to further optimise production and thus take the next step in the sustainable direction”, says Jesper Pagh, Executive Director of Animal Nutrition at DLG.

Initially, DLG’s Danish customers will benefit from the new initiative, but the plan is to extend it to the DLG Group’s other markets in the long term.

“We are experiencing an increasing need to be able to document the climate footprint from our customers’ production. At the same time, it is important for us to be a good partner, and we want to help the other steps in the value chain reach the ambitious climate targets they have set”, says Jesper Pagh from DLG.

First step on a long climate journey

DLG has done comprehensive work to ensure that the feed mixtures are declared with their climate footprint in a fair way. DLG uses average standard values ​​and defined guidelines from the international feed industry: Global Feed LCA Institute (GFLI), recognized by the EU. It is combined with DLG’s feed database and concrete data from DLG’s feed production and logistics.

“It is the first step on a long journey, and our tool will clearly be an eye-opener in relation to where we and our customers can make improvements. In the long term, our tools must be targeted in a number of areas, so that the climate footprint can be as specific as possible for the individual farmer. Our customers will also be able to choose a feed mix that is climate optimised just as we currently optimise on protein, energy and other nutrients”, says Jesper Pagh from DLG.

“It is important to note that it must continue to be linked to the farmer’s productivity. It does not help to buy a climate feed mix, if productivity falls, then it is wasted effort”, he says.

DLG will only be able to inform the climate footprint for the conventional feed mixes, as there at the moment are no elaborate models for calculating the climate footprint on organic feed mixes.

Source: DLG