Ambitious climate strategies are a must in the global dairy industry. At Arla Foods, the farmer owners are taking proactive steps to reduce GHG emissions. A broad focus on sustainability actions has cut emissions from their milk production by thriteen percent a kilo since 2015.

A data-driven toolbox for facilitating sustainability transitions on farm, FarmAhead™ Technology, is helping to accelerate progress towards the goal of a 30 percent reduction in GHG emissions in scope 3 by 2030, with 2015 as the baseline. For the farmers, it brings an opportunity to earn up to 2.4 eurocents more per kilo of milk, rising to 3 eurocents when the scheme is fully implemented.

Reducing farm emissions requires knowledge. The FarmAhead™ Check is a tool that collects data to understand farm emissions better, covering 99% of Arla’s milk pool. The farmer owners provide over 200 data points by answering questions, which are then verified by a third-party advisor and stored in a comprehensive dataset.

This offers valuable insights into dairy farming practices across seven Northern European countries, supporting the Arla farmer owners in their sustainability efforts and sharing learnings with industry stakeholders, policymakers and researchers. Submitting the FarmAhead™ Check is rewarded with an additional 1 EUR-cent/kg of milk.

Analysis of this huge dataset has revealed the ‘Big Five’, which are the primary levers of the FarmAhead™ Incentive’s point-based system. These are the main drivers of the differences between low and high-performing farms and represent the greatest opportunities to cut GHG emissions while increasing efficiency and profitability.

A broad focus on efficiency in their milk production has cut ghg emissions by 13% in scope 3 since 2015

For each action in these areas, farmers can score points that translate into an additional payment. The bigger the improvement potential for climate and nature, the more points can be collected. Categories include feed, fertiliser and protein efficiency, land use, animal robustness, manure handling, biodiversity, carbon farming, sustainable feed and renewable electricity

Although the FarmAhead™ Incentive is a voluntary scheme, most Arla farmers – representing 99 percent of the farmer-owned milk pool – have registered their data in the FarmAhead™ Check, which is a precondition for participation.

Commercial fertilisers derived from natural gas are a major source of the carbon emissions from plant production – but perhaps not for much longer. Four farmer-owned Danish cooperatives have joined forces to develop a greener fertiliser based on wind power.

DLG, Danish Agro, Arla and Danish Crown have founded a new company – Green Fertilizer Denmark – to drive this game-changing initiative.

the investment could reduce Danish CO₂ emissions by 750,000 tons a year – equivalent to the emissions from an estimated 250,000 diesel cars

The ambition is to replace conventional fossil-based fertiliser with fertiliser based on green ammonia, which is produced by electrolysis of surplus wind power from the North Sea. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners is driving the development of the wind farm and production facilities that will deliver the green ammonia.

A feasibility study is currently underway for a green fertiliser plant with sufficient capacity to meet the needs of farmers in Denmark and commence sales to local export markets.

Fertiliser is an absolute necessity to meet the global population’s growing need for food. Green Fertilizer Denmark represents a new opportunity to satisfy that need sustainably.

Malted barley may be the backbone of many a good beer, but it is also responsible for a large share of the carbon emissions from international brands. At Carlsberg Group, an estimated 27 % of overall value chain emissions come directly from agricultural products.

Through partnerships with suppliers and experts, farmer collaborations and research into new barley varieties, the Danish brewery group is taking action to turn the situation around.

Partner farmers that deliver barley to Carlsberg companies in Denmark, Finland, France and the UK have kicked off by adopting new barley cultivation practices that prioritise soil health, supporting natural carbon capture, promoting biodiversity and regenerating the farmland.

In France, for example, 20% of the malt used to brew Kronenbourg 1664 Blonde beer is being sourced from farms using sustainable practices, with full traceability enabled by a new blockchain solution.

Scientists at the Carlsberg Research Laboratory are strengthening these efforts by using selective breeding to develop new barley types that reduce the energy and synthetic input requirements – and related carbon emissions – of the malting and brewing processes.

Early trials with a novel malting barley have demonstrated an up to 25% reduction in energy use during wort boiling. Carlsberg is today rolling out the variety to markets in Europe and aims to make it available to other brewing companies.

Novel malting barley uses 25% less energy during wort boiling  

As part of a broader commitment to supporting the development of regenerative agriculture around the world, Carlsberg became a member of the cross-industry Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform in 2022.

If all goes to plan, 30% of Carlsberg’s global agricultural raw materials will be sustainably sourced and grown using regenerative practices by 2030, increasing to 100% in 2040.

Liquid manure disposal is an expensive necessity in livestock production and a significant contributor to GHG emissions, particularly when traditional spreaders spray slurry onto fields. In Denmark, an innovative machinery supplier has developed solutions that cut the costs for farmers and the climate.

Agrometer has developed an approach that takes slurry tankers off the road and directly pumps the slurry into a nurse tank next to the fields, ready for easy connection to a slurry spreader. By eliminating the need for transport and distribution, emissions associated with energy consumption are reduced by around 60 percent.

 

emissions associated with energy consumption are reduced by around 60 percent

In the field, Agrometer helps farmers maximise the value of liquid manure while minimising the climate impact. Their self-propelled, lightweight spreaders are equipped with GPS technology, so slurry can be distributed accorded to the precise nutrient requirements of the soil. By giving farmers a clear understanding of nitrogen usage efficiency, the technology may reduce or even eliminate the need for artificial fertilisers.

The estimated carbon emission savings from optimised slurry handling and reduced fertiliser usage are 85 percent and 75 percent respectively. As new CO₂ duties are introduced in Denmark and around the world, slurry-handling solutions from Agrometer are gaining ground as a cost-efficient choice.

Droughts are growing in frequency and severity as global temperatures rise. For farmers, the impact on crop yields can be devastating, with knock-on consequences for feed and food supplies.

Today, farmers around the world look to Danish seed company DLF for a solution. Specialised in breeding seeds for temperate climate zones, DLF has a reputation for staying ahead. So, when climate change hit the global agenda, long-rooted plant varieties were already in the product portfolio.

A strategic investment in the world’s largest and most advanced root-screening facility – RadiMax – has helped accelerate the development of new climate-resilient plant varieties. Initiated by DLF in partnership with Danish universities and other breeders, the facility enables researchers to follow plant root growth under increasing drought stress.

New forage varieties have 30 percent deeper root biomass, higher drought tolerance and increased nitrogen uptake

Other climate benefits include a natural ability to bind carbon in the soil and minimise nitrogen leaching. The clover varieties among DLF’s solutions reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers due to nitrogen fixation from the air.

All varieties produce high-quality feed that is easy to digest and improves the milk yield of dairy cattle, for example.

Drought, flooding and disease are continuously changing factors in crop production. Through dedicated plant breeding, DLF’s breeders are on a mission to deliver solutions for sustainable land use with high yields.

More than 90 percent of GHG emissions in the meat production business comes from the farms. As one of the world’s largest pork exporters and a top-five beef producer in Europe, Danish Crown has implemented data tracking in order to set reduction targets.

To help farmers on the way towards their carbon reduction targets, the global food company has established the Climate Track sustainability programme.

Farmers on the Climate Track cooperate with Danish Crown in four major areas – climate, animal welfare, social responsibility and biodiversity. Parameters vary depending on the country and animal breed.

In return for sharing livestock production data and sustainability information, farmers receive individual feedback on their sustainability performance against a Danish Crown national average. This includes a mapping of where their GHG emissions come from and suggestions for reduction initiatives. Danish pig farmers who report on feed use and daily weight gain also receive a reporting premium.

data enables Danish Crown to implement group-level emission reduction targets.  

The collection of individual farm-level data enables Danish Crown to implement group- level emission reduction targets. The data is also used in lifecycle assessments that calculate carbon footprint per kilo of selected products, providing clear documentation of the carbon footprint for customers and consumers.

Innovative approaches are constantly working on increasing the intensity and effectiveness of utilization of the whole fish – from head to tail – and finding new ways to add more value and generate new products. For Biomega® Denmark, that means applying sustainable biotechnology in the production of value-added ingredients from food-grade salmon off-cuts. 

Biomega® Denmark produces high quality ingredients for human and pet nutrition. In its modern biorefinery, they turn food-grade fresh raw materials into premium ingredients such as salmon oil, pure salmon peptides and collagen suitable for human nutrition.  

The company uses a patented continuous enzymatic hydrolysis process to carefully separate the nutritional components. It is this gentle technology that produces Biomega® SalMe Peptides. 

Neutral in taste and smell, the peptides, which are presented in a powder form, consist of more than 90% highly digestible salmon proteins

That makes them a high value, natural protein source for dietary supplements and many other nutritional food concepts. The peptides are 100% water soluble and are absorbed by the body faster than intact native protein, which maximises nutrient delivery to muscle tissues. 

Biomega® has a zero-waste approach to its production process. The remaining side-streams are used to produce petfood.

Today, Denmark is one of the global leaders in fish meal and fish oil products and the leading producer in Europe. The Danish fish meal and fish oil producers are committed to sustainable usage of natural resources based on biological advice.

By utilizing small, bony fish with no market for direct human consumption as well as by-products and trimmings from the filleting industry, Denmark has become a global leader in rich feed ingredients that are used in modern, nutritious feed around the world. Two of the largest Danish companies within this field are TripleNine and FF Skagen.

The primary raw materials for both companies are either small, short-lived fish with little or no potential for use in direct food production or upcycled trimmings from fish processing. Used in the production of fishmeal and fish oil, these valuable resources deliver essential nutrients to the fast-growing global aquaculture sector and the livestock sector.

The final product is a rich ingredient that makes positive, sustainable impacts in aquaculture and livestock production

The ingredients are rich in protein and nutrition and obey the highest safety and quality standards in the business. The valuable feed ingredients are used in feed and pet food industries all over the world.

The innovative ingredients from TripleNine and FF Skagen are an example of the Danish food approach where one man’s waste can be another man’s treasure. The usage of trimmings thereby contributes to a circular economy and ensures full resource utilization of fish from the sea.

Consumers all over the world are getting a taste for the delicious and versatile zander or pike perch. In Denmark, the fish farming company AquaPri has invested in a successful solution – sustainable zander production in a land-based RAS system. 

Having farmed zander since 2005, AquaPri is experienced in controlling the production chain from egg to dispatch of the fully grown fish.

The RAS system uses the latest technologies to produce 700 tons of the fish a year. Full control and traceability ensure food safety is of the highest standard

One of the only companies in the world to have developed a method to make zander spawn four times a year, AquaPri is able to deliver high-quality fresh fish all year round. This makes it possible for customers to plan campaigns and other marketing activities ahead. The fish are typically ready for dispatch just six hours after they are taken out of the basin. 

The zander has an incredibly delicate meat structure and is highly appreciated all over Europe. The tasty, white fish meat is firm in texture and tender when cooked. In addition, it has a high natural content of protein. 

Farmed zander is on the World Wildlife Fund’s green list for sustainable seafood. Due to the rearing environment, the RAS facility ensures the fish are free of parasites and do not need to be frozen. This is what makes zander from AquaPri suitable as fresh sushi and sashimi.   

Bacteria control in lightly preserved and ready-to-eat seafood is no longer a global challenge following a long collaboration between the seafood company Royal Greenland and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Together, they have produced and tested a refined mathematical model for predicting the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and guaranteeing food safety right through shelf life. 

Researchers at DTU began developing the model in the early 2000s by taking measurements from smoked salmon and Greenland halibut samples. This included investigating the effect of 12 environmental factors on listeria growth, such as storage temperature, pH, salt, organic acids and smoke content.  

Royal Greenland has subsequently tested the model continuously, implementing the findings in daily operations in the smokehouse and other production units that produce prawns in brine and other ready-to-eat seafood.  

Software based on the model now makes new product development faster and easier, eliminating the need for lengthy trials. When environmental data is tapped into the software program, the impact on food safety parameters is evaluated in an instant. 

In addition to predicting bacteria growth, the research has shown that, when harmless organic acids are added to lower the pH of a product, listeria is unable to grow.

In addition to predicting bacteria growth, the research has shown that, when harmless organic acids are added to lower the ph of a product, listeria is unable to grow 

Today the software growth models are available as open source tools and are also verified for use in the global meat and dairy industries. 

The project received funding from the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries and the Green Development and Demonstration Programme.