Glanbia Co-op suppliers urged to declare sustainability actions

€18m initiative was introduced to assist milk suppliers to the co-op  to enhance the environmental and economic sustainability of their family farms

The programme is designed to support dairy suppliers reduce their carbon footprint, enhance water quality and biodiversity, and improve air quality and soil health.

Glanbia Co-op milk suppliers are being asked to log in to their account now and outline what sustainability actions they are undertaking on their farms.

A new section is now live on the Glanbia Connect website for the co-op’s 5,000 milk suppliers receiving their Sustainability Action Payment.

The €18m payment initiative was launched earlier this year to assist milk suppliers to the co-op as they continue to enhance the environmental and economic sustainability of their family farms.

The programme is designed to support dairy suppliers reduce their carbon footprint, enhance water quality and biodiversity, and improve air quality and soil health.

Milk suppliers are being asked to visit the ‘my account’ section on Glanbia Connect and declare their sustainability actions, in order to continue to receive their Sustainability Action Payment in 2023.

In recognition of current on-farm sustainability actions, for the remainder of 2022, all suppliers will receive the full payment of 0.5c per litre, Sean Molloy, Glanbia chief ingredients and agribusiness growth officer, explained.

"Each dairy supplier is expected to receive an average of almost €3,000 under the Sustainability Action Payment this year," Mr Molloy said. 

Across the lifetime of this three-year programme, over €54m in total will be made available to family farms as they continue to improve the economic and environmental performance of their farms.

“To continue to receive the payment in 2023, our Republic of Ireland suppliers are requested to log on to the 'my account' section on Glanbia Connect and declare seven of the 18 sustainability actions undertaken," Mr Molloy added.

Actions outlined are closely aligned with the measures identified in Teagasc’s emissions reduction Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) climate plan. 

Thomas Ryan, senior sustainability manager at Glanbia Co-op, added that everyone has "a role to play in protecting our climate, water, air quality and biodiversity". 

"This programme assists our suppliers as they continue to enhance both the environmental and economic sustainability of their farms," Mr Ryan said.

Glanbia Co-op, along with its milk suppliers, has pledged to deliver a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with each litre of milk produced by 2030. 

"We have signed up to the internationally-recognised Science Based Targets initiative," Mr Ryan explained.

He added that all of the Glanbia Co-op's dairy suppliers are accredited to the Bord Bia Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme.