Responsible - Cadbury finds a milky way to reduce emissions
Last updated 3/4/2009 5:06:53 PM
Cadbury finds a milky way to reduce emissions
Confectioner Cadbury has outlined its efforts to help reduce the environmental impact of dairy farming after discovering that milk contributes to just over 60% of emissions.
In response to this finding, Cadbury's has formed a partnership with dairy farmers to provide practical advice to help farmer reduce emissions.
The programme, which is part of the chocolate maker's ‘Purple Goes Green' environment initiative, will involve farmers in Selkley Vale in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, south-west England.
To begin with a best practice booklet has been released and recently distributed to diary farmers. The ‘Cadbury Guide to Low Carbon Dairy Farming' addresses the factors that contribute to carbon emissions from milk production and provides practical measures that farmers can implement to reduce them.
Cadbury's guide aims to reduce these emissions through changes to farm management practises such as;
- Improving herd health and welfare, enabling more milk to be produced which reduces greenhouse gas production per litre
- Optimising milk yields e.g. giving cows a diet with a balanced nutritional profile – reducing the fibre levels and increasing the starch level of cow feed
- Prudent use of fertilisers – appropriate to crop demand, timed to minimise wastage and avoiding excess use of inorganic fertilisers
- Reducing energy consumption – switching off equipment when not in use, using timers and passive infrared sensors to ensure equipment and lighting is only on when needed.