Arla Foods has expanded its climate action programme with more incentives for farmers.
The FarmAhead Incentive, launched in 2023, enables farmers to earn points for documented actions to reduce CO2 emissions on farms and those points directly influence the price they receive for their milk.
It puts a financial incentive worth up to €550m (£465m) annually behind actions scientifically linked to reducing emissions.
Today, Arla has announced farmers will have more ways to earn points, and the financial value of each point will be increased, which the co-operative said would accelerate actions that reduce the climate impact of milk production on farm.
The incentive will increase from 84 to 111 available points, and the value of each point will increase from €0.03 to €0.04 per kilo of milk.
It will also cover six new action areas comprising forage, manure treatment, biofuels, low-carbon fertiliser, reduced methane from grazing cows and breeding.
Arla will also adjust points and thresholds for existing actions, including feed efficiency, fertiliser use, protein efficiency and grazing.
“We are taking our biggest step forward since launch, providing more ways for farmers to act and ensuring a higher reward for every point they earn,” said Hanne Søndergaard, executive vice president, agriculture, sustainability and communication at Arla Foods. “Our ambition is clear: to turn new technology and knowledge into practical action on farms and accelerate emissions reductions.”
Since the launch of the model, Arla farmers have increased their average incentive score by six points. At the same time, farmers have reduced their absolute emissions from raw milk production by 1.2 million tonnes of CO2e since 2020.
“Our farmer owners have already taken important steps to reduce emissions. We want to make sure there is a next step for them to take, including those already earning maximum points in parts of the model,” said Jan Toft Nørgaard, chair of Arla Foods. “Farms differ, and so do the opportunities to take action to reduce emissions.
“With this update, we are giving more farmers more options to move forward in ways that fit their farms.”
Lurpak at 125
It comes as its Lurpak brand has celebrated its 125th anniversary with an integrated campaign designed to “celebrate the brand’s legacy while engaging a new generation of food lovers”.
The campaign centres on the Lurpak Good Food Vault, an immersive food experience exploring five eras of cooking and celebrating how Britain’s tastes, recipes and food traditions have evolved over the past 125 years.
“Food has changed enormously over the last 125 years, but the role it plays in bringing people together remains as important as ever,” said Catriona Mantle, marketing director at Lurpak. “As we celebrate this milestone, we’re recognising the creativity and passion of today’s home cooks while reinforcing what Lurpak has stood for since 1901: inspiring people to create great food.”
As part of the campaign, Lurpak has also launched a new award called Lurpak Star to recognise talented home cooks across the UK.
The award reflects the campaign’s “Cook Your Way” platform and “celebrates consumers who bring creativity and individuality to the dishes they prepare at home”.
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