Arla is the first in the Netherlands with climate neutral dairy

With the introduction of 'Arla biologically climate neutral', Arla Foods dairy cooperative is the first dairy company with a climate neutral dairy product on the Dutch market. The organization announced this on Monday, March 1. The ambition is to have reduced at least 2030% of emissions by 30 and to be completely climate neutral by 2050.

Arla organic is the first dairy brand with the independent label 'Climate neutral product' from the Climate Neutral Group. This makes Arla Foods the first dairy producer on the Dutch market with a climate neutral product. "As a cooperative, we feel a responsibility to reduce the impact on the climate. With Arla biologically climate neutral, we will reduce emissions more and more, so that we have to compensate less and less", says Bas Padberg, managing director Arla Foods Netherlands, Belgium and France.

Offsetting emissions
To obtain this seal of approval, Arla has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions in several areas. "We are reducing this with, among other things, the recyclable packaging and the switch to biogas in the factory in Nijkerk. The dairy farmers also carry out an annual Arla Climate Check, which gives them insight into the reduction options." However, reducing takes time and therefore, Padberg argues, compensating is the best short-term solution to stop contributing to climate change immediately.

The dairy cooperative does this by investing in projects that focus on planting trees in, for example, East Africa and protecting rainforests in Indonesia and the Amazon, among others. "Consumers also have the right to know what they are buying. That is why we now clearly state on the packaging that these are climate neutral products through reduction and compensation of greenhouse gas emissions. On the back of the packaging there is further explanation about what is climate neutral and how we compensate," Padberg said.

Climate neutral in 2050
The introduction of climate-neutral dairy products fits in with Arla Foods' ambition to have reduced at least 2030% of greenhouse gas emissions by 30 (compared to 2015). In addition, the cooperative aims to be completely net climate neutral by 2050.

Kimberly Baker

Kimberly Bakker is an all-round editor at Boerenbusiness. She also has an eye for the social media channels of Boerenbusiness.

k.baker @boerenbusiness. Nl

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