Müller UK & Ireland has launched ‘Fast Track’, a programme targeted at decreasing carbon emissions from supplying farms by introducing real-time data analysis.
Delivered in partnership with Kite Consulting and 40 supplying farms, the project will play a key role in Müller’s Sustainability Action Plan ambition to decrease on-farm emissions by 30% by 2030.
The Fast Track programme will run for three years and will see 40 farmers from across Great Britain utilise new ways of monitoring key data relating to production efficiency and sustainability to help inform decision-making, and drive quick actions needed to meet their emission reduction goals.
Currently, most British farms monitor emissions through annual reporting based on the previous year’s data. Fast Track will enable participating farmers to access real-time data, giving them timely and more frequent monitoring of important KPIs.
Fast Track aims to utilise automated data integration from numerous sources including Feedlync, a cloud-based feed management system, to monitor four key areas of feed efficiency, fertility, stock numbers, and energy-corrected milk.
David Craven, Dairy Manager at Grosvenor Farms, said: “Joining the Fast Track programme will help give farmers the ability to identify data-driven changes, and focus on the indicators which have the biggest impact on long-term farm resilience and sustainability.”
Rob Hutchison, Chief Executive of Müller Milk & Ingredients, said: “We know on-farm emissions is one of our carbon hotspots and that’s why we’re working towards a target of 30% reduction in on-farm emissions by 2030.
“The Fast Track programme provides an opportunity to make a real difference and will play a key role in helping us achieve our 30% goal.
“By supporting farmers to take an integrated, data-driven approach, we can assist them in taking rapid and responsive action which tackles issues head-on and as they arise, meaning we’re no longer relying on historic and sometimes out-of-date data to make decisions.
“We know our customers and consumers expect us to take action to drive change, and that’s why we’re delighted to partner with Kite Consulting on this groundbreaking programme. We look forward to seeing Fast Track grow and move from success to success in the years to come.”
Rose Jackson, Senior Dairy Consultant at Kite Consulting, said: “With the increased uptake of technology on dairy farms, more and more data is being created, but how can we best use this to make science-based decisions to accelerate the reduction in carbon emissions?
“Fast Track aims to tackle this question by scrutinising relevant KPIs and facilitating collaboration between a group of 40 innovative and highly efficient farmers.
“Initiatives such as these are key in our carbon reduction journey, and highlight the focus and determination of dairy farmers across the UK to lower footprints.”