Working together to help advance low-emission dairy practices: Nestlé visits FrieslandCampina member farmers

This week, FrieslandCampina welcomed a Nestlé delegation to the Jongbloed member dairy farms in Wytgaard, the Netherlands, highlighting the strong and long-standing partnership between the two companies in their joint efforts to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the adoption of good agricultural practices. The visit reaffirmed the importance of supporting and rewarding farmers in sustainable dairy production.

The visit is part of a joint effort to contribute to advancing climate-related measures and implement regenerative agriculture practices at farm level. FrieslandCampina supplies a wide range of dairy ingredients to Nestlé, and both companies are committed to reducing the carbon footprint of the milk production for these products. The partnership contributes to both companies’ science-based targets.

Through ‘Foqus planet’, FrieslandCampina’s quality and sustainability programme, member farmers are rewarded for their progress on animal health and welfare, climate and nature. These efforts are tracked annually through the Nutrient Cycle Assessment ‘KringloopWijzer’. A dedicated group of FrieslandCampina farmers, representing the supply for the Nestlé portfolio, is implementing high-impact measures such as improved feed strategies, renewable energy sources and manure management to help reduce emissions. In addition to scaling up existing measures, new innovative measures will also be implemented in the coming years to further help reduce emissions.

Nestlé observed ongoing initiatives implemented on the dairy farm of FrieslandCampina member dairy farmer Jelle Kor Jongbloed. He said: “On our farm, we focus on good quality forage for healthy cows and reduced methane emissions. We are also working on better nitrogen utilisation. These efforts require constant adjustment and investment. To keep improving, we need financial support and data insight. With help from FrieslandCampina, we can continue to invest in the future of our farm.”

Katja Seidenschnur, Global Head of Sustainability of the Nutrition Strategic Business Unit at Nestlé: “FrieslandCampina Ingredients is a key partner for Nestlé, not only for the high-quality dairy ingredients they supply, but also for their close collaboration with farmers. We are impressed by the dedication and innovation we’ve seen on the farms today. This partnership is a cornerstone of our sustainability journey.”

Anne Peter Lindeboom, Managing Director Innovation of FrieslandCampina Ingredients, added: “Our farmers are implementing practices to help reduce GHG emissions. As partners in the value chain, we share the responsibility to provide technical and financial support that enables continuous improvement at farm level. Collaboration across the supply chain is essential to scale up these practices and contribute to more resilient agricultural systems.”