ABP invests £1.5m in farm sustainability programme

ABP Meals Group has right this moment (Tuesday, November 22) introduced an funding of £1.5 million in a sustainability programme open to beef and sheep farmers within the UK.

In accordance with ABP Meals Group, the brand new programme will help “350 of its farmer-suppliers and share wider learnings throughout the UK beef and sheep sectors”.

The brand new programme is known as PRISM 2030 and goals to supply farmer individuals with a help framework over 2-3 years to enhance their carbon footprint and sustainability throughout the whole thing of the farm.

It can embody an evaluation of carbon footprint, soil well being, and water use, and also will help biodiversity creation and useful resource effectivity.

PRISM 2030 will probably be supported by Harper Adams College and The Andersons Centre in an effort to make sure farmers have entry and suggestions from the newest environmental improvements and methodologies.

A sustainability grant will even be accessible, alongside peer-to-peer studying and knowledgeable recommendation all through.

Commenting on the rollout of the brand new programme, ABP’s technical and sustainability director, Dean Holroyd mentioned: “British purple meat manufacturing is amongst essentially the most sustainable on the earth, however we are able to and should do extra as a result of as an business, we’re effectively positioned to be a part of the local weather answer.

“We need to construct on this place of energy, and whereas PRISM will imply direct help for these in our provide base who qualify for the programme, the entire outcomes will probably be made accessible to the broader business.

“On this means, it’s our hope that this initiative will play a component in serving to beef and sheep farmers throughout the nation to grow to be the worldwide leaders in sustainable meat manufacturing – with decrease emissions, decrease prices and improved productiveness.”

ABP PRISM individuals

Primarily based in Kircubbin, Co. Down, beef farmer and ABP provider Sam Chesney has determined to take part within the new programme.

“We’ve an obligation as farmers to assist dispel a few of the myths about how beef is produced right here within the UK,” he mentioned.

“Farmers are a significant a part of the answer, as potential carbon mitigators, and the PRISM course of will allow us to show and measure that potential.

“The inexperienced lands of the UK are second to none in terms of supporting excessive animal welfare, boosting biodiversity and producing low-carbon beef, however British beef and lamb is simply too typically broad-brushed with the remainder of the world.

“Right here at Cool Brae Farm, we’re already participating in carbon audits and though the outcomes are superb, they don’t at present soak up to account our grasslands or hedges.

“We hope by this course of, we are able to show that with all measurements thought of we’re effectively on our solution to being a net-zero operation.”

Sharing help on behalf of the Nationwide Farmers’ Union (NFU) livestock board, chair Richard Findlay mentioned:

“PRISM 2030 goals to help beef and sheep farmers in establishing farm primarily based carbon and wider sustainability knowledge, initially as a baseline earlier than delivering wider help, together with recommendation and tools grants to assist farmers enhance thereafter.

“All of this helps proof and reinforce with major knowledge the robust sustainability credentials the place British livestock farmers sit inside a world context however with additional intent to progressively hold transferring ahead.

“The NFU has set the bold aim of reaching web zero greenhouse fuel emissions throughout the entire of agriculture in England and Wales by 2040, so I welcome this monetary funding from ABP. Livestock producers will want initiatives and help like this to assist us get there.”

The collaboration with Andersons is led by associate and senior analysis advisor Michael Haverty who, together with his workforce, will give attention to carbon assessments in addition to different sustainability benchmarking.

Prof. Jude Capper leads the enter from Harper Adams and will probably be indicating what areas every producer could possibly be specializing in over the period of the mission to realize most good points.