Wiseman Environmental Strategy - Alltech E-CO2

Transcription

On-farm emissions represent
over 70% of the carbon footprint
of fresh liquid milk.
Source: DairyCo – Guidelines for the Carbon
Footprinting of Dairy Products in the UK
Welcome to the
Wiseman Milk Group
Environmental Strategy
PETER NICHOLSON
PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR
Whilst farming tends to get put under
a microscope when discussing the
consequences of environmental
deterioration, our experience is that not
only are farmers doing more and more
to improve the environment, this work
in turn leads to better efficiency and
thus adds to the bottom line.
Our Wiseman Sustainability Report, published in
2010, focused on milk collection, processing and
distribution, but did not incorporate milk production.
Whilst the area of milk production is not under
our direct control, we do try to influence on-farm
practices through our direct supplying farmers
– the Wiseman Milk Group (WMG).
We believe that across the supply chain there is a
powerful link between environmental performance
and improvements in efficiency and profitability.
DairyCo reports that there is a growing body
of evidence to show that increasing business
and production efficiencies has an environmental
benefit. That being the case such work is of
benefit to both the WMG members and Robert
Wiseman Dairies.
We have collected data on environmental
performance from 842 of our WMG members
reflecting 80% of our supplying farms.
The achievements summarised in the document
are down to dedicated work within the Tesco
Sustainable Dairy Group, Sainsbury Dairy
Development Group, Co-operative Dairy Group,
M&S Group and our own Wiseman Milk Group nonaligned members.
We acknowledge and celebrate these
achievements, but more importantly we are able
to monitor our progress from this position and
set targets and goals as we move forwards in
achieving this worthy strategy.
Strategy
• To identify the key measurable influencing factors
for environmental sustainability and promote best
practices to improve such measures.
• To monitor the progress of the WMG in improving
these factors by correlating information from
existing environmental initiatives, and where
necessary introducing new ones, and to provide
support and encouragement to members of the
WMG to achieve such improvements.
• Through such work, by 2015, to have established
principles for improvement, benchmarks and
trends, which will enable RWD to set targets for
2020 and beyond.
Pete Nicholson
Milk Procurement Director
Robert Wiseman Dairies 01
Wiseman Milk Group Environmental Strategy
WMG Environmental Strategy
What makes up the
Carbon Footprint
of milk production
on farm?
Calculating the “on-farm” carbon footprint of
milk production involves taking into account
the greenhouse gas emissions of all the
inputs, outputs and activities associated with
producing milk. This includes, amongst other
things, calculating the emissions from:
• feed production
• heifer rearing
• manure management
• the operation of the milking parlour
• and all aspects of dairy cow management.
Over 70% of the emissions of fresh liquid
milk have already been generated by the
time it is collected from the farm.
04–13
Performance
Measures
By understanding historical performance across
9 key performances indicators in areas such
as energy usage and milk yields we can establish
a baseline and set targets for improving
performance going forward.
14–15
Biodiversity
A crucial part of environmental sustainability
is biodiversity but this is being lost at alarming
rates. A variety of schemes are now running
to facilitate and encourage biodiversity and
ensure plants and animals can flourish in their
natural habitat.
16–17
Renewable
Energy
A relatively recent phenomenon, renewables
are developing rapidly and offer significant
opportunities, particularly in the agriculture
industry.
02 Robert Wiseman Dairies
Stephen and Isobel Moore
Stephen Moore and his family of Byley Hill Farm
near Middlewich in Cheshire are the current
holders of the Wiseman Milk Partnership Quality
Awards. The awards recognise excellence not
only in the quality of the milk produced but also in
the overall environmental performance on farm.
INCREASING
Milk yields
How is this measured?
Milk yield is measured simply as the
annual milk produced in litres by a cow.
Why is the target important?
There is no direct correlation between the
volume of milk produced and the amount of
methane emitted. Therefore a high yielding
cow emits less methane per litre of milk.
How can we improve to meet the target?
Milk yields are influenced by welfare
issues such as lameness, mastitis and
fertility. Focusing on dairy cow nutrition
has a significant impact on milk yields.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
7,354
litres/cow
(Top 10% – 9,028)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
7,807
litres/cow
(Top 10% – 9,385)
Future Group Average Target:
8,100
litres/cow
(10% improvement against historic year)
Replacement
Rate
This is expressed as a percentage of the
herd which are replaced on an annual basis.
Why is this important?
Cows that live longer produce less methane per
litre of milk over their lifetime. This is because
the methane they produce during the nonproductive younger life is spread over the
higher lifetime volume of milk they produced as
a result of the additional number of lactations.
Dairy cow longevity can be increased by
working closely with your vet to produce a herd
health plan to minimise the incidences of
lameness and mastitis and to increase fertility
within your herd.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
24%
(Top 10% – 16%)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
26%
(Top 10% – 16%)
19%
(20% reduction on the historic year)
Calving
Interval
This is simply the number of days
between calvings.
Cows with a long intervals between each
calving have prolonged periods of low milk
yield in late lactation and are likely to have
extended dry periods with no milk production to
offset their environmental cost.
Calving intervals can be minimised by
improving fertility through herd health planning
to reduce incidences of lameness and mastitis.
Careful genetic selection can also help fertility.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
433
days
(Top 10% – 419)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
426
days
(Top 10% – 404)
400
days
(8% improvement on the historic year)
Heifer
Calving Age
This is the number of months for
a heifer to reach its first calving.
Minimising the heifer calving age reduces the
rearing period of the cow and consequently
reduces the total emission of greenhouse
gasses during this non-productive period.
Monitoring growth rates and balancing
rations to provide adequate nutrient intake
will help ensure well grown heifers that
perform to their full potential.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
29
months
(Top 10% – 25 months)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
29
months
(Top 10% – 24 months)
26
months
(10% improvement on the historic year)
Fertiliser
Use
This is measured as the number of
kilograms of fertiliser applied per
hectare of land.
Applying more fertiliser than is required for
grass and crop growth results in excess
nitrogen in the soil, leading to the production of
large amounts of nitrous oxide and ammonia
emissions. Nitrous oxide has a global warming
effect that is 300 times stronger than that of
carbon dioxide.
Maximise the use of manure and slurry,
and when fertiliser is used refer to a fertiliser
recommendation guide such as the one
published by Defra to ensure that crop uptake
of fertiliser is maximised whilst minimising the
application rate.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
137
kg/hectare
(Top 10% – 73)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
138
kg/hectare
(Top 10% – 76)
120
Kg/hectare
(12% reduction against the historic year)
Concentrate/Blend Use
(Feed equivalent)
The weight of concentrate food given to
the cow in order to produce a litre of milk.
Optimising the ratio between the volumes of
concentrate feed given to each cow against the
volume of milk produced, will minimise the
amount of concentrates required to produce
each litre of milk and hence reduce the carbon
footprint.
The percentage of feed intake that gets
converted into methane decreases as dry
matter intake increases. Therefore increased
dry matter intake results in increased feeding
efficiency.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
0.33
kg/litre
(Top 10% – 0.23)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
0.33
kg/litre
(Top 10% – 0.24)
0.28
kg/litre
Electricity
Use
This is simply the number of units of
electricity used per cow in the herd.
One of the main sources of carbon dioxide
emissions in the UK is through the burning of
fossil fuels. 94% of all UK electricity is currently
generated through the use of fossil fuels. A
reduction in the amount of electricity used will
be mirrored by a reduction in carbon dioxide
emissions.
Examining all opportunities on farm such as
energy efficient lighting in sheds, install timers
and thermostats to switch plant off and on, use
heat recovery when cooling milk and replace
old equipment with more efficient models.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
405
kwh/cow
(Top 10% – 252)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
376
kwh/cow
(Top 10% – 214)
322
KWH/cow
Fuel
Use
This is expressed as the volume of fuel used
on farm in litres per cow in the herd.
Minimising the amount of fuels used in farm
machinery such as tractors and generators will
minimise the amount of carbon dioxide they
produce.
Turn machinery off when not in use, check tyre
pressures and service vehicles regularly to
ensure engines are working at their maximum
efficiency. When buying new vehicles it is also
worth considering what specification you need
so that you are not paying for additional horse
power that is not required.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
88
litres of fuel/cow per annum
(Top 10% – 52)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
110
(Top 10% – 66)
80
Robert Wiseman Dairies
11
Water
Use
This is expressed as the volume of water
drawn from the mains in litres per cow.
By reducing the volume of water utilised on
farm the amount of energy required to pump,
treat and possibly heat the water is also
reduced.
Plate cooler water can be reused and water
from parlour plant washing can be used for the
washing down of collecting yards etc. It may
also be worth considering what opportunities
exist for the harvesting of rainwater on your
farm.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
1.82
litres/cow
(Top 10% – 0.90)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
1.41
litres/cow
(Top 10% – 0.81)
1.50
litres/cow
CARBON
SCORE
This is expressed as the amount of carbon
in grams generated to produce a litre of milk.
It is important to measure and understand the
total carbon impact of producing a litre of milk
as changes in this can help steer decisions such
as expansion. Furthermore it is accepted that
a farm with a low carbon score is likely to be
an efficient and profitable farm.
A reduction in the carbon score of a farm
will be achieved through improvements across
all of the performance measures as this
provides a holistic overview of the on-farm
environmental performance.
Historic year 2010:
Group Average:
1,295
g/litre
(Top 10% – 995)
Current year 2011:
Group Average:
1,268
g/litre
(Top 10% – 1,074)
1,100
g/litre
(15% reduction on the historic year)
BIODIVERSITY
What is it?
Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is the term
used to describe Earth’s wide variety of life. It
covers all types of plants and animals, along
with the genetic variability between them and
the wide variety of habitats in which they live.
Complex natural interactions play an essential
role in regulating life on earth by creating
soils, cleaning air and purifying water.
Biodiversity provides us with resources for
a healthy life and economy – not to mention
the beauty of a rich, natural environment.
Concern?
Despite its importance, biodiversity is being
lost at alarming rates. Species extinctions
and habitat losses have increased drastically
over recent years. As a result, the loss of
biodiversity is one the major environmental
problems facing us today.
… and the solution is:
To address this problem, a range of measures
have been introduced to protect plants,
animals and natural spaces. All areas of
society are now being called upon to make
a positive difference to halt, and eventually
reverse, biodiversity loss.
So what can members of the Wiseman
Milk Group do?
Farming relies heavily on a healthy natural
environment; it is also a key industry to make
a positive difference to biodiversity. Wiseman
have seen many of our farmers realise enormous
successes in their efforts to help conserve and
restore biodiversity. Changes to management
practices and the development of green
corridors, through the countryside, can all have
positive effects on biodiversity.
•We want to help our farmers have a positive
impact on biodiversity.
•We support farmers who undertake initiatives
to benefit biodiversity by keeping a record
of schemes that may help them to access
the resources they need to undertake work
to benefit biodiversity.
•We can also put them in touch with other
farmers who share similar aspirations.
Details of some of the better known biodiversity
related farm funding schemes in England,
Scotland and Wales can be found opposite. As
these schemes are subject to regular revisions,
we have also included key contact details for you
to check the latest news and guidance to help
you determine the best way forward for you.
Scotland
Linked to the Scotland Rural Development
Programme, Rural Development Contracts Land
Managers Options (LMO) provide support for
environmental improvements across Scotland.
Funding is provided for a range of options under
the LMO. Further information, including current
scheme details and application forms can
accessed through the LMO website:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/
SRDP/Land-Managers-Options
Wales
Glastir replaced a variety of agri-environment
schemes from 2012. It is described as a ‘5 year
whole farm sustainable land management
scheme’ and is available to farmers across
Wales for activities that aim to maintain and
enhance biodiversity. Further details can be
found on the Welsh Government Website at:
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/
environmentcountryside/
farmingandcountryside/farming/
England
Environmental Stewardship is an agrienvironment scheme. It provides funding
to help farmers, and other land managers,
manage land to benefit biodiversity. There are
different levels of Environmental Stewardship
including Entry Level Stewardship, Organic Level
Stewardship and Higher Level Stewardship. The
most appropriate scheme for you will depend on
your own circumstances and aspirations. Further
details and application information can be found
on the Natural England Website.
http://www.naturalengland.gov.uk/
ourwork/farming/funding/
Renewable
Energy
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is energy generated from
natural resources such as wind, sunlight,
water and heat from the ground, all of which
are naturally replenished. The UK government
has set a target of 15% of energy consumed
to be generated from renewable sources
by 2020.
As world energy costs rise and the
environmental impact of energy becomes
an important issue, many businesses are
investing in renewable energy. This can not
only help protect against increasing energy
costs, it can also offer an alternative income
stream.
To help stimulate investment in renewable
energy the UK Government introduced a Feed
In Tariff (FIT) in 2010 which is payable on every
kWh of electricity generated from renewable
sources.
In 2011 the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)
was launched which pays a tariff for kWhs
of heat generated from renewable sources.
See www.decc.gov.uk for more information
and the latest tariffs for both schemes.
The renewable energy sources covered
by both schemes are:
FITs
• Wind
• Hydro
• Solar Photo Voltaic (PV)
• Micro Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
• Anaerobic Digestion (AD)
RHIs
• Biomass
• Ground source heat pumps
• Solar thermal
• Biomethane
Before considering renewable energy, energy
consumption should always be reduced as far
as practically possible. This will ensure energy
is not generated which is then wasted with
inefficient processes. The capital cost will
therefore be lower and the payback shorter.
Selection of the right renewable energy
technology will depend on the types and
amount of energy used, including when
energy is used most and least (Energy profile).
The UK has an enormous potential for
renewable energy due to its size, geographical
location and climate, especially in rural areas.
By considering renewable energy, businesses
can help protect themselves against rising energy
costs, lower their environmental impact and
provide an alternative income stream.
COLIN TELFER
LITTLE RAITH FARM
The UK Government have set
a stretching target of 15% of the
UK’s energy being generated from
renewables by 2020. This target
combined with the UK being the
windiest country in Europe has
created significant opportunity for
farmers and landowners to harness
the power of wind to generate
electricity.
Colin Telfer from Little Raith Farm near
Lochgelly in Fife is currently having nine 25
MegaWatt (MW) wind turbines installed on the
farm. The huge structure will measure 126m
to the tip of the blade and when complete the
wind farm will generate enough energy to
power over 15,000 homes and save around
762,000 tonnes of CO2.
CHRIS BARGH
OSBALDESTON HALL FARM
Having spent many years participating
in countryside stewardship schemes,
Chris Barge, who farms in the village
of Osbaldeston near Blackburn,
Lancashire is now participating in the
High Level Stewardship Scheme with
Natural England.
Chris explains: “We are part of a ten
year agreement which sets out a plan to
provide assistance (financial and practical)
to encourage bio-diversity. So far this has
involved planting hedgerows to allow various
forms of wildlife to flourish and building paths
to improve accessibility to the countryside for
schools visits for example.”
wiseman-dairies.co.uk

Wiseman Environmental Strategy - Alltech E-CO2

Transcription

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