A group of multinational companies in the food industry has put forward the first set of carbon capture measurement guidelines for plants and soil in cattle farming. The system – called the C-Sequ project – will become part of the overall methodology of the International Dairy Federation (IDF).
The project began in 2018 and involves major industry players such as Arla, Dairy Management Inc., Danone, Fonterra, FrieslandCampina, Mars, McDonalds, Nestlé, and Rabobank.
The food companies joined forces to create the internationally recognized system to calculate carbon sequestration in cattle production, which can now be used across the sector.
The C-Sequ project’s draft guidelines were presented for public review and feedback in 2020, and have since been tried out in about 50 on-farm pilots across the globe.
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Anna Flysjö, Life Cycle Sustainability Manager at Arla and the company’s representative on the C-Sequ project, said building an agreed-upon carbon capture measurement method is a key step toward sustainability for Arla and its farm owners.
“Having the first set of robust and science-based principles, now adopted by IDF, is a major step in recognizing the important and positive role farming has in sequestering carbon both above and below ground,” she said. “However, as this is a highly complex area in which science is continuously evolving, there is much work ahead before the principles are practically applicable.”
According to the United Nations, the food industry is responsible for one-third of the global greenhouse emissions, with meat and dairy being the top emitters. Many grocery stores are already working with farmers to bring down emissions, according to McKinsey & Company research from the summer of 2022.
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