Dairy Sector Climate Change Group: report

Capital items, e.g.

• On farm sensors
• Data loggers
• Precision measurement techniques

Encourage adoption of low emission feeding strategies;

Support for feeding efficiency measures including precision feeding and feed additives:

• In parlour feeders
• Robot Feeding
• Out of parlour feeding
• Feed ration emission measurement / monitoring tools
• Subsidise use of 3NOP once available
• Further research into feed additives e.g. Asparagosis taxiformis, linseed, microbiome tech.
• Training and advice for development of low emissions feeding strategies

Funding and investment

Research and innovation

Advice and training

• Feed scales
• Feed cameras
• Weighted bins

• Variable speed vacuum and milk pumps
• Heat exchangers to pre-cool milk prior to entry to bulk tank
• Heat recovery units and water storage tanks
• LED lighting
• Solar thermal heating

• Funding for anaerobic digestion plant (farm or community level)
• Removal of barriers for grid connection

• Training and advice for famers and contractors on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel sources

• Smart recording apps

Enable farmers to improve herd health including disease prevention, reduction in lameness and other general welfare measures to reduce mortality rates.

Develop key performance indicator matrix and collation to inform inventory and measure improvements

Capital support for improved efficiency

• Herd health plans and recording of mortality as part of a Whole Farm Climate Review
• Foot trimming equipment
• Increased feed space
• Footbaths
• Hoof sprayers
• Cattle tracks
• Cubicle upgrades to allow more space
• Encourage use of authenticated Key Performance Indicators
• Livestock sensors
• Monitoring technology
• Robotic milking systems
• Parlour improvements to allow 3x day milking

Advice and training

Funding and investment

Advice and training

Research and innovation

Funding and investment

Encourage farmers to develop herd fertility plans which maximise longevity and efficiency and reduce replacement numbers and include targets for improvement year on year

Reduce number of heifers failing to get to first calving (target 10%)

Reduce age at first calving (reduction in % calving over 24 months)

Encourage rearing healthy and robust youngstock

• Lowering age of first calving
• Increase average number of lactations
• Body condition scoring
• Improved Heifer accommodation - additional pens, ventilation, pasteurisers
• self locking yokes for bulling heifers,
• heat detection for heifers,
• Colostrum quality testing
• Blood sampling to test calf immunity
• Calf jackets to maintain body temperature
• Automatic calf feeders

Advice and training

Funding and investment

Funding and investment

Funding and investment

Research and innovation

Advice and training

Facilitate better storage, management and application of organic manures

Encourage better soil pH management

Facilitate on farm anaerobic digestion of slurry by supporting establishment and running costs

• Slurry storage capacity and slurry store covers
• Research into health and safety aspects of covering slurry
• Low emission spreading equipment (slurry)
• Flexible tyres
• Support regular soil testing as part of Whole Farm Climate Change review
• Variable rate application equipment (fertiliser and lime)
• Capital funding for AD and subsidised running costs

Funding and investment

Research and innovation

Funding and investment

Advice and training

Funding and investment

Funding and investment

Prioritisation for achieving recognition of the role of farmland in the sequestration and storage of carbon and enabling this to be taken into account in the smart inventory for agriculture.

Demonstration of best practice in soil carbon management and soil health

Encourage restoration and protection of peat soils

• Research into measurement and inclusion of carbon sequestration in carbon auditing tools, which could inform inventory reporting
• Funded monitor and demonstration farms developing best practice and transferring knowledge to farmers
• Targeted funding for peatland restoration and management projects.

Research and innovation

Research and innovation

Advice and training

Funding and investment

Incentivise small scale tree and hedgerow/corridor planting with sequestration captured in the carbon audits and inventory for agriculture

Encourage planting for both biodiversity and carbon sequestration

Investigate the viability of other climate change mitigation techniques and technologies not yet widely adopted in the UK but used elsewhere in the world

• Funding for planting
• Support research into further refinement of the smart inventory and development of carbon auditing tools to include sequestration
• Advice and training for farmers
• Practical demonstration of the benefits through monitor farms and knowledge sharing
• Include afforestation options in the Whole Farm Climate Review tool
• Fund further research and piloting of biochar, and emerging Carbon Storage technologies

Funding and investment

Research and innovation

Advice and training

Research and innovation

• Research into the implications for the dairy sector and the supply chain.

• Investment in low emission technologies within the supply chain

Enable non-exclusive contracts to allow greater flexibility for farmers

Support joint ventures and co-operative opportunities

Enable farmers with carbon positive balance sheet to trade assets and develop income stream

• Regulation of the supply chain to promote equitable trading conditions for all participants
• Prioritise funding for collaborative and co-operative projects
• Commissioning of commercially focussed research into opportunities for carbon trading and the regulatory framework needed.
• Develop a regulated digital trading platform

Regulation

Funding and investment

Research and innovation

Regulation

Improved climate collaboration within the dairy supply chain, with government facilitation, to deliver greater transparency and sharing of best practice to deliver improved carbon efficiency.

Collaboration within the dairy supply chain to try to standardise Scope 3 reporting to ensure aligned objectives and the avoidance of duplication, working with the proposed Centre of Excellence to ensure it is informed by the latest scientific advice.

• Centre of Excellence

• Centre of Excellence

• Centre of Excellence

• Funding for capital projects with priority given to collaborative projects

• Centre of Excellence

Research and innovation

Funding and investment

Advice and training