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Environmental Defense Fund and Danone tackle dairy methane

The Environmental Defense Fund and Danone, one of the world’s largest dairy companies, are partnering to reduce methane emissions on dairy farms by 30 percent by 2030.

John Tauzel, Senior Director of Global Agriculture Methane for the Environmental Defense Fund, tells Brownfield the partnership is farmer-focused and will invest in on-farm technologies and management to cut methane.

“Danone has already made commitments this year, they’re looking to equip dozens of U.S. dairy farms with new manure management infrastructure to reduce methane emissions,” he says.  “The goal will be to support 57 projects across farms to reduce manure methane.”

With 16 processing plants in the U.S. and Canada including Ohio, the French global company works directly with 58,000 dairy farmers across 20 countries.  Some of Danone’s U.S. brands include Dannon, Activia Yogurt, and Horizon Organics.

The partnership also targets new research and development, improved reporting, and focused policy efforts to cut methane.

“The goal is to drive innovations for new products that ultimately reduce methane while also improving the productivity of cows whether that’s either feed efficiency or reduced costs,” he shares.

Danone expects to remove 1.2 million tons carbon dioxide equivalent of methane emissions by 2030 from its fresh milk supply chain to align with the Global Methane Pledge and is the first food company to make such a pledge.

The Environment Defense Fund is a global environmental nonprofit that works across 30 countries.