Ben & Jerry’s Low-Carbon Dairy Project with Global Sust… — Transcript

Ben & Jerry's discusses their low-carbon dairy project focused on reducing emissions and improving sustainability in dairy farming.

Key Takeaways

Dairy farming can be part of the environmental solution with new technologies and practices.
Sustainability efforts must integrate social justice considerations to address broader impacts.
Achieving significant emissions reductions in dairy farming is difficult, expensive, and gradual.
Collaboration with farmers and transparent measurement are critical for progress.
Ben & Jerry's Caring Dairy program supports animal welfare, farm worker dignity, and regenerative agriculture.

Summary

Ben & Jerry's launched a low-carbon dairy project partnering with farmers, scientists, and experts to reduce environmental impacts.
The project aims to prove that dairy farming can be part of the climate solution by reducing emissions and improving soil health.
The initiative builds on the long-running Caring Dairy program focused on animal welfare, farm worker livelihoods, and regenerative agriculture.
Ben & Jerry's approaches environmental issues through a social justice lens, addressing impacts on marginalized communities.
The low-carbon dairy pilot targets a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on 17 farms in the U.S. and Europe.
So far, emissions have been reduced by 16% in the U.S. and 26% in Europe, showing progress despite challenges.
The company emphasizes collaboration with farmers and transparency in tracking sustainability indicators.
Ben & Jerry's acknowledges that change in dairy sustainability will be slow but remains committed to the journey.
They highlight the importance of eliminating petrochemical plastics and sourcing animal feed responsibly to avoid deforestation.
Staff engagement, such as farm visits, helps increase awareness and connection to sustainability efforts.

Chapters

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Speaker A

[Music] Hi, I'm Brett Parker, multimedia specialist for Dairy Foods magazine, and today we're highlighting Ben and Jerry's, who recently initiated a low-carbon dairy project where they've partnered with farmers, scientists, and experts to reduce the environmental impact of dairy farming.

Speaker A

farming here to discuss this with us is Jenna Evans Global sustainability manager for Ben and& Jerry's Jenna thank you so much for joining us today thanks for having me could you explain the initial inspiration behind the low carbon Dair

Speaker A

Here to discuss this with us is Jenna Evans, global sustainability manager for Ben and Jerry's. Jenna, thank you so much for joining us today.

Speaker A

grant um and we thought well hey we've been noticing that there's a lot of new technology that's available there's um you know new methodologies new data and we knew that the the dairy industry has very much been a scapegoat for a number

Speaker A

Thanks for having me. Could you explain the initial inspiration behind the low-carbon dairy project?

Speaker A

solution and so we started the lowc carbon Dairy pilot to make sure that you know we had proof behind what we were saying and that Dairy farming is part of the solution Dairy farming can be beneficial to uh the planet it can be

Speaker A

Sure. A few years back, we had been sort of doing projects one at a time with different farmers that were interested in making their farms better and more sustainable. We had the opportunity to pursue a grant, and we thought, well, hey, we've been noticing that there's a lot of new technology that's available, new methodologies, new data.

Speaker A

different than I than most companies I would say um we really view a lot of our environmental issues through um a social justice lens um since we are do have a very strong social justice Mission and that means that when it comes to the

Speaker A

We knew that the dairy industry has very much been a scapegoat for a number of environmental issues, whether you're thinking about water pollution or climate or rainforest destruction. We know that with all these new technologies and practices, you can actually flip the script on the story and that dairy can really be part of the solution.

Speaker A

very hard look at climate um so that's really where dairy comes in quite a bit um we started carrying Dairy program back in 2006 in Europe and then in 2011 in the US and caring Dairy is a pretty

Speaker A

So we started the low-carbon dairy pilot to make sure that we had proof behind what we were saying—that dairy farming is part of the solution. Dairy farming can be beneficial to the planet. It can be done without water pollution, without significant emissions. It can build soil health, and so that's where we started.

Speaker A

Farm Workers and regenerative agriculture and then this lowc carbon Dairy project that I mentioned is sort of the new um aspect that we're really focusing on um and carrying Dairy has been tracking indicators on farms around soil Health as well as Animal Welfare um

Speaker A

Could you describe the biggest goals and actions the company is taking to be more sustainable?

Speaker A

change is going to be slower than we expect and much too slow um for what's needed uh but Ben and Jerry's is really committed to the journey of making this change um for example like the goal for our pilot program which hasn't ended yet

Speaker A

Sure. Ben and Jerry's is a little bit different than most companies, I would say. We really view a lot of our environmental issues through a social justice lens since we do have a very strong social justice mission.

Speaker A

which Falls very far uh Falls very short from our 50% goal but we're heartened by the progress we're we're trying something that is really difficult that is very expensive and is not easy or straightforward um and we're also just

Speaker A

That means that when it comes to the environment, we're focusing on things like eliminating petrochemical plastics because of the impacts it has on people living in marginalized communities. It also means that we're considering our impact on nature in everything that we do and also taking a very hard look at climate.

Speaker A

Partners um that are pioneers in some of the initiatives that we've made now is there an outdated and harmful aspect of dairy production that still goes on today that you feel should be eradicated permanently um I guess I would think

Speaker A

That's really where dairy comes in quite a bit. We started Caring Dairy program back in 2006 in Europe and then in 2011 in the U.S. Caring Dairy is a pretty innovative program that has been around for a long time, as I mentioned, but has also evolved over the years.

Speaker A

outdated um deforestation has been linked to animal feed um particularly soy that can be sourced from Brazil and you know is associated with rainforest destruction so we've been working for a long time to ensure that our animal feed

Speaker A

Currently, the main focus in Caring Dairy is around animal welfare, dignified livelihoods for farmers and farm workers, and regenerative agriculture. Then this low-carbon dairy project that I mentioned is sort of the new aspect that we're really focusing on.

Speaker A

that businesses don't have to engage with their supply chains um Ben and Jerry's as I mentioned before with carrying Derry very much actively participates um in trying to make our Dairy supply chain better um from all aspects um both economically um through

Speaker A

Caring Dairy has been tracking indicators on farms around soil health as well as animal welfare, wages for farm workers, and lots of other things.

Speaker A

there that wishes to make more green conscious efforts in their operations but they don't know where to begin what do you feel are the simplest actions they could take um I guess my recommendation would certainly be to start small and start

Speaker A

What would you say are the biggest revelations that the company has learned about being more sustainable in terms of dairy production?

Speaker A

measuring these things you're not going to have an idea where you need to start and where you need to focus so that's like a a good way to get going um from you know from your Dairy supply chain

Speaker A

I think the biggest one is that change is going to be slower than we expect and much too slow for what's needed. But Ben and Jerry's is really committed to the journey of making this change.

Speaker A

more quickly and then something that we've done that uh most recently at Ben and& Jerry's that's been really impactful is that we brought our entire staff out to one of the caring dairy farms locally here and so it makes a big

Speaker A

For example, the goal for our pilot program, which hasn't ended yet, was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% on the 17 pilot farms that we're working with in the U.S. and in Europe. So far, we've only been able to reduce emissions by 16% in the U.S. and about 26% in Europe, which falls very far short of our 50% goal.

Speaker A

what's really happening on the ground so you know getting your boots dirty basically and getting out there in the field great well that's all the time that we have for today Jenna Evans and Ben and Jerry thank you so much for your

Speaker A

But we're heartened by the progress. We're trying something that is really difficult, very expensive, and not easy or straightforward. We're also really proud of the collaborative spirit that we have with our farmer supply chain.

Topics:Ben & Jerry'slow-carbon dairysustainabilitygreenhouse gas emissionsCaring Dairyregenerative agriculturesocial justicedairy farmingenvironmental impactfarmers collaboration

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main goal of Ben & Jerry's low-carbon dairy project?

The main goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% on 17 pilot farms in the U.S. and Europe, demonstrating that dairy farming can be part of the climate solution.

How does Ben & Jerry's approach sustainability differently from other companies?

Ben & Jerry's integrates a strong social justice perspective into their environmental efforts, focusing on impacts on marginalized communities and ensuring dignified livelihoods for farmers and farm workers.

What are some challenges faced in reducing emissions in dairy farming?

Reducing emissions is difficult, expensive, and slow. So far, the project has achieved 16% reduction in the U.S. and 26% in Europe, which is progress but falls short of the 50% target.

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