UK retailer Co-op has announced a new £820k fund to support sustainable farming, expecting to save over 100,000 tonnes of carbon under the programme.
The £820,000 fund will be allocated across two projects, with participating farmers able to access sustainability payments above the price they are already paid for their products.
The Co-op Beef Sustainability Scheme will reward farmers for adopting on-farm sustainable practices and will be open to members of Co-op’s farming Group.
The scheme launched after a two-year pilot and will be extended to 15% of the retailer’s beef supply chain this year, and will include lamb farmers for the first time.
Co-op said that more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon are expected to be saved under the programme over a five-year period as it grows the percentage of beef and lamb supply covered by the scheme.
The other project will focus on the dairy sector, with Co-op partnering with the Soil Association Exchange to support the 140 farmers in its Dairy Farming Group in reducing their carbon footprint.
Farmers will reduce their impact through a range of actions, from breeding more efficient animals through to improving forage quality.
Matt Hood, managing director at Co-op, said: “We know British farmers are facing many challenges and have seen firsthand the fear, anxiety and anger they are currently feeling.
“Backing UK agriculture is more important than ever - at Co-op, this means investing hundreds of millions every year to be one of the few UK retailers to be totally 100% British across meat, poultry and dairy throughout our own supply chain and committing support for farmers addressing the growing need for sustainability and climate resilience.
“We know our members and customers feel the same and they value being able to buy the high quality, British-sourced products they love.”
