FrieslandCampina and DSM have agreed to undertake a large-scale pilot project to gain practical experience with Bovaer, DSM's feed additive claimed to reduce methane emissions from cows by around 30%.
Following EU approval for the additive's use in February 2022, both parties have decided to launch the pilot immediately. Dutch feed supplier Agrifirm will supply the feed additive to the participating farmers.
Some 200 dairy farms in the Netherlands will take part in the pilot in the second half of 2022 and, providing the results are positive, use of the additive will be further upscaled from 2023. During the pilot, the results and experiences of farmers will also be gathered through workshops and surveys. Economic results, together with the costs and benefits, will naturally be considered. FrieslandCampina says it will ensure every dairy farmer receives fair payment for the supplied milk and reward for the sustainability efforts they make on their farm.
Hein Schumacher, CEO of Royal FrieslandCampina: "Our ultimate goal is for all of our dairy products to be climate neutral. Though we can't achieve this overnight, we're working toward it. In addition to solutions like switching to green energy – preferably generated by our members – reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of our cows is one of the routes towards reaching our climate goal. This requires innovation – and now Bovaer, a truly innovative feed additive from DSM that significantly reduces cows' methane emissions, is part of the solution."
Dimitri de Vreeze, Co-CEO of Royal DSM: "There's no time to lose when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting methane emissions is the fastest way to combat global warming, as was underlined during the most recent UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. I'm proud that we, FrieslandCampina and DSM, can offer dairy farmers a solution that will help to make a major contribution toward tackling one of the greatest challenges of our time. Collaboration, new ways of thinking and pioneering innovations are crucial to making dairy farming more sustainable. It's important that dairy farmers are rewarded for their sustainability performance."
