First Milk, a prominent dairy co-operative with a significant cheese processing facility in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, is actively addressing sustainability challenges across its 700 farms in the UK, including about 200 farms in West Wales.
The organization has recently conducted a thorough investigation of each farm’s nutritional footprint, focusing on the use of purchased feed and fertilizers to enhance agronomic practices.
This crucial data will be integrated with newly developed satellite imagery maps, which will identify specific site-by-site risks of river pollution, aiding in effective environmental management.
Farmers will be encouraged to adjust their fertilizer and slurry application techniques and implement additional mitigation strategies to improve soil health and safeguard local water bodies.
They will be required to report their progress on these initiatives annually.
“The goal is to protect waterways and reduce runoff from agricultural fields, while also preventing excess nutrients from affecting farms,” stated Sarah Bennett, area manager.
“This initiative is an essential indicator of responsible farming,” emphasized Lee Truelove, Director of Regenerative Agriculture at First Milk.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk