Morrisons has unveiled its latest initiative, the Sustainable Farm Network, aiming to bolster on-farm sustainability and fulfill its commitment to net zero emissions by 2030. This move is part of the supermarket giant’s strategy to support its supplier farms in adopting more environmentally friendly practices within the next six years.
“Farmers across our supply chain are already doing a lot of great work in driving forward more sustainable practices,” said sustainability director Sophie Throup. “By launching the Morrisons Sustainable Farm Network, we’re hoping to link them up to industry specialists, academic expertise and crucially, other farmers.”
Over 70 farmers are set to join the network in its inaugural year. The program will benefit from the expertise of Harper Adams University’s School of Sustainable Farming, with Director Simon Thelwell expressing enthusiasm for aiding farmers in understanding and reducing their carbon footprint.
“We’ll also identify ways in which they can change their systems — making them both commercially viable and environmentally friendly, boosting wildlife and improving biodiversity,” added Thelwell.
“By launching the Morrisons Sustainable Farm Network, we’re hoping to link them up to industry specialists, academic expertise and crucially, other farmers.”
The initiative emphasizes six key themes crucial to agricultural sustainability, including soil health, water conservation, and animal welfare. These areas will guide the network’s focus, ensuring that participating farmers are well-equipped to meet the challenges of decarbonization.
In addition to educational support, Morrisons is introducing an incentives program to reward farmers progressing towards net zero goals. Incentives will include shopping vouchers for achieving specific sustainability milestones.
“Participating farms will be leading examples of the ways in which we can hone our practices as we transition towards a more sustainable future,” Throup said.
Morrisons: Achieving the Net Zero goal
The UK supermarket chain outlined its plan to achieve Net Zero across the British farms it buys directly from by 2030 in 2021. Such efforts are outlined on its website, with clear indications of its future plans and current progress.
Currently, Morrisons is engaging with industry players to develop a measurement system to calculate farm emissions; working with local beef farmers to demonstrate sustainable farming practices; and setting up project farming groups to better understand the needs of current farmers in this transition.
The company also intends to provide farmers with incentives to help achieve the Net Zero goal, such as the Sustainable Farm Network outlined above.
Efforts from other companies in promoting sustainable farming include a substantial trend in regenerative agriculture. Late last year, over 170 companies including Nestlé, Danone, PepsiCo were involved in launching a global framework for regenerative agriculture, marking the first globally aligned approach for the transition.
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