Dawn Meats has today announced the launch of a new incentivised sustainability programme for Irish beef farmers, supported and co-funded by McDonald’s.
The ACTIVATE initiative involves a total investment of €4.4 million over three years and will pay participating farmers for successfully implementing sustainability plans and reducing emissions.
Teagasc, the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) and Bord Bia are also supporting the project.
Some 50 farmers have signed up to the programme so far, and with a second recruitment phase now ongoing, the organisers hope that 200 farmers will join in the first year.
ACTIVATE also aligns with Dawn Meats’ and McDonald’s UK & Ireland’s sustainability plans, as well as the Irish government’s goal of achieving a 25% reduction in agricultural emissions by 2030.
ACTIVATE
The ACTIVATE programme aims to encourage participating farmers to accelerate the adoption of science-based solutions to mitigate biodiversity loss, enhance soil health, and combat global warming.
Farmers will be given the tools required to implement sustainability plans, as well as access to resources and training workshops.
Dawn Meats and Teagasc representatives will share their expertise in sustainable farming practices, the use of online sustainability tools, and one-to-one support.
Bord Bia will also deliver online training modules for farmers.
Participating farmers will have to sign up to the Teagasc Signpost sustainability programme and complete the Bord Bia sustainability survey annually.
This will assist in calculating their on-farm emissions’ performance.
Operators will assess farmers’ progress annually and compensate members through a ‘sustainability dividend’ – for engagement, collaboration, and successful outcomes.
Participants can expect between €4,000 and €8,000 a year, depending on factors such as animals per farm, qualifying grades, and the level of emission reductions.
A sustainability support network run by Bord Bia, Teagasc and ICBF, called AgNav, will monitor and report farm performance data.
‘Future-Proof The Industry’
Speaking about the programme, the chief executive of Dawn Meats, Niall Browne, said, “At Dawn Meats, we recognise that our future relies upon the health of our natural world and the well-being of our communities.
“Sustainability has been central to our business plan for over 40 years, and this is why we are helping farmers to set ambitious targets and incentivising them to achieve verified results.
“By working closely with the farmers that supply us, we will be helping them to farm more sustainably while reducing our Scope 3 emissions.
“This is a win-win situation for us, for farmers, and for our valued customers, who share our commitment to achieve net-zero [emissions].”
The vice-president of the UK & Ireland supply chain for McDonald’s, Laura Henderson, added, “As one of the biggest supporters of Irish agriculture, we are delighted to co-sponsor this innovative programme alongside our long-term supplier Dawn Meats.
“The programme presents a real opportunity to explore the ways in which we can future-proof the industry and drive more resilient production, to ensure our future beef supply contributes to a sustainable food system, where people, local communities, animals and the planet can thrive.”
Jim O’Toole, the chief executive Bord Bia, said, “It is extremely encouraging to see a leading company such as McDonald’s making a clear commitment towards the global climate agenda and achieving carbon neutrality.
“The targets outlined in ACTIVATE will not only help McDonald’s achieve its net-zero targets, but will also have a positive impact on the Irish agricultural sector and environment, in line with targets set out in the Climate Action [and Low Carbon Development] Bill.”
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