Delivered in partnership with Kite Consulting and 40 supplying farms across the UK, the three-year project will utilise new ways of monitoring key data – relating to production efficiency and sustainability – to help inform decision making and drive quick actions needed to meet their emission reduction goals.
Fast Track forms part of Müller’s Sustainability Action Plan ambition to decrease on-farm emissions by 30% by 2030.
Participating farmers will be able to access real-time data, giving them timely and more frequent monitoring of important KPIs – a step up from relying on annual reporting based on the previous year’s data.
Automated systems
The programme aims to utilise automated data integration from numerous sources, including Feedlync, a cloud-based feed management system, to monitor four key areas – feed efficiency, fertility, stock number and energy-corrected milk.
Müller Milk & Ingredients chief executive Rob Hutchison said the Fast Track programme would provide an opportunity to make a ‘real difference’ and achieve the dairy firm’s 30% goal.
“By supporting farmers to take an integrated, data-driven approach, we can assist them in taking rapid and responsive action which tackles issues head-on and as they arise, meaning we’re no longer relying on historic and sometimes out-of-date data to make decisions,” Hutchinson added.
“We know our customers and consumers expect us to take action to drive change, and that’s why we’re delighted to partner with Kite Consulting on this groundbreaking programme. We look forward to seeing Fast Track grow and move from success to success in the years to come.”
Data-driven changes
David Craven, dairy manager at Grosvenor Farms, said joining the Fast Track programme would help give farmers the ability to identify data-driven changes and focus on the indicators which have the biggest impact on long-term farm resilience and sustainability.
Kite Consulting senior dairy consultant Rose Jackson, said: “With the increased uptake of technology on dairy farms, more and more data is being created, but how can we best use this to make science-based decisions to accelerate the reduction in carbon emissions?
“Fast Track aims to tackle this question by scrutinising relevant KPIs and facilitating collaboration between a group of 40 innovative and highly efficient farmers. Initiatives such as these are key in our carbon reduction journey, and highlight the focus and determination of dairy farmers across the UK to lower footprints.”
Meanwhile, last November, Tesco joined with Arla and Müller UK & Ireland to launch a new sustainability partnership tasked with reducing on-farm emissions by 30% by 2030.
