Announces a further round of grants
The a2 Milk Company (a2MC) announces the launch of a new round of grants to support projects aimed at enhancing dairy farm sustainability via the a2™ Farm Sustainability Fund. Farmers supplying A1 protein free milk in New Zealand or Australia for use in the a2MC’s products are eligible to apply.
The a2™ Farm Sustainability Fund supports projects within the Company’s supply chain that demonstrate an integrated approach to a sustainable future and enable a positive and meaningful impact across the community and environment.
The Fund now combines farmer grants programmes that have been supporting farmers across New Zealand and Australia for a number of years. Under this latest round of funding, the a2™ Farm Sustainability Fund is seeking to allocate a further up to $630,000 in total to applicants in New Zealand and Australia.
Since inception the New Zealand and Australia programmes have awarded more than 65 projects with a value of more than $1,500,000. The funded projects have included diverse riparian planting, alternative fertiliser use, diverse pasture implementation, wetland restoration and planting of trees to enhance biodiversity and provide shelter for animals.
The a2 Milk Company has partnered with specialist agriculture organisations in both countries to administer the fund and support the assessment and progress of projects – Lincoln University, a specialist agriculture-based university in New Zealand; and Landcare Australia, a not-for-profit organisation focused on sustainable management of natural and productive landscapes in Australia.
Applications are evaluated by an independent Investment Committee comprised of industry experts in regenerative agriculture, soil health, animal health and wellbeing and farming systems. Evaluation is based on criteria aligned to The a2 Milk Company’s sustainability objectives and key priority areas including:
- Improving animal health and wellbeing
- Lowering greenhouse gas emissions
- Increasing on-farm carbon sequestration
- Improving farm system resilience
- Improving water quality and efficiency
- Enhancing on-farm biodiversity
- Managing and improving soil health
Jaron McVicar, a2MC’s Chief Legal and Sustainability Officer, said: “The a2 Milk Company’s purpose is to ‘Pioneer the future of dairy for good’ and this programme is testament to our commitment to support local farmers with projects that help to create better environmental outcomes.”
Dr Shane Norrish, CEO, Landcare Australia, said: “We are delighted to partner with The a2 Milk Company to support Australian dairy farmers to implement projects that are contributing to nature positive outcomes. These investments in supply chain sustainability enhancements are so important to enable primary producers to respond to significant climate and biodiversity challenges we all face.”
The a2 Milk Company is also funding measurement tools for farms that receive grants under the Fund, such as carbon audits and water quality testing, to enable them to measure the impact of their projects.
