Swedish agricultural cooperative Lantmännen and Norwegian fertiliser company Yara will launch a pilot project with the aim to introduce the world’s first certified fossil-free food chain
The change would allow consumers to reduce their climate impact by making low-carbon food choices.
The collaboration builds on Yara’s announced plans to pilot the production of mineral fertiliser with renewable energy, with the ambition to reduce the carbon footprint of Lantmännen’s end-products. The fertilisers, which Yara aims to bring to market by 2022, will reduce the total CO2-impact of grain farming by 20 per cent.
Per Olof Nyman, Group president and CEO at Lantmännen, said, “Lantmännen has been working systematically for a long time to develop sustainable solutions in many areas, not least when it comes to cultivation methods and concepts. Nordic farmers are leaders in sustainability, with a low climate impact by international standards even now. With this partnership, which is one of our most important initiatives yet, we take further steps towards a fossil-free food chain and even more sustainable farming.”
The use of renewable energy as a feedstock for mineral fertiliser production will increase production costs and have an impact on food prices. By working closely within the whole food chain the ambition will be to minimise the additional cost for the consumer.
Svein Tore Holsether, Group president and CEO at Yara, commented, “This partnership is a first step towards achieving the transformation of our food system. The pilot with Lantmännen will bring together the food chain partners in a joint effort to reduce the carbon footprint of food production. We must look at new business models that span the entire food value chain – from field to fork. A fossil free food chain is only possible with mineral fertilisers produced with renewable energy.”
Lantmännen and Yara are taking a first step in the transformation of the food chain and encourage other companies throughout the value chain to contribute as well.
