The fund’s first major project focuses on the Co-op Dairy Farming Group. In partnership with the Soil Association Exchange, the program supports 140 dairy farmers in their journey to reduce their carbon footprint and establish baselines for key nature indicators like biodiversity and soil health. Farmers involved in the project will receive sustainability payments and can choose from a range of actions, including cutting fertilizer use, increasing fuel efficiency, and investing in solar energy.

This initiative includes five distinct on-farm projects, each designed to empower producers with the tools and knowledge to improve their operations. The efforts include a fully funded project for soil health, which uses in-depth testing to guide farmers on managing their land more efficiently. Furthermore, a three-year biodiversity project will utilize technology to study and create action plans for key pollinators, while funding for alternative forage crops will help farmers reduce their reliance on concentrate feed, promoting soil health and improving water quality.

In a second, equally important project, Co-op has launched its Beef Sustainability Scheme. The program is designed to reward farmers in both the beef and lamb sectors for adopting sustainable practices on their farms. The company expects the program, which has been extended to over 15% of its beef supply chain, to save over 100,000 tonnes of carbon over a five-year period. This highlights how retailers are not only investing in farming, but also actively setting quantifiable goals for environmental improvement.