The Sustainable Agriculture Award, which honours farmers that go above and above for the environment and their local community, is being sponsored by Wynnstay and NFU Cymru.
We are proudly sponsoring this award which recognises the exceptional contribution Welsh farming firms make to the country's economy, ecology, social life, and cultural heritage.
Sustainability is a key part of our business, with our mission being to help farmers feed the UK in a more sustainable way. As a business, we are working towards becoming carbon net zero and aim to support our customers with products and services that help drive sustainability and efficiencies. Through our feed division we have made the following commitments:
In 1987, the United Nations (UN) defined sustainability as ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations’. If we then relay this to food production, it’s producing nutritional food in a system that’s productive, profitable and resilient, while tackling climate change. But what does this actually mean for dairy farmers who are aiming to produce more sustainably?
Over the past few years, livestock agriculture has been under increasing scrutiny due to its perceived ethical and environmental impact. Dairy production is at the forefront and seen by campaigners and activists as a polluting industry and emitter of huge greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Most of their theories and preaching is totally inaccurate and does not only cause a financial impact on our potential markets, but a huge psychological impact on our industry; British dairy farmers produce a wholesome and nutritious product only to be branded in a negative light by the media.
We believe the use of certified sustainable soya in animal feed is the most appropriate option to minimise negative impacts on the environment now, while allowing time for sustainable supply chains for alternative protein sources to develop.
It is no secret to everyone in agriculture that public perception is putting increasing pressure on running a more sustainable enterprise.
It is fair to say that we have a responsibility to not only be the most sustainably efficient farms possible, but also to publicise and educate the general public.
