Skimmelkrans dairy farm, Mossel Bay commit to net-zero emissions by 2050

SOUTH AFRICA – Nestlé’s Skimmelkrans dairy farm and the Mossel Bay dairy factory have unveiled plans to reach their ambitious global target of waste-free operations and net-zero emissions by 2050.

The sustainability initiatives undertaken at these operations were outlined during a site visit on June 20, intended to showcase the group’s “farm to glass journey” of dairy. This also formed part of Nestlé’s World Milk Day celebrations, observed internationally on June 1.

According to the ‘Global Nitrous Oxide Budget 2024’ report, nitrous oxide emissions have continued to be unabated, with more than ten million metric tons released into the atmosphere in 2020, primarily through farming practices.

Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) Dairy business executive officer Taku Mupfurutsa pointed out that 30% of the world’s emissions come from agriculture, with dairy farming responsible for 60%.

“We have a big responsibility as leaders in dairy to do tangible work to bring down emissions,” he emphasized.

Mupfurutsa explained that Nestlé’s “bold” 2050 target entails halving emissions first by 2030, which is a “journey.”

“At Nestlé, we are moving – we can safely say we have already left peak emissions behind; Nestlé’s approach involves reducing emissions using measurable, science-based interventions,” he noted.

The Skimmelkrans dairy farm, located in George, in the Western Cape, is the group’s pilot project for low-carbon emissions, following the announcement in 2020 to pursue a net-zero project there. Nestlé has a longstanding partnership with the farm, procuring milk for its products.

A fourth-generation establishment, the family farm is run by farmer George Kuyler and his relatives. During a comprehensive farm tour, Kuyler highlighted that it now employs 36 people daily throughout the year.

Mupfurutsa said the impact of this employment, when expanded, indirectly benefits about 360 people.

Skimmelkrans is one of over 124 farms in the country from which Nestlé procures ingredients, showcasing the expansive reach of this resource.

About two years ago, Nestlé started replicating the initiatives undertaken at Skimmelkrans at other farms where applicable, driving other relevant interventions.

Skimmelkrans boasts a pasture-based herd of over 1,000 cows. Adult female cows are artificially inseminated with sperm procured globally, ensuring optimal pregnancy metrics.

Technology monitors the cows’ health, ensuring optimum and safe production. Nestlé further uses this traceability when receiving the milk to ensure product uniformity.

Milk production at the farm is seasonal, with the farm currently supplying about 13,000 liters daily. The cows are milked twice daily, using a rotating feeder and milking system that prevents contamination by ensuring milk is not touched by human hands.

Nestlé ESAR Agricultural Services group manager Hoven Meyer emphasized that the farm pursues sustainability by protecting the environment and community and ensuring animal welfare.

The farm implements regenerative agriculture systems, displacing emissions generated at the farms by removing the same amount from the atmosphere through soil work, water conservation, feed management, and manure processing.

The Mossel Bay factory produces Nestlé’s milk powder products, such as Nespray FortiGrow, Nido, and Klim, and liquid milk products, such as Gold Cross condensed milk, Ideal evaporated milk, and Nestlé dessert and cooking cream.

The factory implements sustainability initiatives, including a water recovery system that captures and treats evaporated water from milk processing for use within the facility, reducing municipal water intake. A wastewater treatment plant treats process water for irrigation and truck washing.

The factory aims for water neutralization and uses locally manufactured packaging solutions for Nespray, ensuring eco-friendly production.

Meanwhile, Nestlé targets 100% recyclability for its sachets sourced locally by year-end. The factory also uses digital monitoring and predictive maintenance systems for more sustainable manufacturing practices and is continuing to explore AI integration.

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