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As global disruptions intensify, the dairy industry faces the challenge of reducing its impact while maintaining food security. Bas Padberg, managing director of Arla Foods UK, highlights the urgent need to balance nutritional food production with environmental sustainability. He argues for a holistic approach where health and sustainability are intertwined, emphasising that dairy – when produced responsibly – can be a cornerstone in achieving both.

The world faces a dilemma: we need to feed a growing population with healthy, nutritious food that is both accessible and affordable. At the same time, we are in the midst of a climate crisis that demands urgent action. This challenge has never been more pressing, especially within the dairy industry and the broader food sector, as we strive to nourish the world while addressing environmental concerns.

The food sector has experienced significant disruption in recent years. Monumental events like the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, rising input costs and the extreme weather resulting from climate change have all created substantial volatility that food producers have had to navigate.

However, these challenges have also reinforced the importance of the food and dairy sector, the critical role we play in feeding people and the need to ensure our future food security.

So how do we secure the future of our food and rethink our entire food systems while simultaneously reducing our impact on the world around us?

Healthy people and planet

Ultimately, we need better food – better for us and better for the planet. These two things must be connected. We have to view health and sustainability together, hand in hand.

The FAO defines a sustainable diet as: “...diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimising natural and human resources.”

We have to produce the right food in the right way, both now and in the future. As a leader of one of the UK’s biggest dairy companies, I see firsthand the work our farmer owners are doing to transform and futureproof this natural, nutritious food. We know there is still work to do in reducing emissions from dairy production, particularly at the farm level.

However, as an industry, we are tackling this head-on with ambitious initiatives and data-driven tools to measure and take action. Because of this, I truly believe that dairy has the power to play a crucial role in the mission for health and sustainability.

It's a food that is recommended by health organisations right across the world as part of a healthy and balanced diet. It delivers 13 nutrients and just one glass of milk can provide 30% of the recommended daily intake of calcium.

Collaboration and cooperation

The magic truly happens when nutrition is coupled with industry efforts to produce dairy in a more sustainable way. It's not just about carbon and reducing emissions; protecting nature and restoring biodiversity play crucial roles in our food system.

Consider the importance of pollinators and our reliance on them for producing fruits and vegetables. As guardians of the land, farmers are ideally positioned to protect biodiversity. Allocating land to support pollinators and planting hedgerows are just some of the ways agriculture can contribute.

Re-thinking our entire food system will not be easy. We know there will be challenges ahead, and the responsibility doesn't lie with just one sector, organisation or industry. But we must take action, and we must take it now.

As a cooperative, collaboration is in our DNA. It’s what we do every day alongside our farmer owners. This collaborative spirit can help us transform the future of our food. We must unite not only within our own industries but across the entire food sector, extending beyond our individual value chains. This unity will drive real transformation.

By producing nutritious food in the right way, we can empower people to eat well and ensure a healthy future for both people and the planet.

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