Mars, Incorporated recently launched a program through its partnership with Fonterra, one of the world’s largest dairy suppliers. Backed by a $27 million, five-year investment, the Farmer Forward Program aims to empower dairy farmers to embrace climate-smart agriculture practices, as Mars strives to slash greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030, against a 2015 baseline.

Approximately half of the investment will be allocated to providing funding for on-farm tools and technology to around 2,000 Fonterra dairy farmers. The remaining funds will go into the pockets of about 165 farmers each year who make the most progress against sustainability goals, in amounts of up to $15,000, on average, per farmer annually.

The Farmer Forward Program stretches across 26,000 ha of farmland — equivalent to approximately 50,000 NFL football fields. To put that into perspective, the dairy production involved in this program could theoretically produce enough milk to make 20 billion Snickers bars every year. Through the program with Fonterra, Mars aims to cut a projected 150,000 mt of its Scope 3 emissions from dairy by 2030, against a 2015 baseline.

This program is a cornerstone of the multinational conglomerate’s Moo’ving Dairy Forward initiative – a multimillion-dollar platform launched last year to drive investment in new technologies and partnerships to slash GHG emissions across Mars’ global dairy supply chain. Dairy is the company’s fourth-largest carbon footprint contributor — meaning Mars can only achieve its sustainability goals with the help and partnership of dairy farmers.

“Dairy farmers are on the front line of advancing climate-smart agriculture, which is why we’re putting them first through the launch of our Farmer Forward Program,” says Amanda Davies, chief R&D, procurement and sustainability officer at Mars Snacking. “Through this initiative, we’re investing roughly $27 million in Fonterra farming families over the next five years to deliver critical financial support and significant emissions reductions. It’s a true win-win because we know making dairy more sustainable takes real effort and real investment.”

As a family-run business, Mars understands dairy farmers’ desire to ensure the future of their farm for generations to come. Funding from Mars will incentivize farmers to not only accelerate emission reductions, but also empower them to build resilient businesses for the future.

“Fonterra and Mars have been working together for decades, with sustainability really taking a front seat in recent years,” says Charlotte Rutherford, director of sustainability at Fonterra. “Fonterra has clear ambitions when it comes to climate, and it’s through partnerships like this with Mars that we can support our farmer-owners with achieving our targets. We are grateful for Mars and its shared commitment to protecting the environment. It’s a true testament to the power of partnership and innovation.”

More than 200,000 cows supply dairy for Mars’ confectionery brands, including M&M’S and Snickers. Yet, raw ingredients account for 65% of the total GHG emissions from Mars’ snacking portfolio. Reducing these dairy-related emissions plays a significant part in meeting the sustainability ambitions outlined in Mars’ Net-Zero Roadmap – to achieve net-zero GHG emissions across the company’s full value chain by 2050. At Mars, there’s a shared belief that business can succeed even as the company works to create a healthier planet. As evidence of that, since 2015, Mars has decreased its GHG emissions by 16% worldwide while increasing its global annual sales by 60% over the same timeframe.

Learn more about the company’s approach to sustainable dairy farming.