DEFRA carbon footprint scheme could harm UK dairy industry, warns consultant
U.K - A decision by DEFRA to measure the carbon footprint of the dairy sector could lead to imported dairy products being promoted as being kinder to the environment than UK dairy products, a leading dairy consultant has warned.As part of its "carbon roadmap" programme DEFRA is calculating the carbon footprint of a handful of activities ranging from the production of gypsum, a key ingredient in the manufacture of plaster board, to milk production.
John Allen, a partner with Kite Consulting, fears that the absence of an internationally agreed system for calculating carbon footprints could be to the detriment of the UK dairy sector.
"If the international community fails to agree on a standard system of carbon accounting, we could see imported dairy products being marketed as having a smaller carbon footprint than the same product produced in the UK."
Source: Farmers Weekly