Inside Mars' US$27m Mission to Cut Dairy Supply Emissions

Dairy farming plays a major role in Mars’ environmental impact, ranking as the fourth largest contributor to its carbon footprint.

To reach its ambitious climate targets, the company recognises the need to tackle emissions at the source — within its dairy supply chain.

Enter the Farmer Forward Programme, a five-year, multimillion-dollar initiative designed to equip farmers with the tools, technology and financial backing needed to transition towards more sustainable practices.

Developed in partnership with Fonterra, one of the world’s leading dairy suppliers, this programme is a key part of Mars’ wider strategy to achieve net zero by 2050.

Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Mars Snacking, highlights the importance of this move: “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 programme.”

With this initiative, Mars is directly addressing Scope 3 emissions, which make up the bulk of Mars’ carbon footprint, particularly in the raw materials used in its products.

By focusing on dairy, Mars is tackling one of the most significant sources of its supply chain emissions.

A closer look at the Farmer Forward Programme

Covering 26,000 hectares of farmland — roughly the size of 50,000 NFL football fields — the Farmer Forward Programme is set to drive meaningful change across the dairy industry.

This land currently produces enough milk to make an estimated 20 billion Snickers bars per year, highlighting the scale of Mars’ dairy operations.

Of the US$27m investment, around US$13.5m will go directly into sustainability-focused tools and technology for approximately 2,000 Fonterra dairy farmers.

The remaining funds will provide 165 farmers with an annual financial incentive of about US$15,000 as a reward for demonstrating substantial progress in sustainability.

Amanda emphasises the importance of this funding, stating: “Through this initiative, we're investing roughly US$27m 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.”

This programme is a central part of Mars’ Moo’ving Dairy Forward initiative, a broader effort to integrate new technologies and partnerships aimed at cutting emissions across the entire dairy supply chain.

By working directly with farmers, Mars is ensuring that real, measurable change happens at the ground level.

The environmental impact and long-term vision

Through the Farmer Forward Programme, Mars expects to reduce 150,000 tonnes of Scope 3 dairy emissions by 2030, using a 2015 baseline for comparison. To put this into perspective, this reduction is equivalent to:

• Burning 79 million kilograms of coal
• Charging around 300 million smartphones

The impact of Mars’ dairy supply chain is significant, with more than 200,000 cows contributing milk for products like M&Ms and Snickers.

Given that raw ingredients account for 65% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Mars’ snacking portfolio, reducing dairy-related emissions is a major step towards the company’s sustainability targets.

Charlotte Rutherford, Director of Sustainability at Fonterra, highlights the strength of this partnership: “Fonterra and Mars have been working together for decades, with sustainability really taking a front seat in recent years.

"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.”

With dairy farming playing such a crucial role in global food production, initiatives like Farmer Forward set a precedent for how businesses can drive sustainability in supply chains.

By investing in farmers and fostering innovation, Mars is not only working to reduce its own carbon footprint but also helping reshape the dairy industry for a more sustainable future.

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