“As a dairy cooperative, we want to take responsibility and develop, so dialogue is important. It's not about good or bad, but about a less emotional and more factual exchange of knowledge. Our company is not perfect in terms of sustainability and we have not yet reached our goal, but social change and responding to climate change are important to us as a company.”  

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“We need to be much more aware of how we handle food, rethink transport routes, avoid waste and waste less food. The catering industry has always been responsible with leftovers and made sure that nothing is wasted. Today, zero waste should be normal and important for everyone.”  

“The cow is not a climate killer per se - this has long been a scientific consensus in the circular economy. Nevertheless, we have to adapt and optimise the performance requirements in the stables. We also need to improve the cow's feed conversion rate so that the high quality proteins in the cow's feed end up in the milk and do not end up as manure.”  

“As part of the Paris Agreement, we have committed ourselves to achieving net-zero emissions by 2045. However, there are still no binding recommendations for agriculture in this context. For example, it would be important to establish a CO2 pricing system that would also benefit farmers financially. Farmers are concerned that they will not be able to implement such measures in a binding way. However, a lot of CO2 could be saved or sequestered through humus formation, rewetting of peatlands, forests and more. Research has produced good results and there are opportunities.”  

“Many farmers have been committed to sustainability for a long time. On our farm, we produce GMO-free pasture milk and will be using Farming Type 3 from next year. Some of our animals are over eight years old and we have reduced energy consumption on the farm by 30%. However, I find CO2 certificates difficult. Large energy suppliers deliberately buy land such as moorland because it is ideal for obtaining CO2 certificates. On our farm, two-thirds of the land is rented, which is common. However, many of the leaseholders do not live in the area, but manage the land as an item in their accounts, generating high returns. Access to this land is a huge problem that puts a lot of pressure on companies.”  

“The proportion of people consuming plant-based diets and milk alternatives is increasing. It is becoming clear that the younger generation will continue to switch to a plant-based diet as they get older. However, this does not mean that animal products will disappear from the diet. Milk remains an important food for all generations. Cow milk still accounts for more than 90% of purchases - and just under 90% of the youngest generation. In the future, however, consumers will want a more sensitive and balanced approach to animal and plant foods, and we must respond to this. We can no longer produce for the masses.”   

“As a company, we take note of the different perspectives on food transformation and use them to develop actions. We take into account many aspects: political requirements, the livelihood of farmers, the complex demands of customers - and all this against the background of economic feasibility. Implementing sustainability is a must, but it is also a major challenge for a  company. We always have to ask ourselves how we can generate a measure in the market.”  

"All dairy farms could be net zero relatively quickly. It wouldn't be a problem if we were allowed to install PV systems on our roofs and build biogas plants. The problem is the lack of planning permission, the fact that utilities are not obliged to buy the energy, or the fact that the feed-in points are too far away to make the business profitable. We are also hampered by a typically German and complex regulatory regime - these are areas where the Department of Trade and Industry could help us enormously.”  

“We believe that our high protein, high efficiency milk will continue to be needed and in demand. You can make an incredible number of exciting products from ten litres. Plant-based protein sources and products continue to develop and are now a firm favourite with many younger consumers. As a food manufacturer, it is important for us to meet these consumer needs. That is why we have products in our range that are not, or only partially, of animal origin. At the end of the day, it is the consumer who decides which product to buy on the supermarket shelf.”  

“When you make an oat drink or tofu, you leave biomass behind. That's great for our cows! Animals play a central role in the circular economy, in part because they use substances that are inedible for humans. Sugar production, for example, produces beet pulp. Beer production leaves behind spent grain, a residue of brewing malt and an excellent source of protein. Industry produces bread crusts. 80% of the substances we cannot use are fed to cows and converted into milk. If we fail to exploit the potential of ruminants as the world's population grows, we have no one to blame but ourselves. They are the only ones capable of utilising all that we leave behind when we produce food. Plant and animal approaches often complement each other.”