Future proofing dairy: how regenerative agriculture builds more resilient supply chains

/ in Featured Articles, Sustainability

Regenerative agriculture is gaining increasing recognition across the dairy industry as brands look to restore ecosystems, secure supply chains and meet rising consumer expectations, such as more environmentally responsible sourcing. But without a universal definition, the risk of greenwashing threatens to undermine progress and trust. Kyle Brookmeyer, Head of Sustainability at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, explores how regenerative dairy systems can rebuild soil health, enhance biodiversity and strengthen food security – supported  by transparent measurements, farmer-led tracking and emerging digital tools. These technologies enable farmers to bring transparency to regenerative agriculture, helping to build trust from farm to fridge.

Introduction

Our planet is facing unprecedented pressure. Population growth, climate change and food insecurity are redefining what – and how – we want to eat. As global citizens, consumers are becoming more environmentally aware, with nearly 50% reporting that they have made changes to their diet to live more sustainably. [1] When it comes to making purchasing decisions, these eco-conscious buyers demand proof of environmental claims, not false promises. Food labels are therefore under increasing scrutiny as consumers want to know where their food comes from, how it was produced, and above all – its impact on the planet. One sector that is under the spotlight is the dairy industry. And as transparency becomes non-negotiable across the dairy value chain, all eyes are on the farm – the source of most greenhouse gas emissions in dairy production [2] and the key to meaningful change.

The challenge lies in meeting rising global demand for dairy products while simultaneously reducing the industry’s environmental impact. The wheels are already in motion for many farmers as the number of food and beverage launches with an ethical or environmental claim rose by nearly 14% between 2018 and 2023, with dairy as the leading category. [3] However, simply labelling a product as ‘sustainable’ is no longer enough for today’s consumers; they want to know if it is actively contributing to a healthier planet. This is where regenerative agriculture comes in – shifting the focus from ‘doing less harm’ to ‘creating a positive impact’.

What is regenerative farming?

The regenerative agriculture movement is designed to help produce food in balance with the planet. It is a farming method that focuses on restoring and enhancing natural processes such as soil life, water cycles and biodiversity. Regenerative agriculture is increasingly seen as a catalyst for a healthier dairy ecosystem – with the potential to improve soil vitality, animal nutrition and carbon outcomes simultaneously. These benefits are recognised by consumers too, with 55% revealing that they are willing to go out of their way to find regenerative products. [4] The following sections examine how these benefits cascade through the dairy supply chain.

Where it begins: how farms can bring biodiversity back to life

Biodiversity is at the root of regenerative agriculture. Enhancing the variety of plants, animals and microorganisms within farm ecosystems strengthens the natural processes that underpin both environmental and agricultural resilience. Diverse landscapes support soil health and provide natural habitats for pollinators and wildlife – all of which help maintain the delicate balance between food production and ecosystem vitality. Improving biodiversity also plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change effects. Healthier soils enriched with organic matter can store more carbon, while trees, hedgerows and herb-rich pastures act as long-term carbon sinks.

A study conducted by the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) found that the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices in Europe could mitigate 141.3 million metric tonnes of CO2 per year, which equates to around 84% of the net greenhouse gas emissions within the EU agricultural sector. [5] Even better, the EARA predicted that after three to seven years of transition, the sector could become nature and climate positive.

FrieslandCampina Ingredients is part of a large dairy cooperative, where it works closely with its member farmers to safeguard biodiversity through a variety of regenerative agricultural methods that enhance soil and ecosystem resilience. For instance, lots of pastures have canals around the edges which is ideal for re-wilding. By letting everything within a two-meter radius of the canal grow naturally, farmers can support pollination, provide natural shelter for birds and a home for small animals. [6] Herb-rich grasslands are crucial here – not only are they great for soil quality [7], but they also provide cows with vital nutrients, including water-soluble carbohydrates, proteins, fibre, oils, minerals and vitamins. [8] By leveraging these processes, farms can deliver high-quality dairy produce alongside flourishing nature.

Together, these efforts demonstrate how biodiversity can be leveraged as a deliberate strategy for improving soil resilience, animal nutrition and the overall sustainability of dairy production.

From living soils to lasting supply

Traditional farming methods – such as monocropping and the use of heavy machinery and chemical inputs – have taken their toll on soil health over the years. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) now estimates that a third of the world’s soils are degraded. [9] Modern farming has also reduced the amount of carbon held in some soils. [10] This degradation not only threatens the planet’s ecosystems but also puts pressure on global food security. Without fertile, carbon-rich soils, the ability to produce sufficient, nutritious food for a growing population becomes increasingly uncertain.

Regenerative agriculture offers a path to reverse this trend. By rebuilding soil health, regenerative practices help restore fertility and create more resilient ecosystems. Healthier soils are better able to withstand extreme weather, pests and disease – reducing the risk of crop and feed shortages that can disrupt dairy supply chains. In this way, regenerative agriculture supports food security from the ground up. What’s more, this can lead to more stable prices and possible reductions in downstream costs for manufacturers. Therefore, taking a holistic approach to farming – for instance, considering factors such as biodiversity and soil quality – can have both environmental and economic benefits. In fact, research carried out by the EARA has found that a holistic approach could not only support climate resilience and food security but also improve economic returns for farmers and the food supply chain. [5]

Proof over promises: protecting trust in dairy

With no universally agreed definition of regenerative agriculture, the risk of greenwashing remains a challenge across the food and drink industry. This ambiguity creates confusion for farmers trying to implement meaningful practices, uncertainty for brands wanting to make credible claims and skepticism among consumers who have grown wary of empty environmental promises. To help address this, in March 2024 the European Union banned vague, generic environmental claims such as ‘green’ or ‘eco-friendly’ without demonstrated environmental performance. [11] This directive is due to be transposed into national law by March 2026. Similarly, in November 2024 the United Kingdom published
stricter standards for environmental marketing. Under the latest rules, absolute claims like ‘regenerative’, ‘nature-friendly’ and ‘sustainable’ can now only be used when backed by robust, verifiable evidence.

These regulatory shifts align with the demands of today’s consumers who are increasingly wary of vague or unsubstantiated claims and instead want measurable outcomes, credible data and clear communication. For dairy brands, this means transparency isn’t optional; it’s essential. Without transparent, data-backed claims, genuine regenerative efforts risk being dismissed as marketing spin. Dairy farms therefore need to embrace data-driven accountability to turn regenerative agriculture from a concept into measurable results and ultimately – verified claims.

Technology: turning regeneration into measurable progress

To help farmers and dairy brands avoid greenwashing scandals, technology is playing a vital role in transforming regenerative agriculture from an ambition into a data-driven reality. FrieslandCampina Ingredients has worked with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Rabobank on a cutting-edge biodiversity monitor specifically for dairy farms. The tool allows farmers to track biodiversity progress using metrics that align with guidelines from the FAO, including soil nitrogen and ammonia levels, as well as the population dynamics of insects and pollinators. Farmers can therefore quantify their impact, benchmark performance and make evidence-based decisions to enhance biodiversity. As part of this scheme, farmers who perform well on biodiversity also receive a financial incentive – further reinforcing the link between sustainability and business value. FrieslandCampina Ingredients
can then benchmark progress across farms, share best practices, and measure the tangible outcomes of regenerative agriculture at scale. By connecting biodiversity insights with real-world farming data, the dairy industry can build a collective knowledge base that turns ecological progress into measurable results.

The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative’s (SAI) Regenerative Agriculture Framework is also helping to take the ambiguity out of regenerative agriculture by using a more data-driven approach. It uses first-hand data from farmers to continuously improve, adapt and implement practices, aiming to increase adoption at scale and ensure outcomes are science-based and meaningful. Having more rigorous guidelines in place also makes it clearer for farmers to understand up-front how these practices could potentially lower operational costs in the long-term, by reducing chemical and water inputs, for example.

As technology continues to evolve, it is enabling greater traceability, transparency and trust across the dairy supply chain. From digital biodiversity monitoring to traceable emissions reporting, these tools are helping the industry prove that regeneration is more than a promise – it’s measurable progress towards a healthier planet.

What’s next?

Finally, regenerative dairy farming is getting the attention it deserves. The dairy industry, along with other sectors, has realised that we need to look after the ground beneath our feet and the nature that surrounds us to reduce our environmental footprint and work towards a more sustainable food system. Regenerative agriculture is an age-old practice that has quietly re-emerged as a possible solution to these challenges, providing a long-term sustainable approach to farming and a means to develop planet-first nutrition. This holistic approach requires collaboration, investment and an open mind, but it has the potential to have a lasting impact across the dairy supply chain
for generations to come.

By choosing milk from regenerative farms, brands can prove that better dairy is possible – for people and for the planet. In a world where transparency and accountability matter more than ever, regeneration offers a new narrative for growth: one built on measurable impact, restored ecosystems, and renewed consumer trust.

About the author
Kyle Brookmeyer is a dedicated advocate for more sustainable food systems. At FrieslandCampina Ingredients, Brookmeyer applies creative problem solving plus a collaborative and innovative mindset to multiple sustainability projects, including improving biodiversity and reducing emissions at the farm level to help shape the future of regenerative agriculture. kyle.brookmeyer@frieslandcampina.com

References

1. Innova, ‘Top Ten Trends’, 2022.
2. H Nie et al., Towards decarbonizing the supply chain of dairy industry: current practice and emerging strategies, Carbon Neutrality, 4(8), 2025.
3. Innova Market Insights, Sustainability trends: global market overview, 2024.
4. Regenified. Exploring Consumer Appetite for Regenerative Agriculture: A 2024 Consumer Trends Report, 2024: https://regenified.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Regenified-2024-Consumer-Report.pdf
5. EARA, Farmer-led Research on Europe’s Full Productivity, 2025.
6. E Cooledge et al., Agronomic and environmental benefits of reintroducing herb- and legume-rich multispecies leys into arable rotations: a review, Front. Agr. Sci. Eng, 9(2), 245-271, 2022.
7. D Montgomery at al., Soil health and nutrient density: preliminary comparison of regenerative and conventional farming, Environmental Science, PeerJ 10, 2022.
8. Soil Association, The benefits of feeding cows grass over grains, 2021.
9. United Nations, Evaluation at FAO [website accessed 250806], 2023.
10. British Society of Soil Science, Science Note: Soil Carbon [report], 2022.
11. Energy, Climate change, Environment. EU. New EU rules to empower consumers for the green transition enter into force (2024). Available at: https://energy.ec.europa.eu/news/new-eu-rules-empower-consumers-green-transition-enter-force-2024-03-27_en