Thriving Farms

Farmers play a vital role in the Company’s supply chain, not only as suppliers of the precious milk source for the Company’s products but also as stewards of the environment and as vital contributors to local communities. In addition, the humane treatment of cows is of the utmost importance. The Company is committed to working with and supporting farmers to enable them to improve the impact on the environment.

Our commitments

Animal welfare programme

Best practice standards for animal welfare on farms are central to the responsible sourcing of raw milk which naturally contains only the A2 protein and no A1.

The Company’s animal welfare programme meets globally recognised frameworks for Animal Health and is evolving from the Five Freedoms Model to the Five Domains Framework of animal welfare.

a2MC’s approach to animal welfare is to drive improvement, reduce risk and ensure farmers are welfare centric. This is achieved through the combination of increased audits, wider audit scope, milk monitoring, on-farm technology and training.

A number of extensions to the animal welfare programme were developed in FY22, supporting farmers to establish systems for continuous improvement in animal welfare and to further improve programmes beyond the industry standard.

Farm environmental plans
The Company has developed a global framework for farm environmental plans. The principles of the framework address the most material aspects of environmental management in the dairy industry:

— Lowering GHG emissions

— Managing water quality and efficiency

— Managing soil quality

— Boosting on-farm biodiversity

— Improving nutrient (effluent) management

Our targets


Farm environmental plans

  • 100% of farms supplying raw A1 protein free milk to have a farm environmental plan in place by the end of 2023

Animal welfare

  • 100% of farms to be certified under an upgraded programme by the end of 2023

Our impact

The a2™ Farm Sustainability Fund supports projects within the Company’s supply chain that demonstrate an integrated approach to a sustainable future and enable a positive and meaningful impact across the community and environment.

The a2 Milk Company has partnered with specialist agriculture organisations in New Zealand and Australia to administer the fund and support the assessment and progress of projects – Lincoln University, a specialist agriculture-based university in New Zealand; and Landcare Australia, a not-for-profit organisation focused on sustainable management of natural and productive landscapes in Australia.

The Company supports additional farming community specific programmes through:

  • Surfing for farmers
  • Bale up conference
  • NSW Women in Dairy

Copyright © 2023 The a2 Milk Company Limited

The a2 Milk Company respectfully acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we live, work, and operate. We pay our respect to Elders past and present. 

a2 Milk® is a trademark of The a2 Milk Company Limited

*A1 and A2 proteins refer to A1 and A2 beta-casein protein types