Friesland­Campina supports CO2 reduction on dairy farms with 100% renewable diesel

Photo: FrieslandCampina

The Netherlands-based FrieslandCampina announced March 30 that it is taking another step to further improve sustainability across the dairy chain.  

Through a collaboration with Future Fuels, a fuel supplier also based in the Netherlands, member dairy farmers can now more easily switch to 100 percent renewable diesel, also known as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO100).  

This fuel emits up to 90 percent less CO2 than conventional diesel. 

Reducing greenhouse-gas emissions in the dairy chain requires a mix of measures.  

On their farms, dairy farmers can work on feed, manure and herb-rich grasslands, for example.  

Using renewable diesel is a measure that can be implemented without making changes to farm operations.  

The fuel can be used in existing agricultural machinery without any adjustments and delivers immediate CO2 reduction. 

Promoting the use of renewable diesel is part of a partnership between FrieslandCampina and Future Fuels.  

For a period of one year, member dairy farmers can purchase the fuel at a fixed price.  

The data required to demonstrate emission reductions is processed automatically so that the results are included in Foqus planet, FrieslandCampina’s sustainability program.  

Through Foqus planet, member dairy farmers are rewarded for their sustainability efforts, such as lowering their emissions. 

“Switching to HVO100 is a practical way for dairy farmers to reduce emissions—without needing investments or technical adjustments,” said Matthijs Reedijk of Future Fuels. “Thanks to our collaboration with Neste, producer of high‑quality HVO100, we can offer farmers a reliable fuel that not only realizes CO2 reduction but also makes daily work on the farm easier—machinery starts more smoothly, engines run quieter and cleaner. These are benefits farmers will notice straight away in their day‑to‑day work.” 

Sanne Griffioen, director of farm sustainability at FrieslandCampina, added, “Our ambition is clear—further reduce the climate impact of our chain. Sustainable choices become even more powerful when they are both practical and financially attractive. The first hundred dairy farms have already made the switch, and we hope many more will follow soon.” 

Switching to renewable diesel contributes to FrieslandCampina’s climate targets. 

The CO2 footprint of milk production has already fallen significantly in recent years, partly due to the use of green electricity.  

In 2025, around 4 percent of total farm emissions came from energy use, mainly diesel consumption.  

Although this share may seem small, the scale of the cooperative can make a big difference.  

If 1,000 dairy farmers switch to HVO100, this is expected to deliver around 200,000 tons of CO2 reduction. 

Member dairy farmers interested in participating can register via Melkweb.