Mars pledges $27M USD for tools, technology and cash incentives to empower dairy farmers to reduce on-farm emissions

The Farmer Forward Program is a five-year investment the snacking company created in partnership with global dairy producer and longtime supplier Fonterra

• The initiative will provide funding for sustainability-focused tools and technology for around 2,000 farmers and pay about 165 farmers who meet ambitious sustainability targets a cash incentive averaging $15K USD per farmer per year.
• The program is projected to reduce Mars scope 3 emissions from dairy by over 150,000 metric tons by 2030 (against a 2015 baseline) — equivalent to removing more than 380 million miles from the road.*
• The dairy production involved in this new program could theoretically produce enough milk to make a whopping 20 billion SNICKERS bars every year.**
• The partnership is central to the company's ambition of cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 50%* by 2030 and achieving Net Zero by 2050.
  
  

CHICAGO, Feb. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Mars, Incorporated, is announcing a new program through its partnership with Fonterra, one of the world's largest dairy suppliers. Backed by a $27M USD, five-year investment, the Farmer Forward Program aims to empower dairy farmers to embrace climate-smart agriculture practices as Mars strives to slash greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 50% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline.

Approximately half of the investment will be allocated to providing funding for on-farm tools and technology to around 2,000 Fonterra dairy farmers. The remaining funds will go into the pockets of about 165 farmers each year who make the most progress against sustainability goals in amounts of up to $15K USD, on average, per farmer annually.

The Farmer Forward Program stretches across 26,000 hectares of farmland — equivalent to approximately 50,000 NFL football fields. To put that into perspective, the dairy production involved in this new program could theoretically produce enough milk to make a whopping 20 billion SNICKERS bars every year.** Through the program with Fonterra, Mars aims to cut a projected 150,000 metric tons of its scope 3 emissions from dairy by 2030 against a 2015 baseline.

This strategic program is a cornerstone of the multinational conglomerate's Moo'ving Dairy Forward initiative - a multimillion-dollar platform launched last year to drive investment in new technologies and partnerships to slash GHG emissions across the Mars global dairy supply chain. Dairy is the company's fourth-largest carbon footprint contributor—that means Mars can only achieve its ambitious sustainability goals with the help and partnership of dairy farmers.

"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 program," said Amanda Davies, Chief R&D, Procurement and Sustainability Officer, Mars Snacking. "Through this initiative, we're investing roughly $27 million 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." 

As a family-run business, Mars understands dairy farmers' desire to ensure the future of their farm for generations to come. Funding from Mars will incentivize farmers to not only accelerate emissions reductions but also empower them build resilient businesses for the future.

"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," said Charlotte Rutherford, Director of Sustainability, Fonterra. "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." 

More than 200,000 cows supply dairy for Mars' iconic confectionery brands, including M&M'S^® and SNICKERS^®. Yet, raw ingredients account for 65% of the total GHG emissions from Mars' snacking portfolio. Reducing these dairy-related emissions plays a significant part in meeting the greater sustainability ambitions outlined in the Mars Net Zero Roadmap to achieve net zero GHG emissions across the company's full value chain by 2050. At Mars, there's a shared belief that business can succeed even as the company works to create a healthier planet. As evidence of that, since 2015, Mars, Incorporated has decreased its GHG emission by 16% worldwide while increasing its global annual sales by 60% over the same timeframe. Learn more about the company's approach to sustainable dairy farming.

* Stat from the EPA Equivalency Calculator: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
** The legal people did ask us to make clear this is illustrative and the dairy from this program doesn't go into 20 billion Snickers Bars, but in fact several different Mars chocolate bars and snacks.

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED 

Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $50bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN^®, PEDIGREE^®, WHISKAS^®, CESAR^®, DOVE^®, EXTRA^®, M&M'S^®, SNICKERS^® and BEN'S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH^® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles — Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom — inspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Contact: Callie Noakes, [email protected]

SOURCE Mars, Incorporated