How can co-operative milk production become more sustainable? The Spanish SPI, led by Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España, is reflecting on this question, focusing, above all, on the decarbonisation of the cooperative dairy sector. One of the most relevant aspects being worked on in this regard is the reduction of the carbon footprint of milk production. However, given that the Spanish dairy sector is considered a vulnerable group competing at low prices with a product that is a global commodity, it is essential to analyse in depth the economic, social and environmental sustainability of milk production.

Through the SPI, a transversal dialogue will be established with dairy farmers and cooperatives from different Spanish regions, dairy market agents (representatives of sector associations, retail representatives, etc.), policy makers and representatives of the academic and research world. One year ago, the first meeting took place in which these experts discussed at length the constraints to achieving the decarbonisation of the dairy sector and the critical points on which action should be taken to overcome them. The following were identified in a more consensual and relevant way: the need to raise awareness and train farmers and technicians, the convenience of a regulatory framework adapted to the dairy sector with agreed objectives and progressive application, and that all of this should be accompanied by actions aimed at harmonising and standardising the measurement and certification of the carbon footprint, developing monitoring and interpretation techniques.

In this sense, given the sector’s assertion that the future of progress towards decarbonisation depend on what political decision-makers and distribution dictate, the participants in this session agreed that the entire chain must be involved in this issue and that producers must not stop working in this direction, placing value on their actions.

Any change will require progressiveness and technical know-how, such as that which cooperatives can provide. Cooperatives are therefore challenged from two points of view: firstly, how to help their farmers along this path and, secondly, as market players, competing for ‘brand prestige’, which also incorporates the element of sustainability and can provide access to or block certain marketing channels.