HKScan : Dairy Farm in Tvååker, Sweden, wins HKScan’s Environmental Prize

HKScan Oyj Mar 22, 2017 3:00 PM

The Lindeberg brothers have been chosen as the winners of this year's environmental prize awarded by HKScan. Environmental work on farms is an important part of HKScan's CR work (Corporate Responsibility), which covers all aspects of sustainability, animal care, social and economic responsibility as well as the environment. Among the goals of the newly launched environmental prize is to drive development in the environmental field.

This year's winners of the HKScan environmental prize are Fredrik and Mattias Lindeberg, who run a milk and meat farm in Tvååker, Halland. Olof Lars AB Production has 770 dairy cows and also rears heifers. The brothers farm 1,000 hectares of land where they grow crops such as grassland, maize, beans and cereals. The farm is self-sufficient in roughage and cereals, but outsources its protein feed and HP silage mass.

The jury's justification

The jury, whose members include Göran Holm, EVP HKScan Scandinavia, Annelie Lundell, CR and quality director of HKScan Sweden and Nina Ekelund from the Haga Initiative, declared the brothers and Gården Olof Lars AB winners of HKScan's 2016 environmental prize for suppliers, adding the following justification:

'Gården Olof Lars AB run a dairy and meat enterprise that protects the environment. The farm has implemented a number of energy-saving measures such as heat recovery, lighting timers and reduced fuel consumption. In their crop management the brothers have embraced modern technology to enable them to adapt nitrogen fertilizers, thereby reducing the problem of over-fertilization and avoiding the use of more pesticides than is necessary. Reducing the use of soymeal in feed by producing their own bean-based protein feed protects the environment both in Sweden and South America and eliminates unnecessary transport.

Gården Olof Lars AB demonstrates that integrated milk and meat production is efficient and produces beef with minimal impact on the climate. The Lindeberg brothers are pioneers in their industry and set a good example for other meat producers in contributing to positive climate and environmental development'.

Good examples of environmental work

HKScan's environmental prize has important symbolic and motivational value driving forward positive development. With its environmental prize HKScan wants to highlight good examples of animal suppliers that have made encouraging progress in areas such as energy consumption, reduced wastage or other consumption of resources, reduced over-fertilization, increased biodiversity or anything else relating to the question of climate in general.

'We are pleased that so many entrants submitted material and wished to cooperate, and we are impressed at the efforts being made on our farms,' says Torbjörn Lithell, Animal Sourcing Manager of HKScan Sweden.

The other two farms nominated as finalists for this year's environmental prize, both of which deserved merit for their fine environmental work are:

Sara and Marcus Toreld, Grimslättsgård in Fjällbacka. This organic farm produces lambs and suckler cows. The owners consider jointly both farming and environmental aspects resulting in quality production. The jury was impressed by their holistic approach and the sound balance they have achieved between livestock farming and the environment. The grazing animals maintain the open landscapes and preserve the area's rich biological variety.

Johan Thuresson, Löderup gris and Martin Andersson, Löderup Växt AB. The farms produce pigs for fattening, pot-belly pigs, suckler cows and crops. Löderup Växt AB has implemented a long list of measures that are significant to the environment related to energy efficiency, green electricity, eco driving, water consumption, pesticide and nitrogen. Its natural pasturelands are included under Natura 2000 and contribute to preserving biodiversity. The jury regards Löderup gris and Löderup Växt AB as pioneers in this work.