Coles has announced that 100 Coles dairy farms around the country will share in $1.45 million in grants.
As part of the newly developed Dairy Farm Sustainability Accelerator Fund, grants of up to $50,000 have been awarded to Coles’ direct sourcing dairy farmers to drive innovation and fund projects which invest in animal welfare, solar energy, and infrastructure improvements.
Coles General Manager Dairy, Freezer and Convenience Brad Gorman says the retailer wants to give its direct sourcing dairy farmers opportunities to invest in research and projects which boosts sustainable farming and drives innovation.
“There are dozens of impressive, farmer-led projects that will focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving soil nutrients and quality, water management, biodiversity and animal welfare. We’re very excited to see the impact of these initiatives,” he says.
“We look forward to working with our farmers and learning how much of a difference these projects will make to their operations and to the environment as they evolve and establish.”
Coles dairy farmers and grant recipients Benjamin and Melissa Holloway will use the funds to help install an 80kw solar roof system on their farm in Victoria’s southwest. The system will be a significant addition to the Holloway’s existing roof solar system, providing their farm an extra 106,000kw a year in clean, renewable energy.
Victorian Coles dairy farmers the Parkinsons, are also grant recipients and will use the funds from Coles to support the construction of a 100ML mega dam on one of their properties.
Other projects to receive grants include:
- The development and upgrade of eight portable shade shelters and the planting of tree shelter belts around a West Australian farm to provide the cattle with additional, flexible shade areas.
- The construction of a new methane catchment pond, a system that captures landfill methane in pipes and reproduces clean energy, supporting an eastern Victorian farm’s carbon neutral targets.
- Touch screens to be installed across a farm in southwest Victoria, allowing staff greater access to herd management information.
- An upgrade of an open channel irrigation system which is set to save approximately 20% of water on a Western Australian farm.
- The installation of two additional rainwater tanks at a NSW farm, increasing fresh water supply to calf sheds and adding greater water storage capacity.
