Tillamook County Creamery Association, a Certified B Corporation, announced yesterday its commitment to various net zero climate action goals by 2050. The company seeks to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality, optimize water use efficiency while maximizing recycling, and improve water quality by optimizing the use of manure and nutrients.
To further ensure the company stays on track for these goals, Tillamook set up a milestone of 30 percent reduction in Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Together, all three scopes cover the company’s impact on direct processes within the purview of the company, as well as operations that occur externally because of Tillamook’s actions.
"At TCCA, our farmers operate with the next generation in mind," said Paul Snyder, EVP of stewardship at Tillamook, in a statement. "Since our founding in 1909, our farmer-owners have built everything with a long-term outlook to ensure that farms and communities are here for generations to come. That's why being good stewards of cows and farms, of people and products, of our communities and the environment, is central to everything we do."
As part of the company’s climate action plan, which defines the strategies necessary to achieve the net zero goal, Tillamook will make many improvements and modifications to its operations, including:
• Increase energy efficiency
• Invest in renewable energy
• Transition to a sustainable fleet of transportation vehicles
• Reduce food waste
• Innovate and implement manure additives to reduce methane emissions
• Install dairy biodigesters to upcycle manure waste
• Minimize enteric emissions, cow burps that are exacerbated by their diets
• Focus on regenerative agriculture practices
"Our Climate Action Plan is a roadmap–not a GPS. Implementation will require perseverance and continued collaboration across our cooperative and externally with our supply chain and customers," said Snyder. "While we don't have all the answers, we do have a dedication to continuous Improvement, a challenger mindset, and inspiration from our farmers that will help protect and preserve our ecosystems now and for future generations."
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