Animal welfare in the farms and reduction of environmental impact
The goal
Raise certification standards
Animal welfare on the farm and reduction of environmental impact is the daily commitment of the farmers in the Italian Granarolo-Granlatte supply chain. We guarantee the health and respect of animals and have decided to raise the standards of animal welfare certification. At the same time we work in the fields and stables to reduce the CO2 generated. From this commitment, two main sub-objectives arise:
To further improve animal welfare in the already certified Granarolo-Granlatte dairy farms, reducing the environmental impact of the farms.
To manage the use of veterinary drugs with a view to reducing them and improving therapeutic effectiveness.
2023 Actions
Our commitment
To the qualitative and animal welfare indicators, which have been measured for years and are the subject of a continuous improvement project reported annually, will be added actions geared toward reducing the environmental impact generated by the barn. In particular, working on dairy cattle feeding, animal welfare and drug reduction, Agriculture 4.0, management of energy and water sources on the farm, and the circular economy of animal husbandry, leveraging a systems approach.
Institutions involved
Farmers
Veterinarians
Our actions
• Animal welfare training meetings with farmers have been held (issues examined: feed and herd management) and related audits performed.
• Granlatte started to take part in the Dairy Sustainability Framework activities – an international dialogue platform for dairy companies working together to find sustainable solutions.
• The Granarolo Sustainable Transition was launched and is developed along four main corner pillars:
> animal nutrition – because working on nutrition can lead to a reduced environmental impact;
> reduction of the environmental impact of milk production;
> optimisation of agronomic practices for CO₂ capture.
Our projects
• Animal welfare training meetings with farmers have been held (issues examined: feed and herd management) and related audits performed.
• Granlatte started to take part in the Dairy Sustainability Framework activities – an international dialogue platform for dairy companies working together to find sustainable solutions.
• The Granarolo Sustainable Transition was launched and is developed along four main corner pillars:
> animal nutrition – because working on nutrition can lead to a reduced environmental impact;
> reduction of the environmental impact of milk production;
> optimisation of agronomic practices for CO₂ capture.
Out of these 10, construction work on the first 3 new agricultural biomethane plants began on October 16, 2023, in the provinces of Mantua, Brescia, and Cremona.
In summary, there are three significant contributions expected from the production process of these new plants:
- A significant reduction in energy costs.
- The production of biomethane, in gaseous or liquefied form, which can be partially or fully used by stakeholders in the supply chain by connecting to the national grid, replacing a significant portion of internal consumption of fossil methane.
- The production of digestate, a valuable fertilizer that will provide important support to the agricultural sector. Currently, due to the sharp increase in prices, the agricultural sector is forced to purchase fertilizers at enormous costs. The digestate will be distributed on the lands of contributing agricultural companies, replacing chemical fertilizers. It will be strategically placed and valued in organic farming and according to the best agronomic and environmental practices through a centralized collection and distribution activity. For a single medium-sized plant, it is estimated to produce 3,000,000 mc of biogas, with a projected CO₂ equivalent saving of about 6,000 tons and 50,000 tons of digestate.
United under the banner of the circular economy to produce clean energy and fertilizers from agricultural and agro-industrial by-products.
For more information, please visit: https://www.gruppogranarolo.it/media-room/comunicati-stampa/granarolo-e-cgbi-uniti-nel-segno-dell-economia-circolare

Positive impacts
Close cooperation with farmers and veterinarians on the one hand and with the Technical-Scientific Committee on the other hand improves animal welfare conditions and reduces the environmental impact of the farm, resulting in an improvement in udder health (less somatic cells) and psycho-physical conditions of the animal, an excellent level of milk quality and a product that respects nature and the health of all consumers.
Projects to protect biodiversity
Granarolo is also the first company to obtain “Approved By Conapi Bees”, the sustainability standard for bee-friendly companies, the first voluntary environmental protocol drawn up by Conapi together with the inspection and certification agency CCPB.
Find out more

The sea is an ally in combating the climate crisis and planetary warming. The Pact with the Sea, promoted by the University of Pollenzo and endorsed by Granarolo, helps us better understand our most important resource—the only natural capital capable of ensuring well-being and sustainability for our present and future lives. The Pact with the Sea is a commitment against water pollution, the culture of waste, and disposal, as the sea can no longer be the Earth's dump. The pact is a dedication to protect its biodiversity because we are part of a single system.
Together, we will strive to raise awareness, protect, and conserve marine biodiversity—a fundamental resource for safeguarding human well-being.
In 2023, Granarolo, along with other strategic partners of the University of Pollenzo, several universities and research institutions, and its ambassador, the multi-champion swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri, signed the Pact with the Sea. They have developed a series of actions aimed at giving concrete value to the commitment made, precisely in what may be the driest year of the last decades.
For more information: Pact with the Sea.
