Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Swiss dairy association launches ‘sustainable milk’ standard

milk
Most criteria address cow welfare and animal feed. © Keystone / Martial Trezzini

From September 1, milk producers can use a new “Swissmilk Green” quality label if they meet ten basic criteria, including avoiding palm oil products in animal feed. 

The new standard will come into force along with a “Swiss Sustainable Milk Charter” that has already been signed by around 40 organisations in the dairy sector.  

Besides avoiding palm oil, dairy farmers must devote at least 7% of their farm’s productive area to activities designed to increase biodiversity. The new standard also requires meeting minimum criteria in the areas of training and development, climate, animal welfare and the use of antibiotics. 

Milk producers who meet the criteria will receive an additional three centimes per kilogram, said the Swiss dairy association on Tuesday. The objective is that all dairy products manufactured in Switzerland meet the new sector standard in the medium term. 

In addition to the “Swissmilk Green” standard, the dairy sector also presented a charter that outlines industry values. These include: animal welfare, a high proportion of grass in feed, sustainable dairy processing and transparent remuneration for farmers for their services in support of sustainable milk production. 


More


Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

No Swiss bank in phase with environmental objectives

More

Swiss banks failing environment, says WWF

This content was published on None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.

Read more: Swiss banks failing environment, says WWF
UNRWA provides emergency assistance to just over one million Palestine refugees, or about 75 per cent of all Palestine refugees in Gaza, who lack the financial means to cover their basic food.

More

Lazzarini: no alternative to UNRWA in Gaza

This content was published on The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.

Read more: Lazzarini: no alternative to UNRWA in Gaza

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR