Net Carbon Zero Science | Silver Fern Farms

Net Carbon Zero by Nature*

'Net Carbon Zero by Nature'* is New Zealand's first certified grass-fed, end-to-end Net Carbon Zero range, where the equivalent of 100% of end-to-end emissions have been absorbed by trees growing within the farms where the animals we're raised. We are using whole-of farm thinking to utilize all woody vegetation on farms to provide positive benefit.

Silver Fern Farms are supporting and incentivizing our farmers to protect, restore and add to the amount of native bush and tree plantings – gullies, riparian areas, fence lines, summer shade and shelter belts, so that our farm environments are better able to capture carbon, and become more biodiverse.

What is ‘Net Carbon Zero by Nature’*?

'Net Carbon Zero by Nature' means that the total emissions generated by each pound of this range sold, need to be balanced to net zero, by actively growing permanent vegetation (removals) occurring on the group of farms that supply the product.

To achieve and maintain our Net Carbon Zero by Nature certification, these emissions and removals need to be independently measured and verified, from plate to pasture and we need to commit to reducing these emissions over time.

Certification Consumers Can Trust

Our Net Carbon Zero by Nature* range is a Toitū net carbonzero certified production system and lifecycle. This means Silver Fern Farms range is verified to the International Standards Organization ISO 14067: Greenhouse gases - Carbon footprint of products - Requirements and guidelines for qualification. Toitū Envirocare is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading, independent climate performance certifier.

To enable us to do this, we measure all stages of product emissions from the birth of an animal right through to how a consumer cooks the product and disposes of packaging.

To balance out those product emissions, we use satellite technology and machine learning to help us identify on-farm permanent vegetation that is absorbing the equivalent amount of Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere. We contract and purchase this carbon from farmers to account for all of the emissions associated with the range produced and being sold as Net Carbon Zero by Nature*. This approach rewards our farmers, who as well as producing top quality product, are actively caring for the land through their environmental management practices.

Whole-Of-Farm Thinking

Whole-of-farm thinking is not just about accounting for, or focusing on reducing emissions, but creating farm environments that are better able to capture carbon and are more biodiverse.

Our approach to producing a Net Carbon Zero by Nature* range is to support and incentivize our farmers to protect, restore and add to the amount of native bush and tree plantings. It is a way of respecting and caring for the land that is reflected in the health and happiness of our animals.

FAQ

Emissions

Producing meat creates emissions - our farming systems emit greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous dioxide. We know from the lifecycle analysis of our products that most of the emissions from a pound of meat come from on farm. These are mostly due to naturally occurring biogenic greenhouse gases like methane that occur when ruminant animals turn grass into meat.

Sequestration

Woody vegetation, and vegetation generally relies on Carbon Dioxide to grow – it removes it from the air around it and converts that into food to enable it to keep growing. Faster growing, healthy vegetation removes more Carbon Dioxide than slower growing, mature trees.