ABP Food Group has released its year two report on its £1.5m farmer-led programme aimed at helping beef and lamb producers cut their environmental impact.

PRISM 2030 was launched in 2022, and now involves over 300 farmers, each undergoing carbon footprint assessments and receiving advice from experts at The Andersons Centre and Harper Adams University.

ABP says the project aims to provide robust data to demonstrate the sustainability of British red meat, meeting growing consumer, retail and policy expectations.

With nearly half of shoppers willing to pay more for sustainable produce, ABP director of agriculture and sourcing Phil Hambling said the initiative “is about offering tools and insights” to improve environmental and business performance, while protecting animal welfare and biodiversity.

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“There’s been a lot of attention on livestock emissions, but it often overlooks the nuance of UK production systems,” Hambling, ABP’s

“British farms work within complex natural cycles, managing carbon, nutrients, biodiversity and animal welfare. PRISM 2030 is about collecting robust data and academic insight to tell an incredibly strong sustainability story so consumers and customers can stay confident in British red meat.”

The scheme also supports ABP’s wider progress, which includes using 100% renewable electricity, cutting plastic by 60% and reducing water use by 47%.

As around 90% of red meat’s carbon footprint comes from farms, the processor says working directly with producers is key to driving real change.