Kepak’s flagship meat processing site in Merthyr has been praised for its sustainability efforts by a leading international expert in carbon reduction.
The company, which supplies prime cuts of meat across the UK and internationally, has been on a sustainable mission to reduce the carbon footprint of its Merthyr Tydfil site. The site has significantly reduced their emissions and the team have 14 energy and water projects in the pipeline, the site is also home to a wind turbine, which delivered 1,726,354kWh in wind electricity last year, providing enough energy to power a large estate of approximately 400 households for 12 months.
The Merthyr business is also conserving native wildflower meadows with nearly 4000 square meters on the perimeter of the site
Kepak’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed in the environmental community. Upon her visit earlier this month, lamb production carbon footprint expert Dr Holland Dougherty was impressed by how the business engages its farmer suppliers and constantly looks for innovative ways to be more sustainable.
Following a factory tour by members of the Kepak agriculture and operational teams, Dr Dougherty visited Greenway Farm to learn more about on-farm efficiencies of Welsh lamb production, how Kepak imparts knowledge to its partners on encouraging and influencing them to adapt sustainable farming methods, and their training for farmers on beef and lamb selection.
Dr Dougherty said: “I am very grateful to Kepak Merthyr for their hospitality. I was very impressed by the operations and the staff that I spoke with during my visit. The visit has been very influential in my thinking on how we can use some of the approaches used by Kepak on my return to Australia. Their insights will help to develop targeted solutions to improve efficiency and sustainability and to highlight the unique role ruminants play in a sustainable world food supply.”
Chris Jones, Kepak Merthyr Site Manager said: “We were delighted to host Dr Dougherty at Kepak Merthyr. The visit was an opportunity for us to share the knowledge and experience we at Kepak have on the environment, herd health, animal welfare and best practice from farm to factory. We look forward to this continued collaboration between Kepak Merthyr and Dr Dougherty to ensure the safe-guarding of Welsh lamb production for the next generation.”
