Farmlands - Backing a more sustainable rural sector

Backing farmers through sustainable progress

Farmlands Co-operative, Te Whenua Tāroa, is a New Zealand agricultural co-operative with a clear purpose: to improve profitability and productivity for Kiwi farmers and growers. Sustainability isn't a side project. It's part of strengthening the long-term resilience of the rural sector, from stores and mills to fleets and supply chains.

The results so far:

• Scope 1 and 2 emissions: down 33.8% from a 2019 baseline, certified through Toitū Envirocare.
• Agricultural plastics: 98 tonnes recycled through Agrecovery.
• Electricity use: down 5% (350,000 kWh).
• Solar and energy solutions: Farmlands have installed LED lighting in stores and over the past 12 months 105 Farmlands FLEX installs have been rolled out to farmers & growers.

"Understanding your sustainability impact goes beyond measurement — it enables organisations to identify meaningful efficiencies while contributing to sector-wide progress toward a lower emission future."

Charlotte Archer, ESG & Sustainability Analyst at Farmlands

Laying the foundations for change

Before Toitū Envirocare, Farmlands had no consistent, independently verified way to measure its climate impact — at a time when the regulatory and market expectations on farmers were climbing fast.

Partnering with Toitū gave Farmlands credible emissions data and a trusted framework for better decision-making, clearer long-term planning, and a defined pathway to reduce emissions

From measurement to action

Farmlands earned Toitū Carbon Reduce certification in 2019, and used the framework to set short-term Scope 1 and 2 reduction targets.

The early work focused on fleet efficiency and cutting electricity use through solar installation and LED upgrades across sites. Beyond their own emissions, they tightened the supply chain through vendor consolidation and route optimisation.

They also grew sustainable options for customers, including Farmlands FLEX and invested in Agrecovery to give farmers free, accessible recycling and keep resources in use for longer.

Driving measurable results

The Toitū journey shows how solid emissions measurement turns into real operational and environmental gains. As of FY25, Farmlands has cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 33.8% from its 2019 baseline, verified under ISO 14064-aligned methodologies — the result of targeted work across fleet, freight and energy. Electricity use dropped 5% (350,000 kWh). Waste to landfill fell 19%, driven by better recycling and efficiency gains at their manufacturing mills.

Beyond their own operations, Farmlands supported the recycling of 98 tonnes of agricultural plastic through Agrecovery, and kept building transparency across value-chain emissions.

And while operational emissions have come down sharply, Farmlands widened their Scope 3 measurement — for a fuller, more honest picture of their value-chain footprint.

Building a lower-emissions future

Farmlands is now focused on bringing it all together: emissions reduction, on-farm recycling, responsible sourcing, and low-emission technology across their operations and member offerings.

With targets reset on a growth-aligned basis, they're working to scale the impact — and back a more resilient, lower-emissions rural economy.

"Farmlands is focused on measuring what truly matters — not just for their business, but for the wider agri sector. By improving operational efficiency, they’re reducing costs and building resilience, so they can weather global uncertainty and continue backing the farmers who matter most."

Uttam Floray, Senior Programme Lead at Toitū Envirocare