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title: "Valio’s sustainability bonus encourages dairy farms to improve animal welfare and reduce the climate impact of milk production"
date: 2026-05-21
author: "Rosa Vihersalo"
featured_image: "https://www.valio.fi/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://cdn-wp.valio.fi/valio-wp-network/2026/05/Illallinen_kansallismaisemassa_S01_eps_008-1.jpg"
---

# Valio’s sustainability bonus encourages dairy farms to improve animal welfare and reduce the climate impact of milk production

Valio’s sustainability programme for primary production combines animal welfare, climate and environmental responsibility, and the continuous development of farms into one comprehensive framework. The sustainability bonus consists of a common base component for all producers, as well as voluntary measures that are supplemented every year.

The common base component is one cent per litre of produced milk. It requires that the dairy farmer belongs to the Naseva national bovine healthcare system, has a healthcare contract with a veterinarian, and maintains a regularly updated written healthcare plan with the veterinarian. The farm is also required to give Valio permission to view Naseva data to verify responsibility measures.

In addition, dairy farms can receive up to two cents extra per litre by choosing voluntary measures that promote sustainability. These measures include grazing for animals and arranging year-round outdoor access. In addition, farmers can earn one additional cent per litre of milk through carbon farming measures. The sustainability bonus can therefore go up to four cents per litre of produced milk. Of all Valio dairy farms, 96 per cent have adopted the voluntary sustainability measures.

‘The sustainability bonus is a significant incentive for our dairy farmers. It has an impact of more than EUR 60 million, and it covers all Valio dairy farmers – almost 80 per cent of the milk produced in Finland. In 2025, a Valio farm received an average sustainability bonus of more than € 18,000 per year,’ says **Ulf Jahnsson**, Valio’s Director of Primary Production.

### Cattle welfare assessment through Naseva as a new voluntary measure for organic farms

Since 1 May 2026, the selection of voluntary measures in the sustainability programme has been supplemented by the cattle welfare assessment, which is being piloted on organic farms. Other new measures include calf grazing and planning for natural grazing.

‘Cattle welfare assessment further strengthens the development of animal welfare in the sustainability work at Valio’s primary production, providing dairy farms with a new tool for systematic evaluation and development of welfare,’ says **Hanna Castro**, Valio’s development manager for primary production.

The latest animal welfare research, based on the Natural Resources Institute of Finland’s research and development work, was used to develop the welfare indicators. The welfare indicators will become part of Naseva and will utilise the information already in the system. The assessment itself is carried out by a third party.

‘The welfare assessment produces more accurate comparable information about cattle welfare than before and better supports on-farm development work. The indicators are based on a comprehensive assessment of animal welfare. They examine animal welfare from a variety of perspectives, including nutrition, environmental conditions, health, behaviour and social relationships, and the animals’ emotional state. What makes the indicators a powerful tool is that they help identify the areas where welfare can be further improved for each farm. The difference from other welfare indicators in use is that it also includes an assessment of small calf welfare,’ says Hanna Castro.

The Naseva system has long been a key part of animal health on Finnish cattle farms, helping verify sustainable practices. The system covers a majority of Finland’s dairy farms and aims to promote animal health and welfare, prevent infectious diseases, and support the responsible use of veterinary medicines. The new welfare measurement indicators complement the overall system by introducing a more accurate assessment of individual animals.

‘Valio’s sustainability bonus is a tangible way to introduce increasingly sustainable methods to everyday practice. When incentives are tied to both common basic standards and voluntary additional measures, dairy farms get to develop their operations step by step from their own perspectives.Cattle welfare indicators are a new way for dairy farms to make welfare work visible and verifiable. At the same time, it supports the transparency of the entire dairy chain and strengthens consumer, customer, and stakeholder confidence that responsibility is built on tangible measurable actions,’ says Ulf Jahnsson.