The farmer-owned co-operative's latest Impact Report highlights lower emissions, continued regenerative farming progress and investment in people and communities

First Milk has published its Impact Report for the year ending March 31, 2026, highlighting continued progress across its farming, environmental, people and community programmes, alongside a growing focus on independently measuring and demonstrating impact.

The farmer-owned co-operative reports its strongest annual reduction in farm carbon intensity to date, further growth in regenerative farming activity and continued progress in reducing emissions across the wider business. It also successfully recertified as a B Corp™ during the year and continued to invest in its people and communities.

Highlights from the 2026 Impact Report include:

• 8.2% reduction in farm carbon intensity, First Milk's strongest annual improvement to date and 15% below its 2021 baseline
• 3.8% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions across the First Milk business
• More than 96% of First Milk farmers participating in its regenerative farming programme, covering 99,206 hectares
• A record average Regen Score of 66, more than double the score when the programme began five years ago
• 100% of purchased electricity from certified renewable sources
• Successful B Corp™ recertification, with certification now covering the whole First Milk business
• More than 8,000 hours of colleague training completed during the year
• More than £17,000 raised for Prostate Cancer UK, First Milk's charity partner. 

On farm, average carbon intensity fell from 1.13 to 1.04kg CO2e per kg of fat and protein-corrected milk. In total, farmers have now identified 342,613 regenerative interventions and actions within their farm plans, including measures to improve soil health, increase plant diversity, protect watercourses and support biodiversity.

Building on the themes set out in its From Principles to Proof White Paper, published in June, the report highlights First Milk's growing focus on outcome measurement and independent science. The co-operative is working with the Carbon Trust to develop a Science Based Targets initiative roadmap, while a partnership with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology is developing practical ways to directly measure biodiversity on working dairy farms.

Water-risk mapping has also been rolled out across all First Milk farms, combining environmental mapping with nutrient-footprinting data to help identify where interventions can have the greatest impact on protecting water quality.

Animal welfare is another area of focus. During the year, First Milk developed a new Animal Welfare Policy, delivered practical training for members focused on low-stress cattle handling, and trialled AI-enabled monitoring to provide objective data on cow behaviour and welfare outcomes.

Meanwhile, Farm Carbon Toolkit modelling estimates that regenerative interventions planned by members for 2026 could sequester 264,828 tonnes CO2e, up from the 231,141 tonnes estimated from interventions reported in 2025. First Milk emphasises that these figures are modelled estimates rather than direct measurements. However, early results from its soil carbon re-measurement programme with Agricarbon are showing measurable gains in soil carbon, with higher levels of regenerative farming activity associated with greater increases. Further results are due in the coming months. 

Commenting on the Impact Report, Shelagh Hancock, Chief Executive of First Milk, said:

"This report shows encouraging progress across our co-operative, made possible by the commitment of our farmers and colleagues. An 8.2% reduction in farm carbon intensity is our strongest annual improvement yet, while we have also reduced emissions across the wider business, invested in our people and communities and successfully recertified as a B Corp.

"Our regenerative farming programme is about much more than carbon – encompassing soil health, water quality, nature and biodiversity. We're increasingly focused on building the evidence behind this work, moving beyond measuring what farmers do to better understand and demonstrate the outcomes those actions deliver.

"There is still much to learn, and the science will continue to develop. Our focus is on combining practical action with credible measurement, while continuing to invest in our people and communities, to build a resilient co-operative that creates long-term value for our members and leaves a positive legacy for future generations."