What is feed additive Bovaer and why has it sparked controversy?

Shoppers claim to have boycotted dairy products after a new trial was announced across UK farms to use a specific feed additive.

Bovaer has been approved and is considered safe by the Food Standards Agency in the UK, the EFSA in the EU, and more than 68 countries worldwide.

It is a feed supplement which reduces methane in cows, allowing farmers, dairy providers, and retailers to reduce their greenhouse gas footprint.

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Major UK retailers such as Morrisons, Tesco and Aldi have collaborated with Arla Foods for the trial across 30 UK farms.

The National Farmers Union said regulatory and scientific trials have taken place over the last 15 years, demonstrating that Bovaer “does not pose a risk to health for consumers or animals”.

The owner of Danish butter brand Lurpak defended the decision to be involved in the trial.

Meanwhile, Swiss-Dutch company DSM-Firmenich – which created Bovaer – said there had been “mistruths and misinformation” about it.

Swathes of British shoppers on Friday joined an online storm calling for a boycott of Arla brands, especially Lurpak, with several accusing it of going “woke”.

“Just chucked my Lurpak in the bin,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Another said: “Happy to consume dairy products from smaller, independent farms who are not party to these mad practices.”

Many said the additive was being put into the milk itself – rather than into the feed of the cows producing it – and others implied that tech billionaire Bill Gates was involved – a figure regularly mentioned in connection with conspiracy theories.

One user wrote: “I’ve used Lurpak for years. I’m not prepared to further them anymore if they are adding this chemical to milk which they use to make their product it’s completely wrong on all levels in my view forcing this on us.”

Another said: “Lurpak I used to buy your product but will now stop since you are now using Bill Gates poison in your foods.”

We have just announced a new project with @Morrisons, @Tesco and @AldiUK to trial the use of feed additive, Bovaer® on ~30 Arla farms. Bovaer® can reduce emissions from cows by 27%, and this represents an amazing chance to reduce emissions on farm. #agriculture #climate pic.twitter.com/XaGmopwVJg
— Arla Foods UK (@ArlaFoodsUK) November 26, 2024

DSM-Firminech clarified the Microsoft co-founder is not involved in the Arla trial nor Bovaer more widely.

In a joint comment, Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco said: “Through collaboration as part of Arla’s FarmAhead Customer Partnership, we have the ability to address some of the climate challenges facing our food system. It is this collective approach that is really going to make a difference.

“Being involved in using a feed additive is a great way of testing out where we can drive change at scale to bring down emissions.”

What do farmers think about Bovaer?

The National Farmers Union said it has “played an active role in a government-led roundtable focused on methane inhibitors” in recent years.

NFU Dairy Board chair Paul Tompkins said it had been “comforting” to see the depth of feeling customers share with farmers when it comes to food quality.

He added: “While new FSA-approved products could be useful tools in helping to reduce methane emissions and supporting sustainable supply chains in the UK, questions do still remain linked to long-term efficacy, how they can be used practically and effectively on different farm systems, cost and, importantly, consumer buy-in.

“This latest trial, on a product which has already been approved by the Food Standards Agency as safe for consumers, could help provide some of this evidence.

“Although previous Defra research has shown that shoppers are generally positive towards methane-suppressing products, if it can be demonstrated that human and animal health are not affected, the level of attention methane inhibitors have received over the last week has been a valuable reminder that we must tread the path towards sustainability with care and wider engagement.

“British farmers have a huge amount to offer when it comes to producing climate-friendly food and it is important the supply chain and government continues to work with us to enable informed decision-making on GHG emissions-reducing techniques.”

The National Farmers Union said it has 'played an active role in a government-led roundtable focused on methane inhibitors'. — The National Farmers Union said it has ‘played an active role in a government-led roundtable focused on methane inhibitors’. iStock

Andrew Barraclough, Arla Farmer owner and one of those involved in using Bovaer comments: “Working on initiatives that help reduce our impact on the environment is something that I am extremely passionate about.

“We know that feed additives have a lot of potential in helping us to reduce emissions, but they can be expensive, which adds to the overall cost in producing milk.

“Farmers are trying to accelerate the transition to more sustainable dairy farming, but we can’t do it alone. It’s why collective initiatives like this between Arla and its customers are so important for farmers – we need the wider industry to come together and support us if we are going to drive change.”

Arla Foods UK agricultural director Paul Dover said rolling out the additive at scale will “not be easy due to the cost involved”.

He added: “We know that reducing methane is a big opportunity when it comes to improving our carbon footprint at farm level and feed additives like Bovaer have huge potential in helping us tackle this issue.

“It’s important we understand more about their usage potential and then work together with the industry, government and our partners to support farmers if we want to harness the opportunity they present in driving down emissions.”