Boreal’s new varieties reduce agriculture’s carbon footprint

A farmer can reduce their carbon footprint by switching from old varieties to Boreal’s newest ones. This is the conclusion of Boreal’s 2023 emission calculation, which assessed the carbon handprint of breeding work in timothy and six‑row barley.

The carbon handprint represents the positive climate impact of Boreal‑bred varieties in the food chain. Since most Finnish grain and forage crops are grown with Boreal varieties, the impact is nationwide.

CEO Markku Äijälä explains: “The reduction in carbon emissions enabled by new varieties is possible through increased yield, improved reliability and better quality. Production becomes more efficient when higher and better-quality yields are produced on the same area with fewer inputs.”

First‑ever calculation of Boreal’s breeding handprint

The study by Envitecpolis Oy compared emissions if today’s crops were still grown with early 1990s varieties. Results:

• Current timothy varieties → 11% lower emissions
• Current barley varieties → 31% lower emissions

“This means today’s barley yield could be produced with 50,000 ha less land, and timothy with 60,000 ha less land than 30 years ago.”

If development continues similarly, by 2052:

• timothy emissions 22%
• barley emissions could decrease 11%

“Producing the same barley and timothy in 30 years could require 140,000 ha less land — freeing land for e.g. grass‑based beef production,” Äijälä says.

Carbon handprint exceeds Boreal’s carbon footprint

Boreal’s 2023 emissions: 2281 t CO₂e, 7% less than 2021.

Over half come from:

• field trials
• seed production

→ Core operations with limited reduction potential. But the carbon handprint can scale indefinitely.

Boreal has 10 other crop species not yet included in calculations — all potential contributors to emission reduction.

Current calculation includes only yield‑increase effects, though breeding produces many other climate benefits:

• better timothy digestibility → reduced methane
• improved disease resistance → less pesticide use
• better quality → less waste, more efficient processing

These will be quantified later as research progresses.