By choosing to grow organic products at AUGA farms, we are already reducing our environmental footprint. We apply min-till farming technologies that preserve the natural biodiversity of the soil, and we are currently developing a closed-loop model, using waste from other agricultural activities. We are also using green electricity. However, we understand that this is not enough to deliver food with no cost to nature.
We are on a sustainability journey to radically reduce emissions for each of our products and achieve climate neutrality by 2030. We want to tell you how we are doing this.
Grain products
AUGA organic farms grow a variety of grains, which are used to produce AUGA grain products: wheat, rye, and spelt flour, oatmeal, and flavoured porridge. The farms comply with the necessary organic standards – plants are fertilised only with natural fertilisers, no pesticides or other chemicals are used.
However, this is not enough to make the entire food production chain, which today is responsible for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, more sustainable. For change to happen, AUGA is creating innovative technologies that will allow to grow crops needed for grain products with no cost to nature.
Today, regenerative crop rotation is used on our farms. It differs from usual crop rotation (periodic change of 2–3 cultures each year) in that cereal crops (wheat, barley, oats, rye) are replaced by perennial grasses (such as alfalfa or clover) or leguminous crops (such as peas, beans, soy), capable of fixing nitrogen in the soil. This approach reduces the need for organic fertilisers, which also cause emissions.
In 2021, AUGA introduced the hybrid biomethane and electric AUGA M1 tractor for professional use, which will allow more sustainable crop production. It allows to work the land without using fossil fuels, while saving up to 30% of total operating emissions. We plan that as early as 2022 these tractors will be used on AUGA farms and significantly contribute to a more sustainable food production chain.
Eggs
The AUGA poultry farm, located in Lithuania, grows organic egg laying hens. Mobile poultry yards are located on the AUGA farm, where hens can wander freely around a meadow. Every 2–3 months, the poultry yards are moved to fresh grassland in order to protect the hens from diseases. Antibiotics are not used for rearing the birds, hens are given organic feed grown on AUGA farms.
AUGA works on a closed-loop basis, using up all the waste generated in our other activities. Hen manure is used to fertilise the crop farms. AUGA protects nature, so hen farms use renewable electricity from on-site solar and wind turbines.
In addition, waste from poultry farming is used to produce biogas from which biomethane is then made. The latter is used as fuel for hybrid tractors made by AUGA and developed for mass production.