NEW YORK – A global initiative led by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to expedite a shift to climate-smart dairy has two more companies working toward the cause.

EDF announced the two newest members of the Dairy Methane Action Alliance (DMAA) are West Coast dairy brand Clover Sonoma and international coffee shop chain Starbucks.

As part of the initiative, companies commit by the end of 2024 to annually account and publicly disclose methane emissions within their respective dairy supply chains. Each company also pledges to create and implement a comprehensive methane action plan.

EDF brought together global food corporations Bel Group, Danone, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Lactalis USA and Nestlé to form the alliance in December 2023.

The environmental nonprofit shared that Starbucks’ plan will address emissions in regions where its milk suppliers operate.

Katie Anderson, EDF senior director, business, food and forests, said the alliance now has “an even wider array of dairy sector players,” showing the movement toward more action.

“Dairy is responsible for nearly 10% of global human-caused methane emissions, which uniquely positions companies that source dairy and the farmers in their supply chains to make a profound impact toward global climate targets,” Anderson said. “Collective action on methane today will avoid the worst impacts of climate change — and we’ll see the difference in our lifetimes. All players in the global dairy supply chain have a leading role to play.”

Petaluma, Calif.-based Clover Sonoma’s senior director of sustainability, regulatory and quality, Michael Benedetti, said the regional dairy brand is committed to its local communities and network of family farm partners, and it “strives to maximize positive outcomes for the planet, people and animals.”

“Since well before it was a buzzword, our farmers have been implementing regenerative farming and innovations to foster long-term sustainability and resiliency,” Benedetti said. "Joining the Dairy Methane Action Alliance is an important next step in our ongoing work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to sharing our learnings, such as our successful past work on methane mitigation, while learning from others in the industry as we work toward this critical common goal."

Angela Anderson, director of Starbucks sustainable dairy, said the company was excited to join DMAA and collaborate across industries on solutions.

“As a company, we're committed to supporting farmers as we work together to reduce emissions across our dairy supply chain,” Anderson said.

Through the DMAA initiative, EDF said it offers companies technical support and best practices for accounting and disclosure, as well as access to the latest research and solutions.

Sustainability nonprofit Ceres, Inc., Boston, also assists with climate transition action strategies as part of the partnership, providing technical guidance support and leading the development of plans that align with investor and corporate expectations.

Through the alliance, EDF said the companies also aim to provide the private sector with “a novel model for transparency and collaboration to reduce critical emissions within a global industry.”