Uniting crop-level data and animal production insights to redefine environmental measurement across the food system
DSM-Firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health and Bayer have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to accelerate sustainability across the global animal agriculture sector.
The collaboration connects two critical data domains: Bayer’s primary crop life cycle assessment (LCA) intelligence and DSM-Firmenich’s Sustell — an ISO-assured environmental footprinting platform for animal protein. Together, they aim to close the gap between crop, feed, and animal system data to deliver a truly end-to-end view of agriculture’s environmental performance.
Why this matters
Environmental transparency has become the new currency in food and agriculture. From retailers and processors to investors and regulators, every node of the value chain is demanding clearer, science-backed accounting of environmental impact.
Feed production — and the crops behind it — represents one of the largest and most variable contributors to the footprint of animal protein. By merging credible primary data from both crop and livestock systems, DSM-Firmenich and Bayer are building the foundation for more precise, actionable sustainability intelligence.
The signal beneath the partnership
Since 2020, Bayer has supported agricultural stakeholders in quantifying carbon footprints at the crop level, offering verified primary data that reflects real farm conditions. Sustell, developed by DSM-Firmenich, translates complex operational data into validated environmental metrics across the animal protein value chain.
This partnership establishes a new benchmark for accountability — not just in measurement, but in how the food system defines value. It positions footprinting as a tool for decision-making, not just disclosure.
“The ability to accurately measure, valorize, and recognize the real efforts made by farmers is a critical milestone toward long-term, viable and regenerative agriculture,” says Lionnel Alexandre, EMEA Head of Ecosystem Services, Bayer CropScience. “Extending these capabilities across the animal protein value chain is a powerful step forward for the entire ecosystem.”
The bigger picture
The DSM-Firmenich–Bayer collaboration reflects a broader shift in sustainability: moving from fragmented measurement to integrated intelligence. By linking crop, feed, and animal data, the two companies are setting the stage for a more connected, verifiable, and adaptive food production system — one where every sustainability claim can be traced back to measurable reality.
