Atkins Ranch Impact Update Reveals 65% Global Warming Potential Reduction
November 9, 2026 | 3 min to read
FREMONT, Calif. — Atkins Ranch has released its interim Impact Update, showing a reduction in global warming potential (GWP) at its California processing facility by 65%.
The premium New Zealand lamb producer achieved the reduction by replacing R404 refrigerant with lower-emission R448A in its closed-loop refrigeration system, following improvements to its leak-detection technology in 2025.
The changes also improved energy efficiency at the Fremont facility, according to the company’s newly released 2026 Impact Update: Setting the Standard to Leave Nature Even Better.
The report details wider improvements in Atkins Ranch’s environmental performance, including a 15% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions between fiscal years 2023 and 2025.
The company also reduced its greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 11%, from 20.6 to 18.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per kilogram of product sold.
Pat Maher, CEO of Atkins Ranch, said, “Since publishing our first Impact Statement, we’ve continued improving our environmental performance. We made a commitment to be transparent about our progress, including the areas where we still have work to do.
“These upgrades build upon the work that starts on the over 100 family farms in the Atkins Ranch collective that already live up to their promise to leave nature better than they found it. Our responsibility at the corporate level is to work alongside them and ensure their values are upheld at every step of our supply chain.”
Sustainable progress: The latest Impact Update provides new measurements of the company’s environmental performance.
Between fiscal years 2023 and 2025, Atkins Ranch reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions, covering sources directly owned or controlled by the company and emissions from purchased electricity. Although total gross greenhouse gas emissions increased (from 82,002 to 118,449 metric tons of CO2 equivalent) as production expanded, the company improved its emissions efficiency. Greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of product sold fell by 11%, reflecting improved production efficiency despite higher overall output.
The latest Impact Update also highlights environmental progress across 99 independently verified New Zealand farms covering 158,849 acres, with 72% showing ecological improvement since their baseline assessment.
The findings come from the September 2026 annual audit conducted under the Savory Institute’s Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) framework, which measures environmental outcomes including water cycling, nutrient cycling, and ecological community dynamics.
Maher said: “Our farmers are central to our work. By measuring what is actually happening on the land, we can recognize their progress and understand where further improvements are possible.”
About Atkins Ranch
Founded in 1989, Atkins Ranch supplies premium grass-fed New Zealand lamb to retailers and restaurants throughout the United States. Working with more than 100 farming partners in New Zealand, the company is committed to regenerative agriculture, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship. Since 2017, its lamb has been certified to Global Animal Partnership Step 4 animal welfare standards. The company operates processing facilities in New Zealand and Fremont, California.