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Australian Platform News | |||
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Engagement with Birchip Cropping Group
The Birchip Cropping Group and SAI Platform Australia jointly hosted a workshop in August where presentations were given and comprehensive discussions took place on agricultural sustainability issues impacting the grain industry supply chain. The Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) is a not-for-profit agricultural research organisation led by farmers in the Wimmera Mallee region of Victoria. BCG strives to improve the prosperity of rural and farming communities, to bolster broader community vitality and provide practical solutions to farm production and business constraints. BCG has almost 500 farm business members who influence the strategic research and communication initiatives. The Workshop was initiated as a pilot project under the SAI Platform by Goodman Fielder Limited and Grains Research and Development Corporation. Allied Mills and Australian Accumulated Grain Services also joined us to provide perspective from various points of the supply chain. The Platform and BCG will together be examining further practical initiatives that will advance sustainability outcomes through the grains supply chain. |
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General Meeting – August
The Australian Chapter held its most recent general meeting in August where discussions included plans for our first field trip on the 10 November to Wagga Wagga and surrounding areas. Increased use of certifications on products to elevate brand status was raised as an issue of increasing importance, and as such a working group on customer demand is to be held to consider the status of this. It was decided to hold our first Biofuels working groups in October and regular meetings are now to be rotated between Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. On the 20 October the Annual General Meeting of SAI Platform Australia will be held in Canberra. |
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Working Group Meeting – Grains
The theme of this working group meeting was to understand what has happened on-farm following the lifting of the Victorian Government's moratorium on Generically Modified (GM) crops. Mr Andrew Wiedermann, a Director of Birchip Cropping Group was invited to talk to SAI Platform Australia members about growing genetically modified crops. This is the second year that Mr Wiedermann has grown GM canola since the moratorium on growing GM crops was lifted two years ago. He reported over 100 Victorian/NSW farmers now grow GM canola and it is expected the number of growers will increase. |
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Working Group Meeting – Water
Dr Brad Ridoutt, Principal Scientist CSIRO was our guest speaker at the recent water working group meeting speaking on Water footprinting in the agri-food sector: Progress in methods and applications. Members learnt that the methodology developed by the CSIRO takes a Life Cycle Assessment approach. Firstly it considers total embedded water and then applies a Regional Water Stress characterization factor to determine the Stress Weighted Water Footprint. Then a Water Stress Index (WSI) can be applied relevant to different locations around the globe to determine a Water Equivalent Footprint. Since developing this methodology, CSIRO has been working collaboratively with a food manufacturer conducting a water inventory on a number of manufactured products to compare water footprint as determined by the embedded water calculation with the stress-weighted water footprints. Mr Ridoutt, gave comparative examples of a Pasta sauce and Peanut chocolate snacks to assess their water footprint. He demonstrated how the pasta had a low water use and the chocolate snack and high use when measured by embedded water, but when measured using the CSIRO methodology the reverse result occurred. The high water footprint for the pasta sauce was due to tomatoes being grown in areas where there is a high WSI and extensive irrigation, whereas the chocolate is grown in areas of high natural rainfall, having a low WSI. |
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Field Trip Plans
Plans are underway for a field trip to the Wagga Wagga Food Bowl on the 11 and 12 November 2009 that will bring together CEO's and Senior Executives from our member companies to share thinking on agricultural sustainability issues impacting Australia and the future prospects for the agriculture, food and beverage industry. The program will have a priority focus on water given the significance of this issue for Australia. Two farm visits will also feature, one to Leeton to see innovative use of sub-surface irrigation to make water savings and increase production and NSW DPI's Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Rice and Horticulture, Yanco to understand the impacts of water on the sustainable production of rice. |
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Members in the News
Kraft wins environmental award KRAFT FOODS Kraft Foods were recently awarded the inaugural agriculture and food prize - the AFGC 2009 Agriculture & Food 'From Paddock to Plate' Banksia Award for 'Giving Vegemite a Sustainable Future'. Kraft were acknowledged for their innovative improvements in manufacturing vegemite which included a reduction in waste water by more than 65 per cent and energy consumption by more than 52 per cent. Kraft also achieved environmental savings of over $1 million. MLA A recent Media Release by Queensland farmer association AgForce 'Beef producers: already green leaders' pointed out that 'Beef producers are world leaders in developing environmental, animal welfare and eating quality standards for their food products and do not need claims of leadership from non-farming extreme green groups'. The release stated that Agforce is currently collaborating with Cattle Council of Australia, AgForward, a number of NRM groups and Meat & Livestock Australia, under projects to develop and have more producers adopt formal environmental programs. On the international front, AgForce understands that MLA are already an active member of the Sustainable Agricultural Initiative (SAI) Platform, an independent association operating across the agriculture, food and fibre chains that aims to change practices and improve sustainability outcomes in a practical way across the globe'. |
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Global SAI News | |||
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New Member
PepsiCo has applied to become a member of the SAI Platform. |
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FAO-SAI Platform meeting
Senior Executives from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and SAI Platform meet in Rome in June to discuss possible cooperation and develop common action. Jim Butler, Deputy Director-General of the FAO referred to SAI Platform as the '21st century extension service', and welcomed opportunities for SAI Platform members to work collaboratively with the FAO. |
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Easy Guide to Agricultural Sustainability
SAI Platform has recently released a highly informative publication 'Short Guide to Sustainable Agriculture'. The intention of this booklet is to give an easy understanding of sustainable agriculture and the main issues by showing success stories of the food industry in this field. With this work, you will be able to show that sustainable agriculture is both a social and a business opportunity. A pdf version is available on the website at: Click here to download |
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'Benchmark study of Agricultural Standards'
SAI Platform Global has commissioned a study to investigate and compare some of the most influential agricultural production standards worldwide. This is to help SAI Platform members through the myriad of available agriculture schemes in order to facilitate sustainable sourcing. The publication is available to purchase from the SAI Platform. |
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Discussion paper on Water Footprinting
SAI Platform has recently released a brief discussion paper on water footprinting. It can be found at www.saiplatform.org/about_us/?page_id=489 |
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Events
SAI Platform Water Seminar – 7 October, Rotterdam The purpose of this seminar is to raise awareness about water footprinting methodologies and its implications for food companies, as well as at proving best practices, methods and tools to better manage the water resource at farm level. SAI Platform Conference on Sustainable Agriculture 2010 (Europe) – 11-12 May 2010 The Executive Committee has given its support to organise another Conference in 2010. The European food industry association CIAA and the US Sustainability Food Lab SFL are the current organising partners for this new conference. |
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Australian Sustainability News | |||
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Care for Country – funding
The Federal Government announced in July that $403 million will be committed towards work on environmental and sustainable farming projects over the next four years. The project to be known as 'Care for our Country' will recognise the leading role of Australia's farmers in managing the land according to Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke. 'Farmers are a big part of the solution to achieve a healthy, sustainable and productive environment across Australia,' Mr Burke said. 'Our primary producers are world leaders in using innovation to boost productivity and ensure they continue to feed, clothe and house families around the world. Further information about these Caring for our Country investments and a full listing of all funded projects is available at www.nrm.gov.au/BusinessPlanInvestment |
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Funding assistance NSW irrigators
Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, has announced a $650 million funding program to improve the efficiency and productivity of irrigated agriculture in the Murray-Darling Basin and to return water to our rivers. The funding will enable farmers to upgrade irrigation systems to ensure improved water efficiency and productivity. More information about the program is available www.environment.gov.au/water/programs/index.html |
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Global Sustainability News | |||
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Deloitte finds Lifecycle Assessment boosts transparency of sustainability performance
Deloitte Consultants has prepared a paper named 'Lifecycle Assessment: Where is it on your sustainability agenda'. The paper finds lifecycle assessment (LCA) can help corporations meet the growing need for greater transparency and traceability of their sustainability performance across the supply chain. A study, conducted in April on Europeans' attitudes towards SCP has the following key conclusions: 1) A product's impact on the environment is an important element when deciding which products to buy; 2) Environmental impact is more important than a product's brand name; 3) The most important information on environmental labels is whether possible to recycle or reuse a product. More details visit ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_256_en.pdf |
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UK Consumers lack confidence in Green claims
Consumer Focus UK has investigated how green claims in advertising impact consumer choices. The report concluded that we have a long way to go in helping consumers feel confident in making greener choices. The report offers insight into where green claims guidance can be strengthened and aims to inform those engaged in developing green claims in advertising, as well as those charged with regulating such claims. Click here to view the main report |
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Non-green asset managers could be sued - UN report
A United Nations report said investment advisors and asset managers could be sued for negligence if they do not consider the environment and other social issues when making investment decisions. It stressed that money managers have a legal responsibility to raise environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues when tendering investment and advising clients. Click here to view the article |
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Wal-Mart moves towards developing a Sustainable Product Index
Plans have been announced by Wal-Mart to develop a worldwide sustainable product index to evaluate the sustainability of products from suppliers. The three-phase project, will commence with a survey of its 100,000 suppliers, then a LCA global database of products is to be developed under a consortium of suppliers, retailers, NGOs and government. A simple rating for consumers about the sustainability of products will then be developed in the final stage. For more information on the initiative visit walmartstores.com/FactsNews/NewsRoom/9277.aspx For details on the 15 question supplier survey: Click here to view the article |
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Europeans looking for a carbon label
A survey found that an overwhelming majority of Europeans would like to see their purchases tagged with a label stating the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted during a product's lifetime. An EU-wide carbon footprint labelling scheme does not exist yet, but in December 2008, environment ministers requested the European Commission to investigate the possibility of introducing one. Click here to view the article |
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Call for water label on food products in the UK
UK food products should carry a label indicating their water footprint according to two British food and health. They would also like the lable to take into account factors such as water savings and efficiency and not just focus on water. Click here to view the article |
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Europe - report on environmental impacts of meat & dairy
This report is a scientific contribution to the European Commission's Integrated Product Policy framework, which seeks to minimise the environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of products. The report provides a systematic review of meat and dairy's environmental impacts (across all environmental impact categories) and then identifies and seeks to quantify the potential for reducing those impacts. ipts.jrc.ec.europa.eu/publications/pub.cfm?id=1721 |
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