Dear GRSB Member,

Welcome to the last edition of GRSB connect before the Christmas break — I hope you have the opportunity to relax and enjoy it with your family, and wish everyone the best in 2015.

It has been interesting to review the news articles over the past 2 weeks, it seems that there have been more reactions to the conference and more talk in general about sustainable beef recently than there were in the preceding weeks. Part of this is that it has taken time for the news to ripple into less specialised media, but the other aspect is that there have been a couple of recent articles that have caught headlines regarding the environmental impact of beef, specifically in terms of emissions.

There has also been a reawakened interest in what the term sustainable means; in the RoundUp article below you will see that the author defines it as being able to adapt to and survive all of the conditions that you face. In the Alberta express article Jerry Wulf talks about trust being a key component, and Doug Warnock offers his views on our principles in his Capital Press article.

The encouraging thing to me is that there are a lot of supportive voices from industry there, and that people do recognise that true sustainability is about win–wins. The less positive news picked up in Australia about ongoing drought in Queensland and the devastation it has wrought on producers there ("Heartbreak of Drought Has Been Forgotten" and "Winton's Last Emotional Stand"), underline what happens when sustainability has broken down – financially in this case. Spare a thought for those producers battling it out under adverse conditions, whatever the cause and wherever they may be, and remember that they are the cornerstone of the industry and deserve the support from the industry that they create. The win–wins have to deliver to producers, the bedrock of the industry, or they will mean nothing.

Thanks,

Ruaraidh Petre
Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
Executive Director

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Sustainability News

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Will a Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Matter?

Dateline: 12/02/14, Source: By Leon Kaye, Triple Pundit

A movement is underway to make beef more sustainable. Held in São Paulo, Brazil, last month, the major supporters of this conference included McDonald's, Cargill and the animal pharmaceutical company Elanco. Over the course of four days, 300 attendees at the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) issued what the organization described as the "release of the first global definition for 'sustainable beef'." The summary of what occurred in Sã;o Paulo will hardly endear the GRSB to advocates of a more plant–based diet and for an improved management of resources.

GRSB: Why Principles, Criteria Needed for Sustainability

Dateline: 12/10/14, Source: The Cattle Site

A major step forward was taken last month in Brazil at the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) when the multi–stakeholder group clarified what sustainability is. A major player in the process was the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, helping to give the US producer a voice as principles and criteria were ratified in São Paulo. CEO of the Association, Forrest Roberts, explained that sustainability means different things to different countries. Watch Video.

Defining Sustainable Beef Production

Dateline: 12/10/12, Source: By Doug Warnock, Capital Press

In recent months, several conferences have discussed and attempted to describe what constitutes sustainable beef production. A report from the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef in Colorado Springs, Colo., listed five core principles that should be considered when discussing sustainability: Natural resources, • People and community, Animal health and welfare, Food, Efficiency and innovation. Financial viability is another necessary component of sustainability. The beef operation must generate a profit or it cannot survive from a financial standpoint.

Trust Is the Key to Sustainable Beef Production

Dateline: 12/11/14, Source: By Jennifer Blair, Alberta Farmer

"As we go through this world, operating in this business that we're in, we've been passionate about looking for win–wins," Jerry Wulf, a Minnesota producer said at the recent Canfax Cattle Market Forum. "Win–loses aren't sustainable."

WPA & WCA Part of National Sustainable Ag Survey

Dateline: 12/11/14, Source: Wisconsin Ag News

There is a new partnership between the National Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture and local beef and pork producers looking to document, promote and communicate advancements in sustainable practices used on Wisconsin farms. NISA is working with the Wisconsin Pork Association and the Wisconsin Cattleman's Association on a groundbreaking program to measure on–farm sustainability success, encourage continual improvements and help farmers, food buyers and consumers learn about the sustainability of Wisconsin beef and pork operations.

With New Standards, Global Beef Industry Takes Contentious Step Toward Sustainability

Dateline: 12/08//14, Source: By Carey L. Biron, Mint Press News

Do new standards represent a genuine move towards boosting the sustainability of one of the world’s greatest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, or do they miss the mark by steering clear of specific standards and binding enforcement mechanisms?

Last month, for the first time, a significant cross-section of the global beef industry agreed to a set of broad principles aimed at nudging the sector toward greater sustainability. Yet some prominent watchdog groups say the new criteria are overly broad, and worry they will allow products to be marketed as “sustainable” without requiring major changes from the industry.

While other such initiatives do exist, the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef is by far the largest. The multi-stakeholder group’s membership — which has expanded significantly in recent years — includes many of the world’s largest producers, the four largest global processors, as well as huge retailers including McDonald’s Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. It also comprises prominent civil society representatives, including those among the environmental community.

Defra launches £4.5m Sustainable Intensification Project

Dateline: 12/05/14, Source: Farmers Weekly

Defra has launched a £4.5m research project to investigate waysto increase farm productivity while reducing negative environmental effects. The scheme will bring together expertise from across the farming industry and research community to find ways to develop a more sustainable farming sector for the future.

AfDB Approves Major Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihood Programs in Four Horn of Africa Countries.

Dateline: 11/26/14, Source: All Africa

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved a US $133–million program that will help countries in the Horn of Africa region break free from cycles of drought and famine. This second AfDB Group Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Program in the region will help Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan to increase the income of agro–pastoralists through improved livestock production and related services (animal production and health, rangeland management, marketing, etc.) and the development of irrigation schemes.

BeefTalk: Wet and Dry; There Is No Constant

Dateline: 12/03/14, Source: By Kris Ringwall, RoundUp Web

Instead of sustainability, what we really may need is an organized response to ever–present change. As cattle producers, how we respond to the environment is key to our survival. The world is covered with water and plants. How we use the plants depends on how consumers look at their plates.

For some, managing the world's plants involves expanded usage and consumption of the plants. However, in the livestock business, the proliferation of plants enables the expansion of livestock.

Restaurants Should Boost Meat–Free Offer, Claims Alliance

Dateline: 12/03/14, Source: By Carina Perkins, Big Hospitality UK

Campaigners have called on restaurants and pubs to offer more low meat and meat–free options as new research suggests that British consumers are eating less meat. Concerns over health, animal welfare and cost were the biggest factors driving this trend, with concern for climate change, the enviroment and food sercurity less significant.

Meat Industry Hits Back at 'Misleading' Reports

Dateline: 12/05/14, Source: By Oli Haenlein, Meat Info UK

The UK meat industry has defended itself after two separate studies claimed that livestock production and meat consumption must be reduced to tackle climate change. The research also suggested that the British public was eating less meat, and was responsive to the idea of cutting its meat intake further.

However, Mike Whittemore, head of trade marketing for Eblex, criticised the Eating Better report. He said: "Any effort to reduce the impact that food production has on the environment should be applauded. However, it does take as a starting point the fact that reducing meat consumption in the UK will help the nation's health and improve global environmental performance — and these are misleading assertions at best.

Tackling Climate Change on a Global Scale — The COP 20 in Peru

Dateline: 12/08/14, Source: by Jeff Hayward, The Guardian

The UN framework convention on climate change (COP 20), under way in in the Peruvian capital Lima, will not produce a global climate treaty. That will depend on reaching a series of agreements with the 20 nations that emit 80% of total global greenhouse emissions (GHG), and the economic sectors that have the biggest impact on the world's climate. However, it could pave the way for a treaty being signed in Paris next year that will be seen as a turning point in reducing global warming.

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