What's in the news right now about the environmentally sound, socially responsible and
economically viable
beef value chain.

                  
                 

GRSBEEF.ORG

Dear GRSB Member, 

From Ruaraidh Petre
Executive Director Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

Thanks to the members who have been providing their comments on our draft principles and criteria; we hope that you will all have had the chance to do this by the end of this week.

Membership recruitment is progressing steadily; if you are in contact with organisations that would be interested in GRSB’s mission, do introduce us so that we can keep building numbers and our own capacity.

While there is much that we can do to improve the sustainability of the entire beef supply chain; of which you will find several inspiring examples in this newsletter, there is not much that we can do to prevent freak weather events, such as the blizzards in South Dakota that killed up to 25,000 cattle there. Our sympathies go out to those ranchers who lost cattle and livelihoods as a result.

Keep us informed of relevant news and events coming up and we will include them here in GRSB Connect.

Thanks

Ruaraidh

 

Growth Promoting Technologies Reduce Greenhouse Gas, Alcohol, and Ammonia Emissions from Feedlot Cattle

dateline: 10/01/13, source: Journal of Animal Science

K.R. Stackhouse-Lawson, M.S. Calvo, S.E. Place, T.L. Armitage, Y. Pan, Y. Zhao and F.M. Mitloehner, Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616

A recent study from the University of California has demonstrated the effects of a range of technologies used to increase productivity on greenhouse gas, alcohol and ammonia emissions from cattle in a feedlot. The technologies not only increased daily weight gain, but the emissions per kg of product were generally lower. Link to Study

Member News

Beef Processing Facility Video Tour

     

Produced by American Meat Institute (AMI) and narrated by Dr. Temple Grandin

If clicking on the thumbnail does not take you to the video player, go to: http://www.cargill.com/connections/beef-processing-tour-dr-temple-grandin/index.jsp

CCA Encouraged by Coalition's Trade Emphasis
dateline: 10/11/13, source: Beef Central

When the Cattle Council of Australia recently asked producers across Australia to identify strategic imperatives for the cattle industry, the most common reponses were market access and export trade development. Against that backdrop, Australia’s peak grassfed producer representative body says it has been ‘extremely encouraged’ by the emphasis on trade and market development that has been shown by the Coalition in its first month of Government.

Brazil's JBS Plans Overseas Bond Issue, Source Says dateline 10/16/13, source: Wall Street Journal

Brazil's JBS SA (JBSAY, JBSS3.BR), the world's largest meatpacker in terms of revenue, is planning to issue an overseas bond in the next week according to a banker close to the transaction.

Video Interviews, Posters from ADSA & ASAS Meeting
dateline 10/2013, source: BovineStudio.com, Merck Animal Health

The beef industry faces the challenge of producing enough affordable beef to meet the nutritional requirements of an ever-growing global population.  This is being accomplished through best practices that positively impact both the environment and economics.

Earlier this summer, Jude Capper, Ph.D., Affiliate at Montana State University and Adjunct Professor at Washington State University, discussed the challenges facing the beef industry to produce enough affordable beef to meet the nutritional requirements of an ever-growing global population. Her presentation at an industry meeting highlighted key best practices within U.S. beef production that help farmers achieve optimum productivity to balance environmental responsibility and economic viability.

SEE VIDEO INTERVIEW HERE. Beef Industry Balancing Act – an overview of the challenges facing the beef industry over the next 40 years to supply a growing global population with its protein needs.

Dr. Capper also presented three posters based on different studies and look at parasite control, calving rates and use of technologies. To see posters, click on the thumbnail.




ADSA-ASAS CalvingRate.pdf

Poster 1: Comparing the ideal calving rate. ADSA-ASAS CalvingRate.pdf

 

                       

 

ADSA-ASAS Implant B Ag                          

 

Poster 2: Technology
ADSA-ASAS Implant B Ag.pdf

 

                         

ADSA-ASAS Safe-Guard

 

Poster 3: Effective parasite control
ADSA-ASAS Safe-Guard.pdf



                         

 

Carbon Disclosure Project elects Marfrig Group "Disclosure Leader" on Climate Change (PDF file))
dateline 10/11/13, source: Marfrig news release

The company achieved the highest score in the industry for the quality and details of its environmental information

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an international nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and providing global systems for measuring, disclosing, managing and sharing environmental information, elected the Marfrig Group a "Disclosure Leader" in the CDP Brazil Climate Change Report 2013. The organization recognized the ten Brazilian companies that achieved the highest scores for reporting data with the highest levels of detail and completeness on the questionnaire. The Marfrig Group, the only company in the food industry to figure among the top 10 Brazilian companies in transparency, scored 87 points.

To read entire news release, click:
Marfrig Carbon Disclosure Project

Marfrig Units Receive the Rainforest Alliance Certified™
Seal
News release

  In The News
 

 

 

Sustainable Beef Production, Now More than Ever
dateline: 10/11/13, source: Iowa Beef Center, CattleNetwork.com
                                 
In August of this year the beef industry was rocked by the announcement that Tyson Foods was temporarily suspending the purchase of Zilmax-fed cattle because of potential lameness and animal welfare concerns. According to Tyson, an increased incidence of loads of cattle arriving at harvesting facilities with lameness and sore feet had been observed and Zilmax was a potential cause. In a matter of weeks, Merck discontinued the sales of Zilmax in North America and other packers issued similar suspensions.

Were there food safety issues or FDA or government agency recalls related to Zilmax and beef? No. This is an example of an industry where one sector expresses a concern about a potential animal welfare issue and sends a market signal.
Was this a case of a problem being blamed on the most recent technology? Perhaps.

The Seven Myths of Sustainability
dateline: 10/14/13, source: The Guardian, by Kenneth Amaeshi

Common myths have grown up around sustainability, and if left unchecked they will stand in the way of real progress, Of the business leaders surveyed in the UN Global Compact CEO Study on Sustainability, 76% said they "…believe that embedding sustainability into core business will drive revenue growth and new opportunities", albeit with "…a sense of frustrated ambition". The study also found that many business leaders felt "they have taken their companies as far as they can" and many "are growing skeptical that addressing global sustainability challenges will ever become critical to their business success". Amaeshi’s 7 Myths

Making Sustainable Intensification Work on Sound Evidence
dateline: 10/16/13, source: SciDev.Net

Sustainable intensification hinges primarily on practices and technologies that help farmers systematically improve the management of their crops, soil, trees, livestock and water undefined what I will call 'new agronomy'. It is essentially a focused approach to helping farmers simultaneously improve yields and manage natural resources sustainably.

New agronomy covers a range of practices, including strategic crop rotations to minimise pest and disease threats; interspersed planting of nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs with crops to improve soil health; and elimination of tillage to retain moisture under crop residues.

Improved cultivars and chemical fertilisers may play an important role in these systems, but they do not take centre stage, as they did in past decades. Rather, on-farm learning and adaptation are the key.

Environmental Stewardship Award Program Regional Winners Announced

source: Environmental Stewardship.org
Environmental stewardship and conservation have long been the focus of America’s foremost land stewards: farmers and ranchers.  We realize this importance and have developed the Environmental Stewardship Program to assist you in learning more about the environment, conservation, stewardship practices and educational opportunities

Seven cattle operations from across the country were recognized as 2013 regional Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) winners during the 2013 Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver, Colo., today. The seven regional winners will compete for the national ESAP award, which will be announced during the 2014 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show in Nashville, Tenn. Visit the Gallery for more about the winners  
 

Donations, Prisoners Aid Cities, Ranchers after South Dakota Blizzard
dateline: 10/17/18, source: Reuters, by Michael Hirtzer

Dozens of minimum-security prison inmates were aiding the clean-up effort, gathering debris in three towns in the western part of the state hit by record snowfall that felled trees and knocked out power lines.

"This is a very tough time in western South Dakota. Many ranchers suffered devastating losses putting them in an unthinkable position," South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard said in a statement to Reuters.

Between 15,000 and 30,000 cattle were estimated to have perished in the storm, according to South Dakota state veterinarian Dustin Oedekoven.

Animals suffocated as four feet of snow piled up. Others suffered from hypothermia, fell off rocky ledges or were hit by vehicles as they wandered into roadways in the blizzard.

 

  



This issue:
·  To read the entire source article, please click on the link in the article headline
 ·  Roundtable Updates
·  Member News
·  In The News
 

Global Cattle Industry Sees Better Days
dateline: on 10/4/13, MeatingPlace.com, by Lisa M. Keefe

Higher prices and the expectation of tight supply globally is boosting the outlook for the global cattle industry, according to Rabobank’s most recent quarterly beef report.

Solid feed crop production and declining feed prices has promoted herd retention in the U.S. and elsewhere, and increased imports to Asia undefined China, in particular undefined has further boosted prices in Brazil and the U.S.
“Demand will remain strong, with the global economy slowly recovering and continuously growing welfare in the buoyant markets in Asia, especially China,” the report said. “Especially the coming months, Chinese imports might surge due to the rapidly approaching festivity season toward Chinese New Year in February.”

Australia is an exception to the trend: Dry conditions in the northern part of the continent has forced producers to sell. Looking ahead, though, Rabobank believes that demand from Asia could divert product that in the past would have been exported to the United States, which would change some of the international trade dynamics in the industry.

Alberta's Beef, Pork Producers Praise Pending E.U.Free Trade Deal
dateline: 10/16/13, source: Calgary Herald, by Amanda Stephenson

Alberta’s beef and pork producers praised Wednesday’s news of a pending free trade deal between Canada and the European Union, saying an agreement would translate into a multi-million dollar opportunity for farmers.

But the organization that represents Alberta’s dairy producers said cheese makers will suffer, and stated the dairy industry will do everything it can to persuade the government not to ratify the deal.

After four years of sometimes rocky bargaining, Canadian and European officials have confirmed that a completed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement is within reach.

Argentina Seeks to Regain Beef Exports
dateline: 10/17/13, source: GlobalMeatNews.com, by Carina Perkins

The Argentine beef industry is looking to recover lost ground on exports after years of restrictions left it losing out to rival South American competitors.  Now, with political restrictions blocking exports lifted, the Argentine beef industry is moving to recover its footing, says Gonzalo Alverez Maldonado, president of the IPCVA, the Argentine Beef Promotion Institute.

California to Raise Minimum Wage to $10 an Hour by 2016
dateline 9/25/13, source: Reuters

California has become the first state in the US to commit to raising the minimum wage to $10 per hour, with the increase to take place gradually through the start of 2016.

Brazil On Course for Record Beef Exports
dateline: 10/09/13, source: GlobalMeatNews.com, by Ed Bedington

Brazil is set to smash the $6bn mark on beef exports before the end of the year, setting a record high for the South American giant. That reflects only a tiny proportion of the country's total beef production, as exports only account for 18% of all beef produced.

Rising Beef Demand in China Reshaping Global Beef Market
dateline: 10/11/13, source: CattleNetwork.com by Brett Wessler

China is drastically increasing its orders of beef, growing exports for Australia, Uruguay and New Zealand while the United States looks to bounce back from shrinking herds. Data released by the CME Group show U.S. beef inventories have fallen over the past three years, a trend Steiner expects to continue into 2014, forecasting total inventories of almost 88 million head, down from 92.7 million in 2011.

The CME Group says shrinking inventories in the United States, and Mexico and relatively stable numbers in Canada will make it difficult for global buyers to purchase beef from North America.
In place of The U.S., Canada and Mexico, expanding herds in Australia, Uruguay and New Zealand are filling Chinese orders.

$40 Million in Funding for Canadian Farms Cutting Emissions
dateline: 10/10/13, source: CattleNetwork.com, by Brett Wessler

A not-for-profit organization who has already distributed $217 million in four years to clean technology projects has earmarked $40 million for Alberta farms with plans to reduce greenhouse gasses.

The Climate Change and Emissions Management Corporation (CCEMC) announced plans Wednesday to support biological projects to cut CO2 emissions produced by farming and livestock management, forestry, and municipal and industrial waste management.

A project reducing greenhouse gas emissions linked to fertilizer use is already receiving funding from the group.


Efficiency, Profitability and Sustainability in Focus at Global 500 Closing Session
dateline: 10/04/13, source: Alltech.com
                       
Attendees headed home after two fantastic days at Alltech’s flagship beef and dairy event, Global 500. The event broke numerous records this year, during its European debut, with more countries present than ever, a massive 5 million cattle represented, and a whopping 760 attendees. With the global dairy and beef industries facing numerous challenges recently, talks focused on increasing production efficiency, becoming more profitable and ensuring long-term sustainability; strategies to guarantee the industry’s bright future.

                        
AACo Beef Wins Best Wagyu Awards from Australian Wagyu Association
dateline 10/14/13, source aaco.com.au

The Australian Agricultural Company's top Wagyu breed brands have been named the nation's best by the Australian Wagyu Association.

AACo's flagship Master Kobe brand was awarded a gold medal at Australia's premier Wagyu awards. Kobe Cuisine was last year awarded a silver medal in the Crossbred Wagyu category.

                                               

 

 

                       

News We Can Use

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