Global beef roundtable announces conference agenda to power progress in sustainable beef

October 2022

• The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef is set to host a global conference in Denver, Colorado, USA
• The event runs from the 7 – 10 November
• Attendees of the ‘Reaching New Heights’ conference will gather to discuss global trends, consumer behaviour, industry progress and breakthroughs, and future plans
• The event will host a range of speakers including the National Wildlife Federation, Tyson Foods and JBS

In November, The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) will be hosting its global conference in Denver, Colorado. Over four days, the event will bring together a global network of likeminded individuals with an interest in powering a future of beef sustainability.

Throughout the event, which runs from the 7^th – 10^th November 2022, attendees will benefit from panel discussions, networking events and breakout sessions giving insights into the full scope of beef sustainability and action to improve it. Leading with GRSB’s Climate, Nature Positive and Animal Welfare Goals, related issues to be explored include global markets, supply chain, and cattle genetics. Attendees will also see first-hand how GRSB’s members are actively progressing the global goals through tours at member sites including Cargill, Agricultural Research, Development, and Education Center (ARDEC) Colorado State University and Leachman Cattle of Colorado.

Last year, GRSB launched its sustainability goals focusing on climate, animal health and nature positive production practices. These goals support members’ commitment to reduce the net global warming impact of beef by 30% by 2030.

Confirmed speakers at the event include; Jason Weller, newly appointed Chief Global Sustainability Officer at JBS; Marcelo Gonzalez, Paraguayan Vice Minister of Agriculture; Tim Bettington, EVP and President of Operations at Zoetis, Peter Byck, Arizona State University and Francisco Dallmeier, Smithsonian Institute.   Alongside keynote speakers GRSB will spotlight work on its global goals and provide a clear path to future progress.

Highlights include:

• Monday, 7 November: The Communicators Summit, panel event and networking dinner
• Tuesday, 8 November: Updates on the GRSB Global Goals and a ‘Nature Positive Production’ panel discussion
• Wednesday, 9 November: Discussions on ‘Balancing Production, Consumption and Nutritional Needs’ and ‘Animal Health and Welfare’, and a ‘Concerning Genetics’ panel discussion
• Thursday, 10 November: Three different tour opportunities to various locations discovering new beef sustainability practices

For the full GRSB Global Conference on Sustainable Beef agenda, visit here

Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, said: “This conference affords us the opportunity to showcase the outstanding work being undertaken by our organization and its members. We look forward to welcoming like-minded businesses and individuals across the entire beef supply chain to inspire progress and positive change in the sustainable beef industry.”

Leading Precision Breeding company Acceligen joins global beef sustainability body

• Acceligen, the leading Precision Breeding company for animals, has joined the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
• The gene editing company focuses on breeding better animals for a better planet
• New member joins a host of animal welfare focused members, including Zinpro and Zoetis

04 October 2022, London/USA

Acceligen, the leading Precision Breeding company for animals, has joined an international network of people and organisations powering progress in beef sustainability – the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB).

Alongside the likes of WWF, Zoetis, Cargill, Zinpro, Rabobank and Breedr, amongst others, Acceligen joins GRSB to actively improve the sustainability of the global beef supply chain.

Acceligen’s mission is to breed better animals for a better planet, addressing the health and well-being of animals that provide sustenance to the world. Specialising in precision breeding, the business utilises technology that addresses some of the long-standing challenges in animal health and caretaking.

Through its work with farmers and ranchers worldwide, Acceligen uses science that refines and accelerates the process of genetic improvement, enabling farmers to raise healthier and more resilient livestock, whilst reducing the environmental impact of the process.

GRSB brings producers, processors, retailers, and suppliers together with environmental organisations to help develop a more environmentally responsible, economically resilient, and socially beneficial global beef supply chain.

Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef said: “Since our launch, our ambition has been a commitment to powering progress in sustainable beef with the support of our members. With animal health and welfare being a key pillar of sustainable beef, we’re thrilled to welcome Acceligen to the roundtable. We look forward to their involvement, the sharing of knowledge and overcoming challenges the beef supply chain faces in animal health and caretaking.”

Sabreena Larson, COO, Acceligen said: “Acceligen provides livestock improvements for animal health and well-being that in turn empower farmers to increase sustainable production. We look forward to being part of an organisation with like-minded companies all working towards a more sustainable beef supply chain to continue to feed the globe.”

Contact
MHP Communications
grsb@mhpc.com

About the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a worldwide network of the people and organizations powering progress in sustainable beef. Across its global roundtable and 12 regional roundtables, GRSB has over 500 members, working in 24 different countries. Collectively, its members are responsible for more than two thirds of cross-border beef trade.

GRSB powers progress in sustainable beef by setting ambitious goals around reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving land use and animal welfare. To help achieve these goals, GRSB champions best practice, facilitates the exchange of knowledge and fosters a collaborative approach.

About Acceligen
Founded in 2014, Acceligen is a recognized global leader in the development, deployment, and commercialization of precision animal breeding technologies. Acceligen believes in better living for all through better animal genetics. Using Nobel prize winning gene editing tools, we accelerate genetic improvement in food animals with naturally occurring traits to address critical issues in global farming. Learn more about our company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Recombinetics Inc., at Acceligen.com.

Woolworths Group joins leading sustainability body in the beef industry

6^th September 2022

• • Leading retailer, Woolworths Group, has joined the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
  • Woolworths Group becomes the first ANZ retailer and 26th new member to join the Roundtable in the last 12 months, following the likes of bovine genetics company, ABS Global, animal nutrition leader, Zinpro, agricultural foods processor, ADM, and US financial marketplace, CME Group
  • The retailer joins long-standing GRSB members such as McDonalds, WWF, Zoetis, and Cargill

Woolworths Group, Australia and New Zealand’s largest retailer, has joined forces with organizations such as WWF, McDonalds and Cargill as part of a worldwide network of people and organizations powering progress in sustainable beef – the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB).

Woolworths Group is committed to positive change for a better tomorrow, with animal welfare and sustainably-sourced produce being a core part of the businesses sourcing strategy. Woolworths Group’s values closely align with those of GRSB, with both organizations publishing ambitious sustainability goals.

Woolworths Group uses newly established Greenstock as its protein supply chain sourcing team to deliver quality Australian beef from paddock to the shelf, to the millions of customers who shop at its supermarkets every week. Greenstock also provides tailored protein solutions to our wholesale, international and foodservice businesses and is known for their quality, approach to win: win partnering and ongoing focus on sustainability and animal welfare.

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef brings together all supply chain partners, from farm to plate, to support and invest in the continuous improvement of cattle health and wellbeing.

Woolworths Group joins a growing number of organizations committed to bettering the global beef supply chain, as part of GRSB. In the last 12 months, 26 new members have joined GRSB, including, ABS Global, fintech provider Origino and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), a world leading derivatives marketplace operating in agriculture and ESG.

Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, said: “Since our launch, our ambition has been a commitment to powering progress in sustainable beef with the support of our members. Woolworths brings a wealth of experience in sustainable retailing across Australia and New Zealand, which will help us and our members continue to achieve the goals we set out last year. We are delighted to welcome the business today and look forward to working with them.”

Fiona Walmsley – General Manager – Climate and Environment at Woolworths Group said: “We’re pleased to be the first retailer in Australia and New Zealand to join the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef as we work together with peers and partners around the world to pave the way for greener supply chains and a better tomorrow. We’re committed to best-practice sourcing to support sustainability and animal welfare and this alliance  will play an important role in helping us reach our ambition to lead the future of protein and achieve net-zero deforestation in our beef supply chains. We look forward to collaborating with key industry stakeholders to help drive a more sustainable global beef supply chain.”

Contact
MHP Communications
grsb@mhpc.com

About the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a worldwide network of the people and organizations powering progress in sustainable beef. Across its global roundtable and 12 regional roundtables, GRSB has over 500 members, working in 24 different countries. Collectively, its members are responsible for more than two thirds of cross-border beef trade.

GRSB powers progress in sustainable beef by setting ambitious goals around reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving land use and animal welfare. To help achieve these goals, GRSB champions best practice, facilitates the exchange of knowledge and fosters a collaborative approach.

About Woolworths Group
Woolworths Group is a food and everyday needs retailer united by the shared purpose of creating better experiences together for a better tomorrow. With more than 1,400 stores across its Woolworths Supermarkets, Countdown Supermarkets (New Zealand) and BIG W brands, and a range of fast-growing eCommerce businesses, Woolworths Group is Australia and New Zealand’s largest retailer. A top 20 company on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), Woolworths Group employs more than 180,000 team members and serves more than 20 million customers a week. In FY21, Woolworths Group reported sales of $67.2bn (AUD), including $5.6bn in online sales.

• South Korean Ag-tech start-up, Greenlabs, has joined the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
• New member from South Korea is the first business in Asia to join the roundtable
• Greenlabs joins to support GRSB in its mission improve the sustainability of the global food supply chain
• The Ag-tech company joins long-standing GRSB members WWF, Zoetis and Cargill

19 July, London/Seoul ­­

Greenlabs, a South Korean Ag-tech company, has joined an international network of people and organisations powering progress in beef sustainability – the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB). Greenlabs becomes the first business in Asia to join the roundtable.

Alongside the likes of WWF, Zoetis, Cargill, Zinpro, Rabobank and Breedr, amongst others, Greenlabs joins GRSB to actively improve the sustainability of the global beef supply chain.

With a customer-first digital model, Greenlabs collaborates with farmers to produce comprehensive data solutions for farm management. With its agricultural data platform, ‘Farm Morning’, Greenlabs empowers farmers to have better control over their fresh produce and helps customers have reliable sourcing channels.

Founded in 2017, Greenlabs aims to digitize the entire value chain of agriculture space from production to distribution with a mission to address the global food supply problem in a sustainable way.

Greenlabs is an important addition to GRSB, as efficiency and innovation are core principles for sustainable beef, necessary to optimise production, reduce waste and improve economic viability.

GRSB brings producers, processors, retailers, and suppliers together with environmental organisations to help develop a more environmentally responsible, economically resilient, and socially beneficial global beef supply chain.

Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef said: “Welcoming Greenlabs as a member demonstrates the continued progression of GRSB to establish our presence on an international scale and our commitment to developing new roundtables to support regions in which sustainability is being recognised as increasingly important. “We look forward to Greenlabs demonstrating their commitment in Korea and more widely in Asia, and expect that this will provide an inspiration to other food companies, producers and processors from the livestock industry throughout the region.”

Sanghoon Shin, CEO, Greenlabs said: “Greenlabs understands the importance of working collaboratively with consumers, companies, organisations such as GRSB and governments to champion efforts that deal with climate change and reduce carbon emissions. “We’re looking forward to utilising our membership to establish Korean’s own roundtable, to contribute to improving the sustainability of the beef value chain in Korea and beyond.”

About the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a worldwide network of the people and organizations powering progress in sustainable beef. Across its global roundtable and 12 regional roundtables, GRSB has over 500 members, working in 24 different countries. Collectively, its members are responsible for more than two thirds of cross-border beef trade.

GRSB powers progress in sustainable beef by setting ambitious goals around reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving land use and animal welfare. To help achieve these goals, GRSB champions best practice, facilitates the exchange of knowledge and fosters a collaborative approach.

About Greenlabs

Greenlabs is Korea’s No.1 Agtech company, growing rapidly under the mission, “pursuing the innovation of food system in a sustainable way.” Using the agricultural data collected from their digital technology, Greenlabs is leading an unprecedented digital transformation in the global market beyond the Korean market. Greenlabs provides a one-stop farming service from production, distribution, to finance. With their agricultural comprehensive platform, “Farm Morning”, farmers can access necessary farming information and increase production. Then, with their cloud-based smart farms, they help farmers manage farms easily. The goods produced as a result are then distributed with the B2B marketplace platform “Sinsun Hi,” and this platform encourages equal access to price information and reduces inefficient distribution procedures. In addition, Greenlabs is striving to revitalize the eco-friendly agricultural industry by developing carbon reduction technologies linked to digital agricultural technologies and by exploring low-carbon livestock markets.”

GRSB launches the Beef Carbon Footprint Guideline to support consistency in emissions reporting worldwide

23 March 2022

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) Scientific Advisory Council has launched the Beef Carbon Footprint Guideline, to allow for sector-wide consistency in the calculation of the carbon footprint of beef cattle.

The creation of the guideline was made possible by a number of notable members of the organization. This included financial support from McDonald’s Corporation and DSM. Blonk Consultants supported by advising on the methodological approach and developing the guideline.

Together, GRSB and its members noticed, that across the sector, businesses and organizations globally were using different methodologies and data to measure their carbon impact – leading to inconsistencies. As such, comparable and consistent measuring across companies, countries and continents was difficult.

This new Beef Carbon Footprint Guideline has therefore been developed based on UN FAO’s LEAP guidance to:

• Quantify emissions from cradle to farm gate or cradle to processing gate
• Allow monitoring of GHG emissions through time for a specific system
• Identify main drivers for GHG emissions in the beef cattle life cycle
• Allow comparisons within the context of the same study
• Complement the dairy sector’s LCA work, also based on FAO LEAP guideline

This announcement builds on the established progress by GRSB and its members to ensure a joint global approach to sustainable beef production. Last year, GRSB launched its global sustainability goals – commitments to advance and improve the sustainability of the global beef value chain. The goals focused on three key areas – climate, nature positive, and animal health and welfare.

Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef said: “A key part of GRSB’s mission is to ensure transparency when it comes to evaluating and reporting key sustainability metrics. However, the global beef carbon footprint has, to date, been challenging to effectively track and report.”

“Launching this new guideline will help to create consistency in the global beef sector. There is growing momentum in the industry to protect and nurture the earth’s natural resources and having a clearer carbon footprint guideline will allow us to do this better than ever before.”

To access the Guideline, please click here.

Contacts:
GRSB Executive Director, Ruaraidh Petre Ruaraidh.Petre@grsbeef.org
MHP Mischief grsb@mhpc.com

About the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a worldwide network of the people and organizations powering progress in sustainable beef. Across its global roundtable and 12 regional roundtables, GRSB has over 500 members, working in 24 different countries. Collectively, its members are responsible for more than two thirds of cross-border beef trade.

GRSB powers progress in sustainable beef by setting ambitious goals around reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving land use and animal welfare. To help achieve these goals, GRSB champions best practice, facilitates the exchange of knowledge and fosters a collaborative approach.

HARVEST ROAD JOINS THE GLOBAL ROUNDTABLE FOR SUSTAINABLE BEEF, FURTHERING ITS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO ANIMAL WELFARE

18 March 2021

Harvest Road Group continues to demonstrate its commitment to animal welfare, today announcing it has joined the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB).

The GRSB vision is for: ‘a world where beef is a trusted part of a thriving food system in which the beef value chain is environmentally sound, socially responsible, and economically viable.’
The roundtable includes international leaders in the industry such as McDonald’s, Cargill and Tysons, and Australian industry representatives including Meat and Livestock Australia and the Cattle Council. In addition, membership includes advocacy agencies such as World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Membership of GRSB complements Harvest Road’s already well-established commitment to animal welfare reform through its No Pain, No Fear initiative. No Pain No Fear Pty Ltd was established by Tattarang Chairman, Dr Andrew Forrest AO with a challenge to industry to ensure that all animals cared for in animal protein supply chains globally are free from all avoidable pain or fear. The NPNF initial focus is on the welfare of cattle, given the extensive integrated beef supply chain of Harvest Road.
Andrew Forrest said he was pleased to join the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, along with industry leaders, and GRSB clearly outlines what a good life for an animal can look like.

“Consumers have a right to know that what is on their plate didn’t come from pain or fear,” Andrew Forrest said. “We want to make it easier for consumers to be able to endorse good animal welfare practices with their own choices at the supermarket or in our restaurants.”
“We need a lift in industry standards that aims for far higher levels of welfare than are currently articulated in Australian industry standards, guidelines or legislation and seek to reform industry across the globe,” Dr Forrest said.

Paul Slaughter, CEO of Harvest Road, said animal welfare practices across the Australian industry are generally positive and many companies have invested significant time and money in exceeding current standards. “Our aspiration is to work across the sector to ensure that the standards articulate the good work that is happening in Australia and enables continuous improvement and a deep curiosity to understand how we could improve,” said Mr. Slaughter. “Animal welfare requirements in Australia are fragmented, with all States and Territories responsible for their own legislation. This makes it difficult to deliver reform that is consistent across the nation but by no means impossible. “Sustainable reform will be delivered if we do this together with the industry – producers and processors, financial markets, retailers, governments and consumers,” Mr. Slaughter said.

Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director of GRSB said: “Harvest Road Is a business with values that clearly align with ours and that of our members which Is why we are so excited to welcome them. Launching our global goals last year was a key milestone for the organization and working with partners such as Harvest Road will help us achieve our mission for beef to be more environmentally sound, socially responsible, and economically viable.”

MEDIA CONTACT – HARVEST ROAD
Adam Haynes
M: +61 460 319 266
P: +61 8 6460 4949
E: ahaynes@minderoo.org

EDITOR’S NOTES

Harvest Road is part of Tattarang, one of Australia’s largest private investment groups and owned by Andrew and Nicola Forrest. It features an agricultural heritage that dates back to 1878 when David Forrest founded Minderoo Station in the heart of the Pilbara, 40km southeast of Onslow.
With six generations of agricultural heritage and a deep commitment to ensuring our industry is sustainable, Harvest Road is committed to using innovative technology and methods to produce the highest quality food products. We are passionate about providing ethical and sustainable market-leading agricultural food, representative of the best Australia has to offer. Today the Harvest Road Group proudly encompasses the Harvest Road Beef and Leeuwin Coast brand.

About the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a worldwide network of the people and organizations powering progress in sustainable beef. Across its global roundtable and 12 regional roundtables, GRSB has over 500 members, working in 24 different countries. Collectively, its members are responsible for more than two thirds of cross-border beef trade.
GRSB powers progress in sustainable beef by setting ambitious goals around reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving land use and animal welfare. To help achieve these goals, GRSB champions best practice, facilitates the exchange of knowledge and fosters a collaborative approach.
Visit www.grsbeef.org and @grsbeef on social media.

Contacts:
GRSB Executive Director, Ruaraidh Petre Ruaraidh.Petre@grsbeef.org
MHP Communications: grsb@mhpc.com

Chris Casey  |  Food Dive  |  January 27, 2022

As producers explore regenerative farming and emission-busting feed additives, critics argue that more compelling solutions deserve investment.

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series on the trends that will shape the food and beverage industry in 2022.

Beef is not sustainable: That’s what critics charge and what many consumers want to see change.

The statistics around the meat’s environmental footprint are attention-grabbing. Globally, livestock contributes 14.5% of manmade greenhouse gas emissions, with beef responsible for the largest share, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations. The livestock industry was responsible for the second-largest share of emissions of methane — a powerful greenhouse gas said to be 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide — in the U.S. in 2019, according to the EPA. Global methane emissions from cattle, meanwhile, have risen by more than 10% since 2000, according to Statista data.

“We all worry about what this future looks like, and we all feel extreme pressure to mitigate these impacts in a very real way,” said Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, professor of animal science at Colorado State University and a researcher of sustainable cattle herding methods.

As major beef processors set their individual targets, the industry is also trying to collaborate with other stakeholders on the issue. The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef has a membership portfolio that includes not only big beef producers, processors and their suppliers but also retailers, environmental groups and academic institutions.

Click here to see the original article.

• World leading bovine genetics company, ABS Global, has joined the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
• ABS Global becomes the 87th new member to join the Roundtable in the last 12 months, following the likes of animal nutrition leader, Zinpro, agricultural foods processor, ADM, and US financial marketplace, CME Group
• They join members such as WWF, Zoetis, and Cargill, working with beef producers, processors, retailers, and suppliers on a pathway to climate neutrality in the beef industry

ABS Global, a world leading bovine genetics company, has joined forces with organizations such as WWF, Zoetis, and Cargill as part of a worldwide network of people and organizations powering progress in sustainable beef – the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB).

With over 80 years’ experience in animal genetics, ABS Global partners with progressive and genetic driven producers and supply chain stakeholders to breed better cattle for the efficient production of quality meat and milk. ABS aims to create affordable and sustainable beef and milk supporting the bovine ecosystem.

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef brings together all supply chain partners, from farm to plate, to support and invest in the continuous improvement of cattle health and wellbeing.

ABS Global joins a growing number of organizations committed to bettering the global beef supply chain, as part of GRSB. In the last 12 months, 87 new members have joined GRSB, including, Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), a world leading derivatives marketplace operating in agriculture and ESG, and Archers-Daniels-Midland (ADM) who develop natural ingredients to support livestock nutrition.

Ruaraidh Petre, Executive Director of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, said: “2020 was a key year for GRSB – not only did we welcome a number of key new members to our organization, but we also launched our global goals outlining our commitment to reduce net global warming impact of beef 30% by 2030.

5th January 2022 – The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) today announces its 2022 Executive Committee.

Comprised of some of the beef supply chain’s largest stakeholders, with a range of diverse and industry-leading expertise, the committee will focus on progressing the organization’s work towards achieving net-zero through its global sustainability goals.

The six-member 2022 Executive Committee includes industry leaders from the likes of McDonalds, Tyson Foods, Zoetis and Rabobank.

• President: Mr. Ian McConnel, Tyson Foods
• Vice President: Mr. Bob Lowe, Tri-L Ranch
• Secretary-Treasurer: Mr. Justin Sherrard, Rabobank
• Member at large: Ms. Jeannette Ferran Astorga, Zoetis
• Member at large: Mr. Lucas McKelvie, McDonalds Corporation
• Immediate Past-President: Mr. Bob McCan, McFaddin Enterprises

Since 2012, GRSB has been working to advance sustainable beef through leadership, science, and multi-stakeholder engagement. Leaders are elected from a membership that represents the full value chain, including beef producers and producer organizations, allied services and industries, processors, retail, civil societies, and others who aim to continuously improve beef sustainability around the world.

GRSB announced its global sustainability goals in June 2021. These include reducing the net global warming impact of beef 30 percent by 2030, ensuring the beef value chain is a net positive contributor to nature by 2030, and increasing the adoption of animal health and welfare best practices so that cattle are provided with an environment in which they can thrive.

More than 500 companies and producer organizations are engaged in the work of GRSB and its members, including regionally focused beef sustainability roundtables and initiatives in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, Southern Africa, the United States, and other countries around the world.
The new committee came into effect on January 1, 2022.