GRSB Connect for May 26, 2015 |
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Dear GRSB Member, It has been three weeks since we sent out the last Connect, and it is interesting to see an increased volume of news around on the subject of beef and its sustainability. In the mainstream press we read about the launch of meat replacement products, as well as commentary on the damage that beef does to the environment and health. Sustainability News Brazilian Beef Industry Moves to Reduce Its Destruction of Rain ForestsDateline: 05/12/15, Source: By Kelly April Tyrrell, Unversity of Wisconsin–Madison NewsExpansion of cattle pastures has led to the destruction of huge swaths of rain forest in Brazil, home to the world's largest herd of commercial beef cattle. But a new study led by the University of Wisconsin–Madison's Holly Gibbs shows that market–driven "zero deforestation agreements" have dramatically influenced the behavior of ranchers and the slaughterhouses to which they sell. PDF: Brazilian beef industry moves to reduce its destruction of rain forests. PDF: Zero Deforestation Agreements New Report Supporting Zero–Deforestation Cattle in Colombia.Dateline: 05/19/15, Source: FCMCIt is one of a series of reports relating to how to support a transition to deforestation free commodity production. The objective of this report is to provide an assessment of production practices and their impact on deforestation for beef, dairy, and related products that TFA 2020 companies and their subsidiaries with operations in Colombia use. Report Finds Improvement in Beef Industry Environmental PerformanceDateline: 03/25/15, Source: ABC Rural AUA report which looks at the environmental impacts of producing beef, has found the industry made gains in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and land use in the 30 years to 2010. Impossible FoodsSource: CNBCA Stanford biochemistry professor is the latest entrepreneur looking to upend the global food industry. Patrick Brown is founder and CEO of Impossible Foods, a Redwood City, California–based start–up that creates plant–based meat and cheese substitutes. Its first product—the Impossible Burger—is set to launch in the U.S. next year. Northern Producers 'Not Sustainable'Dateline: 05/08/15, Source: By Vernon Graham, The Land AUOnly 20 per cent of beef producers in northern Australia are economically sustainable in the long term, says veteran farm business consultant Phil Holmes. The other 80pc have almost no skills in finance and debt management, and little understanding of the key profit drivers in their herds. Members In The News "Private Equity and Emerging Markets Agribusiness: Building Value Through Sustainability"Dateline: May 2015"Private Equity and Emerging Markets Agribusiness: Building Value Through Sustainability" delivers market insights and sustainability guidance to private equity investors seeking opportunities in emerging markets agribusiness. It highlights environmental and social value drivers and risks when investing in emerging markets agribusiness and makes valuable recommendations to fund managers on implementing an effective Environmental and Social Management System both for themselves and their portfolio companies. The report is a collaboration among five organizations with wide–ranging experience in this area, including CDC, Credit Suisse, EMPEA, IFC and WWF. Cargill: Avoid Heat Stress in Vows Through FeedDateline: 05/14/15, Source: AllAboutFeedCargill's animal nutrition business shared new data proving the effectiveness of its customised feeding solutions that help customers manage heat–stressed cows during heat waves.. Cargill, Tesla, PG&E Collaborate at Fresno Beef Plant to Ease California Peak Energy UseDateline: Source: Ein NewsCargill has collaborated with Tesla and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), to install Tesla's Energy Storage product at the company's Fresno beef processing facility. Tesla's batteries help to reduce energy costs by storing electricity at off–peak use times, then using it during peak periods. In total, the Tesla batteries have a 1 megawatt capacity that will be charged daily from the existing PG&E electricity grid system during off–peak hours, when electricity rates are lowest. The electricity stored in the batteries will then be used when rates are the highest each day during peak use times. By doing so, Cargill is reducing its contribution to the daily state power peak, when less environmentally friendly electricity generation might otherwise be required to meet demand. Tyson Foods to Eliminate AntibioticsDateline: 05/14/15, Source: AgriViewTyson Foods Inc. plans to eliminate the use of human antibiotics from its broiler–chicken flocks in the United States by the end of September 2017. The company reported that it has already stopped using all antibiotics in 35 broiler hatcheries. Tyson Foods requires a veterinary prescription for antibiotics used on broiler farms and has reduced human antibiotics used to treat broilers by more than 80 percent since 2011, according to the company. Food Companies Are Unprepared for Global Water Scarcity, Says New ReportDateline: 05/07/15, Source: The GuardianIn a report released Thursday, Ceres, a sustainable business consortium based in Boston, found that most food companies aren't prepared to deal with the water risks that it expects will lead to higher water and food prices. Water is a major ingredient in food, from bacon to pizza: growing crops and raising animals account for about 70% of the world's water use, according to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization. Green Supply Chain News: Walmart is on a Sustainability MissionDateline: 04/30/15, Source: SC DigestWalmart, the world's largest corporation, is fresh out with its 2015 sustainability report, the eighth such document it has produced. The 2015 document is quite remarkable, with Walmart more aggressively than ever redefining its corporate mission from delivering quality products at everyday low prices to making the world itself a better place, in almost missionary terms. Global Brand Leaders Gathering at SB'15 San Diego to Showcase Transformative IdeasDateline: 05/19/15, Source: CSR News WireNearly 2,000 Sustainable Brands® business and brand leaders will gather at SB'15 San Diego, June 1–4 at the Paradise Point Resort and Spa in San Diego, CA. As the premier global gathering of change–makers focused on driving business innovation for sustainability, this year's event theme, "How Now", will focus on how brands are translating environmental and social purpose into business and brand value for business success. McDonalds Looks to Australia for Supply of Sustainable Ground BeefDateline: 05/04/15, Source: ABC Rural AUFast food chain McDonalds says Australian beef producers need to accept greater sustainability scrutiny if they want a larger slice of the growing hamburger trade. Introducing the Sustainability Truth–O–MeterDateline: 05/18/15, Source: By Bob Langert, Green BizI figured I would go to the National Cattlemen's and Beef Association first. I know and respect the work Kim Stackhouse has led, quarterbacking NCBA's first life–cycle analysis, or LCA. Stackhouse told me: Ag Industry Takes on 'Transparency'Dateline: 05/07/15, Source: By Kimberlie Clyma, Meat + PoultryTransparency and sustainability were the hot topics at the top of the agenda at the 2015 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit, held May 6–7 in Kansas City. "It's about having a dialogue, not just telling a story," said Cameron Bruett, chief sustainability officer and head of corporate affairs for JBS USA, Inc. "We have this huge modern disconnect with agriculture; most of the consumers' interaction with agriculture is the grocery store." Our Members |
To read the entire source article, click on the link in the headline.Members in the News FDA Wants To Pull Back The Curtain, Slightly, On Farm AntibioticsDateline: 05/20/15, Source: By Dan Charles, The Salt NPRFarmers and public health advocates have been arguing for many years now about the use of antibiotics on farm animals, yet that argument takes place in a fog of uncertainty, because a lot of information simply isn't available. Researchers Indicate Growth Hormones Could Persist in EnvironmentDateline: 05/12/15, Source: By John Maday, Dropvers CattleNetworkResults of a research project from Indiana University, University of Iowa and University of Washington suggest that metabolites of hormones used in cattle implants could persist in the environment longer than previously believed, creating a potential environmental risk. Florida Beef Industry Meets ChallengesDateline: 05/21/15, Source: 10 News Tampa BayFlorida might be known for its beaches, but our economic history doesn't start there. It starts with cattle, first brought to our shores by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1521. And while the cattle industry is still strong, with 4 million acres of pasture land and 1 million acres of grazed woodland, it's an industry that has undergone changes in perception and faces challenges in a changing market. The Slow Demise of COOL and How It's Hurt the Beef IndustryDateline: 05/21/15, Source: By Troy Marshall, BEEF MagazineAs expected, the World Trade Organization (WTO) upheld Mexico's and Canada's complaint that mandatory country–of–origin labeling (COOL) violates this country's international trade obligations. This final ruling announced earlier this week is the last hurdle in what promises to be a trade war with two trading partners that we do over $1 trillion in business with. Vets ask: Does the Community Have a Beef with Beef?Dateline: 05/19/15, Source: Beef CentralConsumer perceptions of red meat can influence livestock producers to change the way they raise their animals to respond to consumer preferences, a leading veterinary science academic will tell an international gathering of veterinarians next week. Beef Sector Being 'Hung Out to Dry' for Sake of EU–US Trade Deal
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