Sustainable food production
Environmentally sustainable food production
Consumers are increasingly demanding more information on the environmental sustainability of products on offer at the supermarket. Retailers such as Wal-Mart in the United States and Aldi in Australia are seeking to supply this information to consumers through product labelling. These and other supply chain programs will see major manufacturers and retailers asking food producers for information on their greenhouse gas emissions and carbon management plans. In response producers are starting to carbon footprint their operations and their products, disclosing the results through corporate reports, websites and other communications with their stakeholders.
Financial institutions are interested in how companies are managing their carbon risks – have they identified them and what are they doing in response? The international Carbon Disclosure Project, for example, assembles information on greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and carbon risk management from over 2,500 companies worldwide on behalf of 534 financial institutions with assets of over US$64 trillion.
Carbon management builds corporate reputation and saves money
A credible and transparent approach to carbon management is now integral to good governance, corporate reputation and brand competitiveness.
Reducing energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions can save money particularly as energy prices are trending upwards.
Governments are taking action on carbon emissions and providing opportunities
It now seems very likely that the Australian Government will put a price on carbon before too long and state governments are also developing programs to enable carbon markets.
The Australian Government’s proposed Carbon Farming Initiative offers opportunities for farmers to generate carbon credits from specified activities, for example, by modifying manure management systems so that carbon emissions are reduced. These credits could be sold through international and national voluntary carbon markets or through international carbon markets such as the European Union’s Emission Trading Scheme.
Some operations are required by the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act to measure and report their carbon emissions. This applies where emissions from activities such as lighting, refrigeration, machinery and transport exceed specified thresholds.
Livestock make a significant contribution to Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions
Agriculture accounts for 16 % of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and around two thirds of this comes from livestock as a result of enteric fermentation and manure management. Enteric fermentation releases methane while manure management releases methane or nitrous oxide depending on the management system used. Methane and nitrous oxide are 21 and 310 times respectively more powerful greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide. As the international demand for meat increases in coming years, greenhouse gas production from livestock will also rise unless the greenhouse gas intensity of meat production is reduced.
The Middle Way assists farmers and land holders to review, measure and report on their environmental sustainability.
Our services include:
- Measurement and reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption consistent with NGERS and other recognised frameworks such as ISO 14064 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Assistance with data capture and development of client-specific enterprise carbon reporting software.
- Participation in the Carbon Disclosure Project.
- Assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management systems; evaluation of different scenarios for livestock and manure management.
- Development of carbon action plans, including engaging stakeholders and evaluating the marginal abatement costs of options.
- Understanding climate change impacts and assessment of climate change risks and opportunities.
- Measurement of enterprise and product level carbon footprints and using this in product labelling.
- Communication of environmental sustainability including carbon management progress and achievements, internally and externally through environmental and sustainability reports.
- Advice on government climate change policy including emerging agriculture mitigation policies.