The global food production system is “not fit for purpose” and requires a “radical redesign” in order to secure adequate food supplies and ensure future food security, a leading scientific expert insisted today. Speaking at a conference in London, Professor John Beddington, chief scientific advisor to the UK government, warned that current methods of food production are failing to meet the demands of a growing global population, a problem that looks set to intensify. “The... ...Read more »

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed the introduction of the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) legislation into Federal Parliament and says it is pleased that it has addressed a number of the NFF’s key concerns raised through the draft consultation process. “We have always stated that we are broadly supportive of the concept and intent of the Carbon Farming Initiative,” NFF President, Jock Laurie explained. “Despite the uncertainties that abound in the area of carbon mitigation,... ...Read more »

Author, journalist and science writer Julian Cribb has created a sobering text in The Coming Famine: The global food crisis and what we can do to avoid it, from CSIRO Publishing. Cribb’s view of the global food crisis paints a frightening picture: demand for food slowly outstripping supply, food production and urbanisation draining the world’s fresh water resources, food products siphoned for biofuel, developing markets with a taste for more exotic, protein-rich and plentiful dinner fare,... ...Read more »

Food giant Cargill has announced a $13 million dollar plan to upgrade the wastewater treatment system of its Wagga Wagga beef processing facility, in order to fully capture biogas emitted during treatment, in a move designed to reduce the facility’s carbon footprint by over 17% and significantly improve the facility’s water discharge quality. The project is being implemented in partnership with the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) who contributed AU$ 2.9 million... ...Read more »

Production of rice – the world’s most important crop for ensuring food security and addressing poverty – will be thwarted as temperatures increase in rice-growing areas with continued climate change, according to a new study by an international team of scientists. The research team found evidence that the net impact of projected temperature increases will be to slow the growth of rice production in Asia. Rising temperatures during the past 25 years have already cut the yield growth... ...Read more »

Advances in high-yield agriculture may not only have helped to feed the planet, but may also have helped to slow global warming by processing over half a trillion tons of carbon dioxide, say researchers at Stanford University. The yield improvements in existing agriculture have reduced the need to convert forests to farmland, a process that typically involves burning of trees and other plants, which generates carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Researchers compared actual data on emissions... ...Read more »

Food and farming is seldom a prominent issue in electioneering, and while it has moved up the political agenda in recent years and receives a little more attention in their manifestos, the parties know it is unlikely to capture the imaginations of undecided voters. But, Ben Cooper writes, while it may not be a major campaigning issue, rising concerns over global food security guarantee it will be a key policy area for the incoming UK administration to address. At election time, the economy is unfailingly... ...Read more »

Shareholders in the US company Whole Foods Market yesterday (8 March) voiced opposition to what they termed the “unsustainable business practices” that the company has adopted on climate change.At a shareholder meeting in Vancouver, Canada, a coalition of shareholders – including labour unions, environmental groups and food activists – hit out at the company’s “hypocrisy” after management denied the existence of climate change. In January, Whole Foods founder... ...Read more »

The impact of extreme weather events on food prices overshadow the ‘modest increases’ expected under the proposed CPRS or even more ambitious emissions trading schemes, The Climate Institute briefing paper ‘Food Prices and Emissions Trading’ – released today – suggests. Droughts and other extreme weather events, which are on the rise, have recently increased grocery shopfront prices for lamb by almost 60 per cent and tripled the price of bananas, the think tank... ...Read more »

Australian food and beverage manufacturers are calling on the government to match the efforts of other advanced economies when it comes to climate change policy rather than go it alone with their own scheme. AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said that, while the industry supported action on climate change, it is concerned about compromising the competitiveness of Australian manufacturing. “We absolutely agree with the statement made by the Prime Minister following Copenhagen and Minister Wong... ...Read more »