Vicious and virtuous cycles: the future of the food chain
From Future of Local Services to the Public
Contents |
Summary
Forecasts for the climate of 2025 include earlier springs, milder wetter winters and hotter drier summers, but most farmers this is happening now - 53% say that they’re already affected by climate change.
But farming also contributes heavily to climate change. Agriculture emits over a third of methane emissions and over two-thirds of nitrous oxide emissions in the UK - much more potent greenhouse gases per molecule than carbon dioxide (CO2). Action by farmers to reduce these greenhouse gasses can make a vital contribution to tackling climate change.
However, tackling food’s effects on climate change is not just limited to the farming sector: CO2 emissions across the food supply chain are significant, for example in the food and drink manufacturing sector, which accounts for 11% of the food supply chain. Transporting food from its place of origin to UK consumers amounted to 1.8% of the country’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2002. Half of this arises from consumers travelling to and from the shops. Importing food only accounted for 13% of the total costs, and air freight less than half of 1%.
Colin Tudge believes that the present food economy is not only destructive – it is cruel: “One billion starve, one billion can expect heart attacks and/or diabetes and one billion live in urban slums because the world economy is expressly designed not to cater for us all but to be maximally competitive; and competition, by definition, produces losers.” He believes that what is needed is “agriculture designed to feed people, not to meet whatever is the currently fashionable economic model.“ [1]
70% of farmers believe that changes in climate and policy can offer business benefits (see ‘Innovations’ below) [2].
Impacts
- Farmers already feeling the impact of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They need to take action today to adapt to changing temperatures and seasonal rainfall, more frequent extreme weather events and the increased risk of pests and diseases. The food industry, despite its modern efficiencies, remains highly sensitive to variations and extreme weather events
- However, earlier springs could mean sowing, ripening and harvesting ahead of time – and there is a lot of potential for new markets and crops. We could be seeing soya beans, sunflowers, even olives. There may also emerge new livestock species such as ostrich and hair sheep - disease-resistant and low-maintenance breeds.
- Consumers are increasingly willing to pay more for low-carbon products and manufacturers will have to respond to this, particularly since “nearly 60% think the ‘green’ claims of retailers and manufacturers are “not very credible” [3].
- Huge transport costs associated with food production and distribution must be taken into account if the food industry is to reduce its carbon emissions in the climate change battle.
Relevance
- Land management will be central adapting to the impacts of climate change. We need to recognise fully the ecosystem services that farming can provide, including flood prevention.
- Government must put in place a supportive policy framework and incentives to achieve a sustainable food chain and a profitable farming, to grow staple crops, fruit, vegetables and spices, and raise livestock without trashing the landscape, while creating societies that are agreeable to live in.
- To do this government must achieve full engagement with the farming industry, raising awareness of climate change issues and helping farmers understand what they can do.
- Should work to create a single methodology for measuring greenhouse gas emissions for both food and non-food products. Reporting CO2 emissions at sector, trade and even company level could go a long way towards informing consumers about CO2 levels and trends in the food and drink industry.
- Government needs to avoid retailers taking different paths: “The last thing the already confused consumer needs is to have to work out whether Sainsbury’s carbon is better than Tesco’s carbon.” [4]
- Consumers should be encouraged to move towards a more seasonal diet so that they are eating food which can be produced in a more sustainable way. In addition people should be encouraged to reduce their meat intake since meat is the least sustainable produce to farm.
Innovations
- The Biogen anaerobic digestion plant in Milton Ernest, Bedfordshire, processes 12,000 tonnes of pig slurry and 30,000 tonnes of food waste a year, to produce biogas which runs a generator with an electrical output enough to power 600-800 homes. The digestate from the plant is used as biofertiliser on the farm.[1]
- Walkers now include a bold black logo on every standard-sized packet of Walkers crisps, stating how many grams of carbon dioxide are produced during its life cycle. This helped them see that transport accounted for only 9% of emissions, whilst 44% was generated by the growing of raw materials. Walkers has reduced its water usage by 45%.
- Cadbury has completed two studies with the Carbon Trust, looking at the footprint of its Dairy Milk bar and a Green & Black’s product. As a result, it is focusing its reduction strategy on key manufacturing areas and is upgrading boiler houses, making more efficient use of air conditioning, and experimenting with solar power and biogas (from sugar cane) in factories abroad.
- Michael Bourne’s 200-acre New Park Farm in Kent was uneconomic as a cereal farm, so, he decided to diversify, planting asparagus because of its high value, and included soft fruits to extend the season. The farm sells its asparagus directly to the local market. That way he gets a retail price for it, rather than a lower wholesale price.
- The NFU has teamed up with the CLA and the Agricultural Industries Confederation to launch a ‘climate change task force’. Its mission is to help find all practicable ways for members to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases associated with farming.
- In Yorkshire, John Baarda Ltd has teamed up with fertiliser manufacturer, Terra Nitrogen, whose waste steam is now heating its greenhouses and whose 12,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission are fertilising the tomatoes.
References
1 Tudge, C. (2007) Thinking Radically, in National Farmers Union, Country Land and Business Association and the Applied Research Forum, Feeding the Future, available online at http://www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/greenfutures/articles/colintudge
2 Lawson, T. (2007) Reaping the Rewards, in National Farmers Union, Country Land and Business Association and the Applied Research Forum, Feeding the Future, available online at http://www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/greenfutures/articles/reapingtherewards
3 Purvis, A. (2007) Carbon’s Vital Statistics, in National Farmers Union, Country Land and Business Association and the Applied Research Forum, Feeding the Future, available online at http://www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/greenfutures/articles/carbonsvitalstats
4 Rooker, J. (2007) Footprints on the Farm, in National Farmers Union, Country Land and Business Association and the Applied Research Forum, Feeding the Future, available online at http://www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/greenfutures/articles/footprintsonthefarm
Other Sources
Lawson, T. (2007) A Local Tale, in National Farmers Union, Country Land and Business Association and the Applied Research Forum, Feeding the Future, available online at http://www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/greenfutures/articles/alocaltale
Porritt, J. (2007) New Hoizons, in National Farmers Union, Country Land and Business Association and the Applied Research Forum, Feeding the Future, available online at http://www.forumforthefuture.org.uk/greenfutures/articles/newhorizons
Related Links
www.appliedresearchforum.org.uk
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/07/defra_study_abo.php
http://www.bitc.org.uk/resources/case_studies/john_baarda_ltd_and.html
