The Food Chain Sustainability Special Interest Group
NEWS ARTICLE
Genencor (Danisco) gets award for biofuel enzyme
Report from the Food & Drink Innovation Network
NEWS ARTICLE
New WRAP report on food & drink disposed of down the drain
This report presents the findings of a study in which householders recorded the quantities of food and drink that they were disposing of down the drain.
The quantity of food and drink disposed of down household drains each year in the UK is estimated to be 1.8 million tonnes with a value of £2.7 billion annually and associated carbon dioxide emissions of 4.6 million tonnes. Most of this could have been avoided if it had been better stored in the home or with better planning or preparation. More info...
NEWS ARTICLE
Official Information Portal On Anaerobic Digestion launched
The UK's National Non-Food Crops Centre has launched England's Official Information Portal on Anaerobic Digestion.
The site is designed to be a gateway for those new to AD in agriculture, industry or local government and provides help and advice on biogas, digestate and feedstocks.
The site also includes information on planning permission and environmental permits and importantly the available incentives and funding for new AD projects.
NEWS ARTICLE
ExxonMobil to invest in algae biofuels
ExxonMobil is investing $600m to research and develop next-generation biofuels from photosynthetic algae. Biofuel from algae could be a meaningful part of the solution in the future because of its potential as an economically viable, low emissions transportation fuel.
ExxonMobil is joining with Synthetic Genomics, Inc (SGI) to develop, test, and produce biofuels from photosynthetic algae. Algae produce bio-oil that can be processed into biofuels similar in structure to today’s gasoline and diesel fuels. This helps ensure the fuels are compatible with existing transportation technology and infrastructure.
NEWS ARTICLE
East Midlands Airport to trial liquid biomethane powered ground vehicles
Gasrec, the UK's first commercial producer of liquid biomethane, has launched a trial with East Midlands Airport to operate a bus with fuel produced from decomposing organic matter.
Gasrec obtains its landfill gas supply from existing landfill sites or from controlled digestion of the biomass byproducts of food manufacture, retail and other industries. Landfill gas is purified by the Gasrec process to produce liquid biomethane.
The trial follows on from trials with the London Borough of Camden to power refuse collection vehicles and with Sainsbury's to operate dual-fuel delivery lorries.
Biofuels: Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum Keynote Seminar, 21 July 2010, Central London.
This one-day seminar will explore the latest thinking on the future of biofuels including a keynote presentation from the Renewable Fuels Agency.
Planned sessions will examine:
- Biofuels progress and next steps;
- The prospects for innovation in the industry and the next generation of biofuels;
- Cleaner fuels and the alternative options for sustainability and energy security; and
- The future of the food versus fuel debate
More info...
SEB Food Security and Safety Symposium, 13-15 September 2010, Lancaster University, Lancaster.
This interdisciplinary Symposium, organised jointly by Lancaster University and the Society for Experimental Biology, is a unique opportunity for bioscientists, technologists, social scientists, specialists in ethics, economics and policy to come together to share their research information and expertise.Talks will be short and accessible to a broad audience who are interested in the issues associated with food security and safety.
More info...
Delivering Food Security with Supply Chain Led Innovations - Understanding supply chains, providing food security, delivering choice, 17-19 September 2010, Royal Holloway, Egham, Surrey.
A three-day conference organised by the Association of Applied Biologists with sponsorship from the OECD Co-operative Research Programme on Biological Resource Management for Sustainable Agricultural Systems.
More info...
Bioten, 21-23 September 2010, Birmingham, UK.
This national three day conference will bring together national and international experts on biomass, bioenergy, biofuels and biorefineries to engage the UK's bioenergy focussed research community with stakeholders, policy makers and decision makers as well as promoting interaction between researchers.
Topics include: anaerobic digestion, analysis & characterisation, biofuels, biorefineries, biomass pretreatment and preparation, biomass production, combustion, environment, fermentation and gasification.
More info...
LCA Food 2010 : 7th International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment in the Agri-Food Sector, 22nd - 24th September 2010, Bari, Italy.
The objectives of the conference are:
- to show the recent developments in the methodology, approaches, databases and tools
- to present applications of the LCA methodology to food product systems and to food consumption patterns
- to increase the use of LCA and other industrial ecology tools in agricultural and industrial food products
- to support information sharing and exchange of experience regarding environmental conscious decision making in the agri-food chain
For further information and registration visit: http://www.lcafood2010.uniba.it/
UK farming and the future of the Common Agricultural Policy, Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum Keynote Seminar, 13 October 2010, Central London.
With the European Commission preparing a report on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy beyond 2013, this seminar will bring out the latest thinking on the future of agriculture and rural areas in Europe.
Keynote speakers at this event will include:
- Peter Kendall, President, National Farmers' Union
- George Lyon MEP, Liberal Democrat MEP for Scotland and Rapporteur of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (ComAgri)
- Professor Allan Buckwell, Policy Director, CLA (Country Land & Business Association);
- Dr Nerys Llewelyn Jones, Associate Solicitor, John Collins & Partners;
- Professor Alan Swinbank, Emeritus Professor of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading; and
- Jack Thurston, Co-founder, farmsubsidy.org.
Water Security, Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum Keynote Seminar, 2 November 2010, Central London.
This seminar will examine water use, availability and quality of water, and the management of water resources. Planned sessions will examine to what extent improved water efficiency can help the food, farming, manufacturing and energy sectors to become more sustainable. Discussion will consider the progress made on reducing water usage across the food and drink industry through the Federation House Commitment (FHC), as well as on reducing water usage across other industries, and identify priorities for further development. Planned sessions will also examine the impact of embedded water on the UK's water footprint, and look forward to the possible effects of global water scarcity on future trade and food availability.
More info..
Aims- What is the Food Chain Sustainability SIG?
Our ambition is to provide a one-stop-shop for information on sustainability in the food chain. Key areas of information available on the Food Chain Sustainability SIG are:
- Initiatives on waste minimisation
- Research on co-product exploitation
- Technologies for treatment of food waste
- Case studies
- Sources of funding
- Links to organisations working in the area
- Legislation related to this area
- "News & Events Page "- providing information on topical issues and events
We aim to be the first port of call for all issues surrounding food waste and to provide useful and helpful information to all those visiting the site.
Background - Why do we need a Sustainable Food Chain?
Recent work by WRAP, highlighted by the media, has brought to the public's attention, the issue and extent of domestic food waste. However, reducing domestic food waste is just one small section of the challenge of moving towards a sustainable food chain. Farming, the food industry, food retailers and consumers all contribute to the food chains impact in terms of:
- energy use
- water use
- emission of greenhouse gases
- waste generation
A rapidly growing world population all aspiring to a western-style diet; higher energy prices; the urgent need for substantial reductions in our greenhouse gas emissions and the anticipated effects of climate change on agriculture all represent an enormous challenge. A truly sustainable food chain must both provide a robust mechanism to meet the world's need for food and avoid adverse environmental impacts.
Links to some of the numerous reports which review these issues are included below:
Background Reports:
Chilled Food Manufacturing Waste Minimisation Study - DEFRA
Ensuring UK Food Security in a Changing World - DEFRA
Environmental Impacts of Food Production and Consumption - DEFRA
Food Pocket Book - DEFRA
Food Industry Sustainability Strategy - DEFRA
Food Distribution - Food Ethics Council
"Cooking up a Storm" - (Food Climate Research Report)
Cabinet Office - "Food Matters - Towards a Strategy for the 21st Century"
Sustainable Production and Consumption - Technology Strategy UK report
Sustainable and secure food systems for Melbourne- report April 2008 Australia
Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Waste in Australia - Victoria Health Promotion Foundation March 2009
Low Greenhouse Gas Agriculture: Mitigation and Adaptation Potential of Sustainable Farming Systems - FAO report, Rev. 2 April 2009
Benefits of Organic Agriculture as a Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy for Developing Countries - Report by Adrian Muller, Environment for Development (EfD) initiative, April 2009
If you would like to find out more about any of the organisations involved with the Food Chain Sustainability Special Interest Group, please click on the appropriate logo below:
YOUR VIEWS:
We add information based upon what we discover and also upon what you send us. If you have anything you would like to contribute to this website, or indeed if you have suggestions on additional areas we might cover, please email your suggestions to: graham.moates@bbsrc.ac.uk
