Christmas Trees

There has been an ongoing debate about the benefits of real or artificial trees. The argument for artificial trees revolves around how many years it is reused for. As well as being manufactured mostly in China, they are made from non-recyclable materials. But if you keep a fake tree for 10
years then the case for them is better, but they will still end up in landfill when they become unusable.
In the Soil Association’s opinion, “a real tree that’s been grown with care is the most sustainable choice for Christmas.” A tree from a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) approved source, or one with “Grown In Britain” certification will have been grown on a responsibly managed plantation using a minimal amount of pesticides. If trees are chipped for mulch or composted the that adds to the sustainable credentials. The Soil association even suggest leaving it to decompose in your garden providing bugs with a home and birds with a source of food in the bugs.

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Food Waste

As we mentioned earlier poultry is a very high waste food. This part of a trend that sees nearly a third of all food produced annually go to waste. Planning what you will eat ahead and being realistic about how much food you need can save so much. The bedlam in supermarkets on Christmas Eve when people stock up for the two days, they are closed is one of the less positive aspects of Christmas. Being inventive with how you can use leftovers is easy with plenty of zero waste recipes available online.

Why Is Insect Protein a Topic of Conversation?

Insects as a source of protein keeps popping up in worldwide discussions on the future of human nutrition because it can solve numerous problems. Much has been documented about the fact that our forests and cropland are dwindling. In fact, 33% of all farmland is currently used to feed animals, which are our major sources of protein. 

However, as the world population grows, the demand for food will increase. With only so much farmland to go around, it is important to find sources of protein that can supplement our use of livestock to provide meat. Thus, when people envision the future of human nutrition, they look for opportunities to support the current agriculture industry with items that can be produced without the need for much space or resources – hence, insects. 

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An Argument for Insect Farming

Farming livestock is incredibly difficult and resource intensive. However, farming insects is largely quite simple and low tech. They don’t need large areas and can be stacked vertically. Most insects are also quite adaptable to farm environments. 

Furthermore, insects reproduce quickly and often have large numbers of offspring, meaning this food source can quickly expand. In fact, the biggest potential problem for eating insects as protein is a reluctance of people in western nations to accept the practice. 

Fortunately, it may not be that difficult to make insects more appealing for people. After all, insects can be used as an ingredient in items (much like grain currently is) in order to give additional protein. For example, adding ground up insects into protein bars can easily be done without the consumer even realizing they are eating insects. 

Additionally, insects are already normally consumed in many parts of the world and a standard part of a diet in some. You can find insects as food sources in Central & South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. In fact, over 1,000 insect species are used as food for people. 

Insect protein could prove quite effective in helping address issues like environmental degradation, world hunger, and rising food costs. It seems like a near perfect solution. 

What is Clarkson’s Farm?

Clarkson’s Farm is a television series that was initially produced by Amazon Prime, airing on the company’s streaming service in 2001. The show centers around the exploits of host Jeremy Clarkson, recognizable to many from Top Gear and The Grand Tour fame, as he seeks to farm his land without any experience at all. 

The show is set at Clarkson’s own property in Oxfordshire. This land included a large number of arable fields which Clarkson contracted out to a local farmer. However, when the farmer retired in 2019, Clarkson decided he would attempt to take care of the fields himself. 

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Reception from the Agriculture Industry

Clarkson’s Farm was ultimately well received within the agriculture industry. Many people initially expected it to be underwhelming or simply fall into a typical “tour of a farm” format. However, Clarkson was quite relatable, and the show’s production was filled with expert storytelling. 

It particularly received positive feedback for its realistic depiction of farming and the difficulty of running a farm in modern times. Issues covered on the show such as unpredictability of crops, weather, and livestock paint a picture of some of the many challenges experienced within the industry. 

The show also succeeds in showing just how steep the learning curve is when it comes to farming, further showcasing the importance of the agriculture industry. Ultimately, Clarkson’s Farm was a surprise hit that has gained a significant following. There will undoubtedly be more adventures to come in season two. 

Population and economic growth

The jump in population, up from 8 billion in 2022, is the single biggest challenge facing the Agri-Food industry globally. Food demand is expected to increase by 56% by 2050, compared to 2013. According to an FAO report: “Income growth in low and middle income countries would hasten a dietary transition towards higher consumption of meat, fruits and vegetables, relative to that of cereals, requiring commensurate shifts in output and adding pressure on natural resources”. India is set to overtake China as the world most densely populated country in 2023, and as India and Africa become more urbanised food consumption patterns will shift again with in increased demand for processed food and meat, one of the most impactful industries worldwide.

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Climate Change

Without efforts to adapt to climate change-related problems food insecurity may well substantially increase, particularly in the least developed countries. Rising sea temperatures will reduce fish catches and floods or droughts will result in lost crops and livestock production.

The proverb: “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime,” is one that organisations like UN-FAO, and many others, are using to guide the solutions to these problems.  Agri-food systems can be major generators of employment and income. Primary production alone provides about one-quarter of all employment globally, more than half in sub-Saharan Africa and almost 60 percent in low-income countries. As Agri-food systems encompass the primary production of food and non-food agricultural products, as well as storage, processing, transportation, marketing, disposal and consumption the potential for the problem to be its own solution is clear. The answer lies partly in the emerging technologies of Agri-Tech, a subject that needs its own blog to explain. Simple solution such as Vertical Farming in environments where arable land is not available, hydroponic, or aeroponic growing methods, and many others are adaptable to low land use and low water use scenarios. 

Farming

In a process called dumping, farms can discard crops that have been planted as a hedge against pests and weather. The price of grain and vegetables fluctuates with consumer demand and rather than go through the additional cost of harvesting and processing products they could not sell they are left in the field to be ploughed back into the land. The goodness from the crop of course returns to the ground and adds additional fertility much like a cover crop would so this is not as black & white as it might seem.

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Retail

The confusion caused by the subtle differences between ‘use by’, ‘best before’, ‘sell by’ and ‘display until’ dates on food lead to shops discarding perfectly usable food. Sadly wasteful practices in the retail industry can still be viewed as good business strategies, offering perfect produce and  overstocked shelves. 

It can be easy to put the blame for food waste in the production chain onto the retailers. Ultimately they are responding to what they believe the consumer demands. So, the real solution lies with us. Many food producers and supermarkets are reviewing their use of “best before” dates on some items. Waitrose, M&S, And Iceland have all removed them from own brand fresh produce. Consumer education around the difference between “use by” and “best before” is also gathering pace. Typically, “best before” dates are related to food quality, whereas “use by” dates relate to food safety and items should usually not be eaten after this deadline. The “look, smell, taste, don’t waste” campaign, run by food waste app Too Good to Go, has enlisted brands like Nestlé and Arla, with these companies switching from use by to best before dates on many products. The media has a role to play in education as well. Morrison’s came under fire from a tabloid newspaper for asking customers to use a sniff test to decide if milk was safe to consume, but overall the message that we can produce and consume food more sustainably is a positive one. 

Farm to Fork initiatives where the supply chain is much shorter between producer and consumer are becoming more popular, and add to the consumer pressure on the major retailers to change their approach. That pressure will filter back through the supply chain and alter the supply chains perception of consumer’s wants. Moving towards less waste in food production can be achieved, and with small achievable steps at that. 

What is resilience in the food industry?

According to The Johns Hopkins University Center for a
Livable Future (CLF), it is “the ability to prepare for, withstand, and recover from a crisis or disruption. A resilient food system is able to withstand and recover from disruptions in a way that
ensures a sufficient supply of acceptable and accessible food for all.” The CLF describes itself as working “at the intersection of public health and food systems” and its work aligns with many of the
United Nations’ 2015 Sustainable Development Goals. SDG 2 is “zero hunger”. The target is to eliminate malnutrition globally by 2030, and within two years of the goals being published 26 of the
202 UN member states had declared themselves free of food poverty. Subsequent events, particularly the Pandemic may have reduced the likelihood that the target will be achieved, the
commitment of the G20 and other economic groups to a “no one left behind” strategy and a focus from the worlds richest nations to support the areas where food insecurity is worst is encouraging.

Food Security

On aspect of food security that the Food Security Report covers is the impact of climate change. It states that: “The biggest medium to long term risk to the UK’s domestic production comes from
climate change and other environmental pressures like soil degradation, water quality and biodiversity”. The Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration that came out of the COP26 shifted the
emphasis of climate change strategy towards food resilience. There is ongoing research into methods of tackling food insecurity at many institutions around the world, notably Johns Hopkins
University CLF mentioned above and the New York City Hunter College Food Policy Center. This research includes short term goals designed to create positive action now, as well as medium and
long term objectives that will support the global move towards Net Zero.