All eyes on sustainable food under Swedish presidency

07-Jul-2009 - The CIAA has invited the Swedish presidency to take part in the recently launched Round Table on Sustainable Production and Consumption (SPC); while Sweden has made food and the climate one of its priorities for agriculture over the next six months.

Calls to curb meat consumption through labelling

01-Jul-2009 - The WWF suggests that red meat packs should carry labels advising people to consume no more than three portions a week, and dairy products no more than three a day, according to reports.

Sweden seeks feedback on enviro-health food guidelines

26-Jun-2009 - Swedish authorities have drawn up a new set of guidelines on diet choices for health and the environment and is circulating them around the EU for feedback – and to encourage take up of the strategy elsewhere.

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Danisco expects sustainability effects on bottom line

25-Jun-2009 - Danisco’s new sustainability chief will look to build more value from company policies and seeing results on the bottom line – as well as for the environment and local communities.

Symrise gives vanilla farmers a fair trade boost

17-Jun-2009 - Symrise has received fair trade certification for its bourbon vanilla extracts from Madagascar, offering farmers advice and premiums that help dissuade them from switching to less labour intensive crops.

Industry says creativity key to ensuring soft drink-sustainability

11-Jun-2009 - Representatives of the UK soft drink industry claim that ‘creative’ innovation across the industry is keeping manufacturers on track to meet their sustainability goals, though more must be done in the future.

Sustainability chair lambasts UK food and farming policy

03-Jun-2009 - The UK government’s policy on sustainable food and farming has been overtaken by developments in climate change and obesity and is no longer fit for its purpose, says the chair of the Sustainable Development Commission.

Soy industry sets sustainability standards

02-Jun-2009 - Participants in the Round Table on Responsible Soy unanimously agreed a set of voluntary production standards on Thursday to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of soy production.

Diet change may be greener option than local sourcing

23-Apr-2009 - As consumers seek out food with a reduced carbon footprint, some experts believe a dietary shift from red meat and dairy consumption may be more effective than turning to locally sourced products, suggests new analysis.

G8 consider curbing speculation to control commodity prices

21-Apr-2009 - Speculation in the commodity markets needs close monitoring to help ease price volatility, the first ever G8 meeting of agricultural ministers has concluded, and agri-food chains should be more closely-coordinated to boost efficiency.

Talking organics to the occasional buyer

20-Apr-2009 - FoodNavigator talks to Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, about communication efforts to help more consumers understand and engage in organics, and the all-important issue of climate change.

Fairtrade is purchase pre-requisite for many, survey

17-Apr-2009 - Consumers don’t just expect companies to do no harm in communities they source from, but to actually contribute to development, a major international survey commissioned by FLO International indicates – and they appear to be sticking by their principles despite the economic woes.

Mars pledges sustainable cocoa only by 2020

10-Apr-2009 - Mars has pledged that its entire cocoa supply will be certified as sustainably produced by 2020, through a multi-year, multi-country deal forged with the Rainforest Alliance.

PureCircle establishing stevia’s sustainability early on

03-Apr-2009 - The supply chain for stevia is sound and sustainable, says PureCircle, which is communicating the ethical values behind its high purity Reb-A sweetener in keeping with the natural image.

Conference to address substantiation of sustainability claims

03-Apr-2009 - Organic Monitor is organising a Sustainable Foods Summit in June, which will give air the key debates on ethical and environment aspects of the food supply chain.

Roundtable to unite green food assessment methods

05-Mar-2009 - The food industry’s new sustainability roundtable will seek to unify all the green assessment methods now in use and under development, says the CIAA’s environmental director, rather than developing yet another approach from scratch.

Cadbury builds Fairtrade awareness, bar-by-bar

04-Mar-2009 - Cadbury’s commitment to source cocoa for its popular Dairy Milk chocolate bars is a strong signal that responsible sourcing is moving out of a niche and into the mainstream, and will introduce more consumers to the principal.

Sustainability Roundtable to reduce green label overload

27-Feb-2009 - The priority of the new Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Roundtable is to reduce the confusing array of different labels and statements appearing on food packages but fostering agreement on scientific assessment of environmental impact.

Scientific roadmap needed to tackle food insecurity

26-Feb-2009 - The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) said it s to publish a list of priorities to tackle the challenges of delivering sustainable food security and the scientific advances needed to overcome them.

Climate change makes seeds ‘crown jewels’ of diversity

26-Feb-2009 - Crop and climate experts are emphasising the need for crop diversity to protect food security in the face of climate change, as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault celebrates its first anniversary.

UN calls for Green revolution to prevent food crisis

19-Feb-2009 - A major change is needed in the way food is produced, handled and disposed of in order to feed the world's rising population and protect the environment as prices are expected to remain volatile, according to a new UN report.

Consumers cannot be king in a sustainable world

05-Feb-2009 - Depending on the consumers to drive the food system down a more sustainable route is misplaced as government, food manufacturers and other industry players need to take the wheel, according to a new report.

Soil Association backs down on organic air freight issue

28-Jan-2009 - The UK’s Soil Association has decided to allow organic air freighted food to carry its certification mark, despite proposing in 2007 that it should not be certified unless it also met fair trade and ethical standards.

Industry invites Czech involvement in sustainability roundtable

26-Jan-2009 - The European food industry is in discussions over establishing a roundtable on sustainable production and consumption throughout the food chain, and is inviting input from the Czech presidency.