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Breaking News: 📣 £300M Boost for UK Dairy! 🇬🇧🥛 Arla Foods has just reaffirmed its commitment to British dairy and manufacturing with a monumental investment announcement. Their pledge? A striking £300m across our nation's landscape, from Scotland's charm to the West Country's green pastures. What's the buzz about? ✨ Four Arla sites are getting top-notch upgrades - meaning more milky goodness from Lockerbie to Aylesbury, Stourton to Westbury. Not just that, even Taw Valley's already making headlines with its tech-forward ethos. It's not just an investment; it's a bold statement of faith in UK food security, synonymous with Arla's cooperative spirit. With roughly 2,000 UK farmers in the mix, they're uniting passion with progress - turning our lush fields into a canvas of innovation and quality. Cheese lovers, take note! 🧀 Lockerbie's cheddar won't just stay great - it's set to excel, thanks to cutting-edge tech. And let's talk efficiency too - Aylesbury is set for a packaging revolution, making a million milk bottles dance off the lines every day. Morning cereal game-changing? You bet. Stourton's pushing boundaries with ESL milk, fresh in your fridge for longer. Thinking outside the carton, they're even embracing eco-friendly packaging. And perhaps the most exciting snippet - 100 new careers blooming at Taw Valley, home to cheese soon topping pizzas worldwide. This isn't merely about dairy; it's about pride, sustainability, and the future shining bright for our rural heartlands. Cheers to a robust dairy landscape! 🚜 #BritishDairy #Investment #Sustainability

The recent Australian Food Story: Feeding the Nation and Beyond report into food security in Australia recommended developing a National Food Supply Chain Map and a National Food Plan. In addition, the ACCC has been directed to conduct an inquiry into Australia’s supermarket sector, including the pricing practices of the supermarkets and the relationship between wholesale, including farmgate, and retail prices. I'm sure we all agree that our whole food sector desperately needs improvement and these reports/inquiries and others will be critical inputs to that process. However, I suspect that many of us also fear that any substantive initiatives will be thwarted by an unholy coalition of bureaucracy, vested interests, and political infighting and that in another 10 years, we will be in the same predicament. I remain optimistic and hope that we can draw on learnings from similar grand sectorial transformation efforts that have been undertaken in school and vocational education, health, aged care, disability, telecommunications, and power. I still believe that if there is sufficient will, there will be a way. What do you think? #agriculture #agribusiness #farming #foodsecurity #climatechange #food #supermarkets #foodchain #foodprices #farmgate National Farmers' Federation ACCC

Let's talk about #localfoodsystems! Why is strengthening local food systems beneficial? Well, it's no surprise that investing in local food systems uplifts the local economy and creates rich social relationships within the community. But arguably one of the most critical aspects of local food systems is encouraging a resilient community in times of challenge, whether it's a pandemic or natural disaster; especially considering the amount of food in stores that come from miles and miles away, even other countries. One of the most common ways we see local food systems at work is through #farmers markets. There are year-round farmers' markets in "sunny" California (although we've had so much rain this year). But when I WWOOFed at farms in other states, their farmers' markets ended in October to coincide with the slow season/winter. The majority, if not all, of the farmers' markets in my area accept #SNAP, #EBT, and #WIC which is so critical to creating equitable #foodaccess! One thing I really appreciate about farmers' markets is the emphasis on seasonal produce. I feel that it helps consumers connect more with what grows each season versus having every produce type available all year round. There's a reason strawberries don't look great when they're out of season! Some readings on local food systems: FoodPrint: Local & Regional Food Systems https://lnkd.in/d-CBe4Rm Iowa State University: Research shows significant environmental benefits of local food production https://lnkd.in/dQmxCRye Other examples of local food system support are food co-ops, community gardens, etc. Have thoughts on local food systems? Would love to hear! 🥕

As we draw nearer to the #National #CherryIndustryConference2024 in Hobart I thought I would post the video of the initiative and results delivered in partnerships with Cantrill Organics, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Food Agility, Woolworths Group, GS1 Australia and Cherry Growers Australia. It was an amazing group of people who with team FreshChain Systems were able to showcase how a data-standards lead traceability system could transform and future proof the industry and engage consumers in a new way. The outcomes were as follows #property identification using #GLN's in the event of a #biosecuritythreat for quick deployment of Govt resources #instant #trackandtrace (fully upstream and downstream) linking all levels of packaging to support a critical food incident through to the consumer  #Environment and #locationsensors for cold chain management and improvement (#reducewaste) #Certificatedigitisation for quicker online approvals and QC checks #Onpack #consumerengagement to share #stories, #ESG initiatives and #productattributes to encourage fresh food consumption  - #Data sets converted to #insights to improve the offering - #maps, #in-##app use,#freshnessindex, #location #ratings #authenticity #consumerdemographics Thanks to Luke Cantrill, Jessica Fearnley, Noelene De Villiers , Melanie Wishart David Lamb Cherry Growers Australia

🌳 🍲 In the most recent issue of Speciality Food Magazine, Emma Mosey, chair of the Farm Retail Association, delves into the significance of farm shops, particularly in relation to the emphasis on local provenance and environmental impact reduction. 🥔 🥗 This article really resonated with us as we continue to champion local and regional artisan producers with the rural businesses we work with. Mosey highlights the environmental responsibility held by farm shops, noting that many of them cultivate their own produce and source products from local suppliers, thus establishing a sustainable retailing model. An essential aspect of this model is its contribution to the local economy, as the resources and revenue generated remain within the area, supporting economic resilience. Mosey emphasises that farm shops not only contribute to environmental sustainability but also serve as crucial entities in shaping the future of food. With the agricultural landscape undergoing significant changes due to farmer exodus, she envisions farm shops transforming into hubs offering fresh, seasonal ingredients at equitable prices. Furthermore, she underscores the vital role of farm retailers and farmers' markets in reconnecting consumers with real food and in educating them about cooking techniques. Overall, Mosey advocates for the pivotal role of farm shops and farmers' markets in the future of food distribution, particularly as credible and sustainable options for ensuring widespread access to high-quality, affordable food sourced from local farms. This vision aligns with the broader goal of providing genuine, sustainable food options while supporting local economies. #sustainability #farmshop #foodeducation (Credit: Speciality Food Magazine, Emma Mosey)

Despite the strain of rising costs, there is a growing demand for fresh, locally grown food. In fact, 79% of Aussies believe farmer’s market produce is fresher than what they find at the supermarket. Thank you to Mark Fletcher for sharing these insights from our research for Inside FMCG. Read the full article here - https://lnkd.in/ge4PtBAc #farmersmarket #localproduce #locallygrown #farmtoplate #freshfood #marketresearch #mrx #consumerinsights

Our research with InsideFMCG shows that there is a growing interest in fresh, locally grown fruit and vegies, but there are barriers like cost and convenience to overcome #farmersmarkets #freshfood #supermarkets #consumerresearch

The findings from the research conducted by inside FMCG and Pureprofile are clear; Australians want to buy fresh food direct from producers and farmer's markets are a great way of connecting farm gate to plate. Thanks to FutureAg for the opportunity to present this important study and to all those producers/farmers/growers out there, take heart that while it may be challenging to get to them, consumers value what you have to offer. Kate Richards Pureprofile Inside FMCG Amie Larter Emma Coath Nicki Marks Angeline Achariya (GAICD) Octomedia Bonnie Skinner Alicia Trovatello Grant Davidson John Williams Claire Pink Heidi Wright Olivia Reynolds Agostino Giramondo Toni Somes Robert Hardie Stacey Wordsworth James Wagstaff Jo Sheppard GAICD Will Rayner Bryce Eishold Patrick Elligett Madeleine Stuchbery Sarah Cox (nee Jeffrey) Natasha Lobban John Carson Mary-Anne Scully Peter Farquhar Georgie Robertson Kayla Evans Barry Robinson Shannon Bishop Georgie Selman Annabelle Hickson #farmersmarkets #farmer #producer #grower #agriculture #supermarkets #freshfood #farming #farmgate #agribusiness #agriculture #farmprofitability #supplychain #foodretail #retailing #rural #regionalaustralia #markets #producemarkets #shopperresearch #consumerresearch #consumers #shopping #fmcg #shoppers #foodresearch #foodproduction #freshmeat #butcher #deli #winery

Let's celebrate our farmers! 🌾 In the UK, our farmers are the backbone of our food industry, yet their hard work often goes unrecognised. BUT that might change in the near future! Recently, the Environment Secretary has introduced a proposal for fairer and clearer food labelling. This could mean more transparency and recognition for our farmers. https://lnkd.in/epU5kvTX  Are you part of the food industry? We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts on this development in the comments 👇 #FoodIndustry #BEC #BarkingEnterpriseCentre #Barking #Dagenham

Meet the uber-wealthy families who control much of the food system in the US and Australia. My transparency in sharing this article is educational > know what you are eating and who your are eating that food from <. I am lucky, to able to support and seek out Australian small to medium farmers at farmers markets and/or farmgates to buy direct, when in season, with farmers. This is a privileged call-to-action, I am able to undertake at least once a week. However, many many Australians do rely on large retail supermarket chains, to shop for fresh, healthy and tasty food, when they can, and as they can. And this is an information update, shared by ABC reporters Fiona Pepper and Catherine Zengerer . So, if you what you are buying (costs), from who you are buying (profits) this can help you make decisions that support local farmers (income) and growers, and be a CoOL customer (buy Australian grown). #Agriculture #Australia #FoodSystems #FoodSecurity #NationalSecurity #BuyLocal https://lnkd.in/gNwQGBZx the below extracts are taken from this article. How did these farmers of today's Industrialised Agriculture become so powerful? The history of American agriculture is rooted in slavery and genocide but it was in the 1980s that the pro-corporate framework really took hold. (sic) The berry barons: The Driscolls It's easy to find berry brand Driscoll in Australian supermarkets, but the company is headquartered in California. Brothers J Miles and Garland Reiter founded the company in the late 1800s, and the company now sells one in three berries in the world. The company faced international labour hire transparency challenges in 2022 via https://lnkd.in/gsjTrrFv The beef barons: The Batista family The billionaire Brazilian Batista brothers, Joesley and Wesley, own JBS Foods, one of the world's largest meat processing companies.In Australia, JBS is the country's largest meat and food processing company, employing more than 14,000 workers across 50 sites. You might not know the name JBS. But if you buy Primo ham, McDonald's burgers or meat from Coles, Woolworths or Aldi, you're likely eating JBS products. Recently, JBS expanded into fish farming in Tasmania, acquiring Huon Aquaculture, a major salmon producer sold around Australian and exported globally. Following on from the development and announcement from SPC and Woolworths from Faith Tabalujan https://lnkd.in/g-aPh3sU And the ways billionaires are bad for us and our economy https://lnkd.in/gRNxbXUY and https://lnkd.in/g3DCGqWt thanks George Monbiot. #GrownnotFlown #GrowLocal #SupportLocal