Drought Unites Australian Dairy On Sustainability
AUSTRALIA - Australian dairy leaders, facing the worst drought on record in their country, have launched an industry-wide sustainability drive to improve the sector's environmental credentials.
3 May 2007
1 minute read
Most factories, including those owned by top firms like Fonterra and National Foods, plan to significantly reduce water usage over the next two years.
A range of research projects designed to reduce the dairy industry's environmental impact, and partly funded by state governments, are also underway.
The moves follow the publication of a State of the Environment Report, pulling together figures on energy, water and chemical usage from companies representing three quarters of all milk processed in Australia.
It is something dairy industries in Europe may look to draw upon as firms everywhere see climate change rising up the public agenda. UK sector leaders are set to discuss the environment in June.
In Australia, drought and marketing opportunities offered by tackling environmental issues are spurring the industry on.
"This report is more than about the dairy industry and regulators, for us it's also about consumers. It's going to impact on their buying decisions in the future," said Dr Mike Ginnivan, managing director of Dairy Australia, the industry association which launched the report.
Source: FoodNavigator
