Building on our green image to create competitive advantage - Aidan Cotter IIEA Conference: A Flavour of the Future Tuesday 5th July, 2011

3. Pathways for Growth
Building on our green image
to create competitive advantage
Aidan Cotter Hin
der Use
IIEA Conference: A Flavour of the Future Tuesday 5th July, 2011
pla
for
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture
AIDAN COTTER BORD BIA
Growing the success
CHIEF EXECUTIVE of Irish food & horticulture
28 JANUARY 2009

4. Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

5. “Sustainability …the single biggest business opportunity of the 21st century
….the next source of competitive advantage.” Walmart
“Companies that take the
“New Zealand aims to be a
lead on sustainability will be credible leader in responding
market makers rather than market takers.” to Climate Change”
World Economic Forum
“….increasingly…. a
critical driver of business growth.”
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

6. Irish food seen to have strong Sustainability credentials
The fact that an Irish farm was chosen as the
McDonalds Flagship Farm for beef in Europe
indicates Irish farms are doing good things and
can farm in a sustainable way
…green and natural…
….but now we need to “Relative to Holland Ireland stands for more space,
better climate, fresh grass”
prove it…
“Superquinn built a reputation for high quality local food,
can not achieve this without good local food suppliers”
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

7. “In preparation for living up to the claim of being
open for inspection …food and agriculture
companies must take to heart the need for
sustainability and transparency in food production”
…. “we are natural and we can prove it”.
Professor David Bell and Mary Shelman, Harvard Business School, May 2010
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

8. Demonstrating our Green Credentials
Carbon
Water
Biodiversity
Deforestation
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

9. The Journey to date
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

10. BQAS Environmental Pilot
Measure different production systems
I dentify strongest performing areas
and those with room for improvement
Deliver credibility by independently
certifying results
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

11. Scope of Beef Project
ide
es,
or
Farming
(Pilot)
up Processing
n
Packing
Transport
Retail
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

12. Farm element
• Pilot programme of 200 BLQAS farms
ide
es, • Close collaboration with Teagasc
or • Utilise AIM database
Farming
• All major inputs/outputs captured
Processing
up Progress to date
n
• Methodology & calculation model accredited by Carbon Trust in March 2011
Packing
• Rollout of programme to all 32,000 BQAS farms started in May 2011
• Feedback programme to farmers commenced in May 2011
Transport
Retail
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

13. Environmental measurement in BLQAS
Data from up to 500 farms weekly Most efficient
ide
es,
Focus on:
or
• Amount of beef produced
• Outdoors/Housing
• Manure management
• Feeding regime
Indicative performance
up Least efficient
n
Feedback to participants
1st National Quality Assurance Scheme to include
Environmental Sustainability criteria
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

14. Communications
Programme with key
customers of Irish
beef
All key customers updated on programme by September
Demonstrate proactive approach
Consolidate relationships
Enhance market profile
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

15. Next Steps
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

16. ....Extending beyond carbon
Extending Carbon
ide
es,
or
 Initial focus on water and biodiversity
 Benchmark performance
 Develop framework for incorporating into
up
n
BLQAS
 Focus is on measurement and improvement
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

17. Go beyond the farm gate for beef
• Processing footprint
ide
es, • Working with Carbon Trust
or • Sample of processing
plants
Farming
Processing
up
n Timescale
Packing
• Model development completed by September 2011
• Accreditation by December 2011
Transport
Retail
• Ongoing feedback with meat companies
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

18. Extend to other products......Starting with dairy
ide
es,
or
Farming
Processing
Packing
up
n Transport
Replicate work undertaken on beef
with farm element being initial focus
Point of sale
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

19. Utilising BLQAS infrastructure
8,000 dairy farms are
ide members of BLQAS
es,
or
Work underway with
Carbon Trust
Pilot footprint programme
on 100 farms
up
n Timescale
• Pilot footprint programme completed by December 2011
• Methodology and model accreditation by early 2012
• Feedback to participants
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

20. Commence work on other product areas
ide
es,
Focus on:
or
• Other meats
• Grain
• Horticulture
up
n Timescale
• Commence work in 2nd half of 2011 - complete farm element in 1st half of 2012
• Measure beyond the farm gate in 2nd half of 2012
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

21. Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

22. Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

23. The Study
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

24. Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

25. Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

26. “Ireland is at an enviable starting point in the race
to produce exactly the type of food that a growing
number of consumers are demanding”
Professor David Bell and Mary Shelman, Harvard Business School, May 2010
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture

27. Pathways for Growth
Building on our green image
to create competitive advantage
Aidan Cotter Hin
der Use
IIEA Conference: A Flavour of the Future Tuesday 5th July, 2011
pla
for
Growing the success of Irish food & horticulture
AIDAN COTTER BORD BIA
Growing the success
CHIEF EXECUTIVE of Irish food & horticulture
28 JANUARY 2009