Farmer controlled business (FCB) directors came together alongside other industry stakeholders, academics and government representatives, at English Farming and Food Partnerships’ (EFFP) Directors’ Forum last month, to discuss the role for collaboration in helping businesses in the supply chain tackle climate change.

The EFFP believes there are clear potential carbon benefits from developing collaborative relationships in the supply chain, through improved communication, greater efficiencies and in the sharing of risk and reward along the supply chain. Similarly, collaboration between groups of farmers and/or food companies may enable the development of bio energy projects in the supply chain.

Euan Murray, general manager for carbon footprinting at the Carbon Trust, presented a series of pilot case studies at the forum to demonstrate how agri-food businesses have worked with others in the supply chain to reduce carbon emissions of individual food products.

Marks & Spencer energy manager, Mervyn Bowden, spoke about the steps M&S is taking to improve its energy efficiency and to invest in renewable energy technologies. He explained how the retailer is working with farmer suppliers to raise awareness of the opportunities for bio energy production, and working to alongside their suppliers to support the development of such projects within their supply chains.

It was put forward that FCBs and other farmer groups are ideally positioned to help bring about reductions in supply chain carbon emissions, but that help and support is needed to understand the business implications of the climate change agenda and the potential commercial benefits.

The EFFP believes that more integrated working between industry and government to identify solutions to tackle climate change could reduce confusion and lack of understanding in the this area.

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