The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has
accepted Emerald Grain’s wheat port access undertaking agreement after
feedback from industry counterparts.
“Emerald Grain is in favour of competition at ports and in the
Australian grain market. Competition at Australian ports and grain
storage facilities means a better return for Australian growers,” said
John
Warda, Emerald Grain Group general manager supply chain & operations.
The new undertaking will be in place from October 1, 2013.
The United States and Japan have announced that as of January 1,
2014, organic products certified in Japan or in the United States may
be sold as organic in either country.
This partnership will give
US farmers' and processors' the opportunity to access the growing Japanese organic
market, adding to a growing organic industry and supporting
job creation and business growth globally.
A report conducted by the international Economics of Land Degradation initiative states that the economic value of global land is undervalued and commonly determined by immediate
agricultural or forestry market values.
There are several ways to combat land degradation, including reforestation, sustainable agriculture and establishing alternative non-agricultural livelihoods (i.e.
eco-tourism).
The report suggests that if agricultural land productivity remains at its
current levels, an estimated 6 million hectares of land (roughly the
area of Norway) would need to be converted to agricultural production
every year until at least 2030 to satisfy growing demand.
Read the full report here.
 |
| Grain silo, Eidsvoll, Norway. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
