What foods will we be producing and consuming in 5 – 10 – 20 years?
The food industry is experiencing huge pressure for change:
Climate change is affecting primary production (where things will grow, new diseases etc.)
The impacts of fertilisers and wastes on waterways are leading to restrictions on land use
Animal welfare considerations are fundamentally altering permissible farming techniques
The carbon footprint of food products from farm to fork is being scrutinised
Access to water to undertake production is limited via climate change and resource allocation
Loss of plastics into the environment is changing acceptability of plastic packaging
An increasingly multicultural society is leading to new types foods being available
Food technology is being used to develop novel foods (eg meat analogues)
Some of these things are forcing changes on the food industry, and others are the food industry providing new options. The pressures for change are taking place both in New Zealand and overseas.
These changes will affect all food producers to a greater or lesser degree. Have you considered how to ensure your business remains sustainable in the future: environmental impacts via emissions, water use and plastics use; maintaining a social licence to operate; and ensuring that your business remains financially viable?
Further to this, these changes will also put pressure on the regulatory systems used to manage food safety and ensure food suitability.
MPI’s New Zealand Food Safety business unit is currently consulting on their draft strategy. This strategy is aimed at ensuring that the food safety systems can keep up with changes in demographics, novel foods and processing methods. Their responsibility to influence and lead internationally, to facilitate trade is also critical.
Take the opportunity to consider this and have your say. Search on A strategy for New Zealand Food Safety
