FAIRR’s top news picks
$7.3 Trillion Investor Coalition Calls for G20 Food Subsidy Reform by 2030 to Meet Climate and Nature Goals
Reuters | 22 August 2023
Investors, led by the FAIRR Initiative, are calling on the G20 to reform agricultural subsidies, arguing that they contribute to climate change and environmental degradation. The investors, who represent $7.3 trillion in combined assets, say that current agricultural subsidies encourage overproduction and inefficient use of resources. They argue that this has several negative consequences, including increased greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, water pollution, and soil erosion. The investors are calling on the G20 to reform agricultural subsidies in a way that promotes sustainable agriculture. Specific recommendations include linking financial support with environmental obligations and increasing funding for workers impacted by reforms.
Food Companies Face Investor Calls to Curb Antibiotic Use on Farms
Financial Times | 22 August 2023
Investors are voicing growing concerns regarding the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which can make common infections difficult or impossible to treat. As around 70% of antibiotics produced worldwide are used in animal agriculture, food companies are facing calls from investors to reduce the overuse in their supply chains. One example of this is FAIRR’s Restaurant Antibiotic Engagement, which is supported by 71 investors representing $15.2 trillion in combined assets. The volume of shareholder resolutions over the past 18 months is also taken as a sign of increased investor engagement in this area.
Environmental Activists Pressure US Regulators to Halt JBS Listing
Reuters | 23 August 2023
Environmental activists are pressuring US regulators to halt the listing of JBS SA on the New York Stock Exchange, citing the Brazilian meatpacker's impact on deforestation, climate change and other issues. JBS has said its listing proposal will "enhance corporate governance and transparency through adherence to SEC standards." The SEC has stated that the concerns raised will be given “careful consideration”, but declined to comment to Reuters. The US listing has been in the works for nearly a decade, but was postponed in part due to a 2017 corporate corruption scandal in Brazil and then again amid the COVID-19 pandemic. JBS expects to conclude its US listing by the end of the year.
More Food for Thought
Study Shows How The Meat and Dairy Sector Resists Competition from Alternative Animal Products | Phys Org | Stanford University
Next step for Cultivated Meat in the Netherlands | Pig Progress | Treena Hein
FAIRR’s Protein Pulse is a weekly collection of news articles related to the food sector that may be of interest to our members. FAIRR does not necessarily endorse the views of these news articles and assumes no responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies found in third-party content.
