1st March 2012, London Leg CSC

No rest for the scholars, 11pm check in, 8.30am kick off at New Zealand House. Difficult not to be distracted by the sky line view.


A rapid introduction to what the UK Soil Association (UKSA), Wychavon Council and GM Freeze consider to be the key drivers in sustainably feeding the globe.

Emma Hockridge (UKSA) spoke to the influence pressure groups can have in changing attitudes, key success for UKSA has been the Hospital Food Program, targeted at lifting the level of food knowledge and quality in the health system.

Peter Riley, Campaign Director GM Freeze, considers the following conditions will limit our ability to feed every one;
Climate change
Ocean acidification
Ozone depletion
The leaching of nitrogen & phosphorus from the food chain
Global water use
Land use changes
Bio diversity loss
Chemical pollution &
Waste
We all need to ask "how can I change my behaviours to help us survive?"




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29 Feb 2012, Koppart Cress

A very quick introduction to the business of cress growing. 4 million euro/ha to establish the best practice, enviro glass houses. Water is heated in glass house and then pumped under ground for storage, excess heat is piped to a village close by, and computer controlled LED lighting and shading.





Cress produced is sourced from across the globe, grown, packed and distributed from Monster. A range of flavours and textures like wasabi, truffle, oyster, buck fiz, oysters and mint.

Do we have enough food?

Tuesday 28 Feb 2012 1 billion people under nourished, 1 billion people obeast and an expected world population of 8.2 billion by 2030. Can we do it on a depleting set of resources and climate change. Oxfam suggest we need to consider reducing native land clearing in the Amazon (agree), adoption of organics and restrictions of GM. EU think we can achieve it by the removal of production based quotas & replacement of income support, Australia & New Zealnd know we can achieve it is as long as we address 7% total global food production being lost to vermin and a reduction from 30% of world food being wasted after processing. Very informative day of speakers, EU trade negiotator for the Netherlands, policy developer Oxfam, organic pork producer and developer of Farm Focus network/conventional pork producer.

Amsterdam Flower Auction and harbour

Floraholland the worlds largest flower auction house. 20 million flowers per day sold & despatched within 24 hours of delivery to any capital city across the northern hemispher. 4500 employees working across a covered site of 170 ha, allot of roof area.




Dutch auction clock used to sell flowers at a rate of approx 1500 transactions per hour.


Completed the day with harbour cruise around the worlds busiest port, the below oil rig tender has a 700 tonne crane ready to lift anything close by.

Introductions

Wonderful day of introductions to the global scholars, 23 Australians, 3 Canadians, 1 Frenchman, 3 Irish, 3 Kiwi's, 23 from the UK, 4 from the Netherlands and two chaps form the USA completing their Eisenhower Fellowship. Business involvement and topics of study ranged from Precision Ag, city field farming, high welfare pig farming, Johnes disease in cattle, improving engagement in agriculture, influencing global agri politics and carbon farming. Allot of knowledge in a very small room.

First day in the Netherlands

Wow, 20 hours on a plane, 8 hours in a airport and 4 degrees outside temperature, big awakening to the Nuffield journey.

Great day touring Amsterdam & Rotterdam.

Very diversified operations, $40,000 ha land price (AUD), milking 140 cows, 5 wind farms, & 3 methane gas converters, tulips,onions & potatoes. Which one is making money, the government subsidies attached to milking cows.






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Location:Amsterdam

Contemporary Scholars Conference in the Netherlands 23 Feb - 16 March 2012

As the CSC draws closer to a start, our plans are being confirmed and excitment is beginning to build. The diary is beginning to fill, with appointments confirmed with the following businesses.

Sat 25 Feb - Wed 29 Feb, the Netherlands, CSC farm tours, flower auction house, Co-operative business discussion

Thur 1 Mar - Sat 3rd March, UK CSC, farm tours and NZ High Commission visit

Mon 5th Mar, Double H Nurseries, UK, Gary Shorland, CI visual management tour, Google Double H Nurseries

Wed 7th Mar, Mechelese Veilingen Belgium auction house, Luc Peeters, Just In Time produce scheduling & despatch

Thur 8th Mar, Brussels, COPA (EU federation of farmers union & co-operatives)& EU standing comm. on plant health, meetings

Fri 9th Mar, ARLA Dairy, the Netherlands, worlds 7th largest dairy company, 3 years of CI has it worked?

Mon 12 & 13 Mar, Lean Institute, the Netherlands, GEMBA walks & CI in the workplace.

Waiting with anticipation on how communications, train travel, budget planning all come together.