Environment
INVESTING IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Why is this material to our business?
In line with our 'Fresh Food People' branding, maintaining sustainable, reliable ongoing supplies of fresh food is of profound strategic and operational importance to Woolworths. It is obviously of equal importance to local farmers and suppliers, many of whom depend on us for their livelihoods and existence. Ninety-seven per cent of the fresh produce we sell is grown in Australia, representing a huge commitment to local sourcing.
What is our commitment?
In our Sustainability Strategy 2007-2015 we committed to a partnership with Landcare Australia to fund grassroots sustainable farming projects and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
In Western Australia's wheat belt, the Morawa Farm Improvement Group has come up with a novel way of dealing with rising salt water levels - and drought proofing their farms.
When the first signs of rising salt levels appeared in the 1990s, deep drains were built to carry the salty groundwater away from farming land into natural salt lakes nearby.
The water flowed constantly, even through the drought. Thinking there must be a way to use this salty water, the group tried, unsuccessfully, to grow seaweed, but found it was perfect for producing brine shrimp, which is used as fish food.
Thanks to funding from the Woolworths Sustainable Farming Program, they were able to research the feasibility of producing brine shrimp commercially. They found that not only did a market exist for a small-scale supplier, potential clients were keen to trial their product.
In addition to the feasibility study, the grant money was used to complete marketing plans, a production manual and a feeding trial to maximise production.
"While producing brine shrimp won't replace income from traditional farming, diversifying into aquaculture is an important step in getting through severe droughts," says Cameron Tubby of the Morawa Farm Improvement Group.
The Woolworths funding, he says, has provided vital help for farmers. "Diversifying like this could be the difference between surviving and not surviving for some farmers."
How are we performing?
Through the Landcare partnership we established the Woolworths Sustainable Farming Program in 2007. In the past three years, $5.80 million, one third of the funds raised through our Backing Our Farmers Campaign and Drought Action Day, has gone to Landcare to fund projects under the Woolworths Sustainable Farming Program.
In 2008 Landcare allocated supporting funds of over $1.25 million to 57 projects throughout Australia. This year it allocated further funding to three of the existing projects and supported a further 36 projects to the value of over $1.2 million.
Landcare has issued funding to projects ranging from addressing climate change mitigation, climate adaptation, water efficiency, improving grazing and livestock management, crop management, soil conservation and many more across Australia. For more information on projects and grant applications go to www.landcareaustralia.com.au
In addition to our Landcare partnership, we launched the Fresh Food Grant in 2007, committing to the awarding of $100,000 to a project annually for 10 years. The projects must focus on improving fresh food sustainability in Australia.
The 2007 grant was awarded to Houston's Farm to support the development of a carbon footprinting tool for the horticulture industry. The 2008 grant went to Moraitis for piloting the use of biochar in agriculture and monitoring output improvements.