Page 7 - National Poultry Newspaper

Egg farmers lead way in producing more with less
A LAYING hen today lays 38 more eggs per year than a hen did 20 years ago, and it does so despite consuming 5 percent less feed.
That equals an ex- tra 800 million eggs each year across Aus- tralia’s national flock, produced with 42,000 tonnes less grain and an emissions saving of 30,000 tonnes of carbon.
These improvements are highlighted in the latest Australian Egg Industry Sustain- ability Report released recently, which dem- onstrates how the egg industry is progress- ing in important areas such as the environ- ment, hen welfare, food security and ru- ral livelihoods.
Other advancements include biosecurity improvementsthrough a new virtual reality training module for farm workers, a solar energy feasibility tool, animal husbandry training for every egg farm in the country and new waste man- agement technology turning manure into high-grade organic fertiliser.
The report released by the egg industry’s national research body, Australian Eggs, comes after CSIRO
researchers canvassed the views of thousands of Australians to help egg farmers better understand evolving community expecta- tions.
Australian Eggs managing director Rowan McMonnies said the industry is lowering its carbon footprint and better conserving resources in line with evolving mainstream commu- nity expectations.
“Eggs are in 95 per- cent of Australian households and are a staple in the national diet,” Mr McMonnies said.
“While eggs already have a low carbon footprint relative to other farming indus- tries, the CSIRO’s community research showed us Australians expect to see all in- dustries reducing their impacts over time.
“Productivity im- provements in the egg industry have coincided with a low- ering of an already small environmen- tal footprint through better genetics, im- proved farm manage- ment, uptake of on- farm solar and new waste management technologies.
“Sustainability is more than just good
environmental stew- ardship, so we’ve also invested in a signifi- cant up-skilling of the national egg farm workforce to raise ani- mal husbandry stand- ards and created a new risk assessment tool to help farmers stay profitable.
“We’re making these improvements be- cause they’re the right thing to do but it was pleasing to see in the CSIRO’s community research report that trust in the egg indus- try increased over the past year.”
The 2020 Sustain- ability Framework Report completes the second annual cycle of a three-year program of engagement with Australians, designed to ensure the industry farms eggs in a man- ner that is socially, environmentally and economically sustain- able.
The full Sustainabil- ity Framework Report 2020 is available at australianeggs.org.au
America’s Cultivation Corridor announces first cohort of Cultivo Global Ag Innovation Program
ENTREPRENEUR lead- ers of startup companies based in Australia will participate in the inaugu- ral cohort of the Cultivo Global Ag Innovation Program hosted by Amer- ica’s Cultivation Corridor.
The cohort will learn from and connect with Io- wa’s agricultural research and business leadership during a 10-day immer- sion program from May 11-21, 2020.
During the immer- sion experience, Austral- ian startups will be intro- duced to the startup com- munity and entrepreneur- ial ecosystem in Iowa, as well as be introduced to the US financial system and regulatory programs.
They will visit Iowa State University to en- gage with top faculty, ISU Research Park and ISU BioCentury Research Farm, tour several leading companies and meet with farmers.
The session will fea- ture training and mentor support for pitch develop- ment and refinement for
each of the startups.
The program will con- clude with opportunities to meet one on one with US investors as well as present their business to the investors of America’s Cultivation Corridor and sponsors of the Cultivo
program.
Judd O’Connor, US
Commercial Business president at Corteva Ag- riscience and Chair of the board of directors for America’s Cultivation Corridor said, “Australia is the perfect fit for the first cohort of the Cultivo program because of the country’s strong ecosys- tem for developing and bringing new agricultural technologies to market.”
“Connecting startups with Iowa’s world-re- nowned researchers, in- dustry leaders and farm- ers will build opportu- nities and better enable opportunities to introduce new technologies and ser- vices to benefit the world’s farmers and consumers.”
America’s Cultivation Corridor will host and co-
ordinate the Cultivo Glob- al Ag Innovation Program in partnership with its investors and supporting organisations.
The names of the partic- ipating companies will be announced at a later date.
AgriFutures Australia managing director John Harvey said, “This is a fantastic opportunity to connect Australian agtech startups with the US mid- west.”
In conjunction with the Australian Trade and In- vestment Commission, we are thrilled to support this 10-day Iowa Immersion Program hosted by Amer- ica’s Cultivation Corridor (Cultivo).
“This program is hot off the heels of AgriFutures evokeAG 2020 –Asia- Pacific’spremieragrifood tech event being held in Melbourne, Australia on February 18 and 19, 2020.
“It will support the ‘think big, place yourself at the centre of the tech- nology and connect on a global level’ conversation we are aiming to have
with over 1300 delegates at evokeAG 2020.
“We look forward to meeting with the startups when they return from Iowa and to them sharing their learnings with the industries we support.”
For more information on sponsorship opportunities or cohort participation, visit cultivationcorridor. org/cultivo or contact Bill Hunt, executive director at America’s Cultivation Corridor at bhunt@culti vationcorridor.org.
Investors and partners of America’s Cultiva- tion Corridor are work- ing together to accelerate the development of new technologies, strength- en Iowa’s ag bioscience workforce and attract economic development, all focused on meeting the challenge of feeding a growing world population in a sustainable way.
More information is available at cultivation corridor.org or by follow- ing on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
"Earth Eggs" Keith S A 199 Neave Road
1
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Business For Sale "Earth Eggs"
Successful pastured free range egg business "Earth Eggs" approx 10,000 hens producing 3,800 doz eggs per week. Supplying "Earths tastiest paddock eggs" to Vic & SA markets weekly. The complete business is for sale inc full stock & plant. With or without the "Hayfields" cropping & grazing property of 742ha (1833ac). This is an established business with a sound reputation, strong client base & proven operating systems. Will suit equity investor, existing industry or new market entrant.
Registration of Interest
View by appointment only.
For Sale by Registrations of Interest, closing 30th March 2020 (INPS) www.landmarkharcourts.com.au/LKB2839
Geoff Watts
M 0427 717 515 P 08 8755 1166
geoff.watts@landmark.com.au Landmark Harcourts Keith RLA 102485
www.poultrynews.com.au
National Poultry Newspaper, March 2020 – Page 7