Scale aspects of the environmental balance of food supply chains Elmar Schlich INRA 2010, page 1

Topics Terms: environment, food, aliments, regionality Case studies: method, theses, results Discussion: population, acreage, crop, maintenance Conclusions INRA 2010, page 2 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Topics Terms: environment, food, aliments, regionality Case studies: method, theses, results Discussion: population, acreage, crop, maintenance Conclusions INRA 2010, page 3 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Environment EcosphereTechnosphere Interaction INRA 2010, page 4 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Environment Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains EcosphereTechnosphere Interaction * breathable air * foods * raw material * energy carrier * solid waste * liquid waste * emissions * noise * off heat INRA 2010, page 5

Environment EcosphereTechnosphere Interaction * breathable air * foods * raw material * energy carrier * solid waste * liquid waste * emissions * noise * off heat INRA 2010, page 6 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Food – means for living (German: “Lebensmittel”) Drinking water: food no. 1 regional supply of communal waterworks consumption approx. 120 litres per day and person price approx. 4 € per 1,000 litres or 0.4 Eurocent per litre Aliments (German: „Nahrungsmittel“) base: primary production of agricultural crops and farm animals processing in food industry, manufacturing, handicraft vending in food retailing at Point of Sale (PoS) daily offer largely independent of seasons INRA 2010, page 7 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Food – means for living Drinking water: food no. 1 regional supply of communal waterworks consumption approx. 120 litres per day and person price approx. 4 € per 1,000 litres or 0.4 Eurocent per litre Aliments base: primary production of agricultural corps and farm animals processing in food industry, manufacturing, handicraft vending in food retailing at Point of Sale (PoS) daily offer largely independent of seasons consumer agriculture INRA 2010, page 8 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Complete process chain for aliments Consumer INRA 2010, page 9 Agriculture Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Complete process chain for aliments Point of Sale ↕ Wholesale trade ↕ Intermediate trade ↕ Final production ↕ Intermediate production(s) ↕ Agriculture Consumer INRA 2010, page 10 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Complete process chain for aliments Point of Sale ↕ Wholesale trade ↕ Intermediate trade ↕ Final production ↕ Intermediate production(s) ↕ Agriculture external distribution external transport Consumer professional players traceability HACCP TQM (ISO 9000 ff) LCA (ISO ff) IFS, EurepGAP,... INRA 2010, page 11 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Regionality different definitions: national frontiers, economic areas geographical frontiers, historical frontiers traffic and sale routes cultural frontiers, ethnical frontiers Food and alimentsDistance to market localless than 50 km regionalless than 500 km European - continentalless than 2,500 km globalmore than 2,500 km emotional ! rational ! Home !Confidence ! INRA 2010, page 12 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Topics Terms: environment, food, aliments, regionality Case studies: method, theses, results Discussion: population, acreage, crop, maintenance Conclusions INRA 2010, page 13 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Method * analysis of the whole process chain * from primary production up to food retailing * ascertainment of delivered energy transformation * allocation to functional unit Popular established thesis: food miles concept * impact to environment expected to be proportional to distance of marketplace * large distance = high impact to environment! * local food = low impact to environment! INRA 2010, page 14 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Public opinion in Germany: The energy use per kg aliment is proportional to marketing distance! „close = well!“ „the closer the better!“ Food miles concept → distance of transportation apples grown in the own garden wine from the own vineyard potatoes and milk from the farmer next door INRA 2010, page 15 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

But: specific efforts! Vehicleeffort per kg car?very big! van?big! truck? effective! inland water vessel?more effective! seagoing vessel?very effective! cargo plane?very ineffective! → distance of transportation ? INRA 2010, page 16 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Hypothesis: The bigger the enterprise the smaller the specific use of delivered energy! „Ecology of Scale“ ? In analogy to economy: the bigger the quantity the lower the costs of each item! „Economy of Scale“ → size of enterprise INRA 2010, page 17 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Specific use of delivered energy as function of business size y = x (R 2 = 0.87) 2.9 – 7.9 kWh/kg Results beef global transport: ~ 1.8 kWh/kg local transport: ~ 1.4 – 2.0 kWh/kg INRA 2010, page 18 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Specific use of primary energy as function of business size y = x (R 2 = 0.84) 3.9 – 9.5 kWh/kg Results beef INRA 2010, page 19 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Specific emission of CO 2 (carbon footprint) as function of business size y = x (R 2 = 0.85) local: 1,4 - 2,2 kg CO 2 /kg Results beef global: 0,8 kg CO 2 /kg INRA 2010, page 20 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Beef: local farming in Germany INRA 2010, page 21 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Local beef: typical transport unit INRA 2010, page 22 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Local beef: at butcher´s (handicraft) INRA 2010, page 23 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Local beef in Germany Characteristics: short distances, local food (< 50 km) artificial insemination, intensive breeding, fattening in the farm use of concentrated feed local butcheries with long-term regional delivery contracts transport of small units to the butchery, empty return INRA 2010, page 24 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Global beef: Black Angus in Argentina INRA 2010, page 25 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Global beef: breeding of bulls INRA 2010, page 26 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Global beef: breeding bull INRA 2010, page 27 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Global beef: cowboy, Gaucho [Krause 2008] INRA 2010, page 28 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Global beef: slaughterhouse in Buenos Aires INRA 2010, page 29 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Global beef: transport units INRA 2010, page 30 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Global beef – Argentina Characteristics: long-distance transport of more than 16,000 km extensive breeding and fattening of cattle herds all-season herding of cattle on grassland, no concentrated feed cattle drive to the gathering place, transport by truck to the slaughterhouse cooled transport overseas in 20“- reefers with 11 t beef each INRA 2010, page 31 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Beef – quantitative aspects of the German market consumption:12.5 kg per annum and capita Consumption per annum:1 million tons German production:1.17 mio tons level of self sufficiency: 117 % export per annum:270,000 tons import per annum:100,000 tons therefrom from Argentina:26,000 tons = 26 % INRA 2010, page 32 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Beef – quality aspects of the German market Cuts of inferior qualityhamburger, minced meat Cuts of medium qualityboiling meat, braised meat Cuts of high standardsteaks, filet, carpaccio Public opinion regarding beef from Argentina: High quality („Hilton-cuts“) no „mad cow desease“ (BSE) assumption: high energy input due to long-distance transport INRA 2010, page 33 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Specific use of delivered energy as function of business size Results beef local global INRA 2010, page 34 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Specific use of delivered energy as function of business size Results: pork local regional European- continental INRA 2010, page 35 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

specific use of delivered energy as function of business size results: apples DLV 2009, : page 36 level of self sufficiency: approx. 30% (seasonal between 0 und 100 %) Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Specific use of delivered energy as function of business size Results: wine estate bottled level of self sufficiency: ca. 34 % regional European- continental global INRA 2010, page 37 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Topics Terms: environment, food, aliments, regionality Case studies: method, theses, results Discussion: population, acreage, crop, maintenance Conclusions INRA 2010, page 38 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Population in Germany [Mio] 2009: 82 Mio INRA 2010, page 39 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Population in Germany [Mio] DLV 2009, : page : 82 Mio Density of population in industrialized countries 1. The Netherlands: Japan: United Kingdom of Great Britain: Germany: 231 inhabitants/km² in comparison: France: 112, USA: 30, Sweden: 20 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Agricultural land in Germany [Mio ha] 2009: 17 Mio ha INRA 2010, page 41 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Wheat crop in Germany per hectar[dt/ha] 2009: ~80 dt/ha INRA 2010, page 42 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Self sufficiency in Germany drinking water: 100 % (local food no. 1) mineral water, beer almost 100 %; wine 34 % fruits and vegetables: on average 20 % (seasonal effects!) bananas: 0 %, tropical fruits 0 %, apples 33 % meat products, processed meats: 60 – 100 % (60 % for lamb) cereals: 0 – 100 % (0 % for rice) INRA 2010, page 43 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Topics Terms: environment, food, aliments, regionality Case studies: method, theses, results Discussion: population, acreage, crop, maintenance Conclusions INRA 2010, page 44 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Conclusions (1) Ecology of Scale confirmed unit size more important than transport distance ! local - regional - seasonal brilliant if business size is sufficient ! European-continental - global not automatically more environmental pollution ! INRA 2010, page 45 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Conclusions (2) role of the end consumer has to be clarified! 10 to 20 % food spoilage in households energy for storing and preparation at home energy for transport to shop and back 20 % of all car rides only for shopping! bn Pkm = 4.5 bn litres of fuel = 12 Mio. t CO 2 On average nearly 2,000 km per annum and household! additionally: 200 g CO 2 /kg food INRA 2010, page 46 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Conclusions (3) Climate labels for food ? In that case conclusions might follow like: red card in general for too small local enterprises ??? red card in general for German apples in springtime ??? red card in general for intensive stock farming ??? No, because every process chain has to be evaluated differently! Regional and seasonal effects have to be taken into consideration! Other aspects have been ignored! INRA 2010, page 47 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains

Thanks to * DFG * DAAD * Justus Liebig Universitity Giessen and my group Thank you for your attention and looking for questions and discussion! INRA 2010, page 48 Scale aspects of environmental balance of food supply chains