March 8, 2021

 

Cargill partners with farmers to chart new course in seafood sustainability

Cargill has set a course to protect oceans, a vital ecosystem where the company helps to grow and move food around the world.

 

The company's latest initiative, SeaFurther™ Sustainability, will help aqua farmers raise more sustainable seafood with less environmental impact. It is part of its overall carbon commitment, with a science-based scope 3 target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% per tonne of food by 2030. SeaFurther alone will help save two billion kilogrammes of CO2 by 2030, which is the equivalent of removing more than 400,000 cars from the road.

 

"With SeaFurther Sustainability we are charting a new bold course, one that makes aquaculture better for our planet," said Pilar Cruz, president and group leader for Cargill Aqua Nutrition. "Seafood consumption is rising globally. We want to meet that demand; increasing production while decreasing environmental impact. By working closely with farmers to source sustainable ingredients, improve farm productivity and ensure fish welfare, Cargill is redefining aquaculture's role in helping the world thrive."

 

Cargill's SeaFurther programme will start with salmon farmers.

 

"We are excited to see a clear commitment from Cargill that is focused on the needs to reduce the environmental footprint of salmon,"said Stian Amble, biology and quality advisor at Nova Sea.  "Delivering more sustainable aquaculture will require the value chain to align on key goals and work together to deliver on them. By agreeing on the value of the changes that are required, we can deliver true transformation to become more sustainable more quickly and at greater scale."

 

Through SeaFurther Sustainability, Cargill is setting the goal to reduce the footprint of farmed salmon 30% by 2030.

 

Today, feed represents up to 90% of a salmon's environmental footprint. To reduce this climate impact and enable salmon farmers to provide consumers with sustainably raised seafood options, SeaFurther is focused on:

 

- Sourcing - Cargill's feed is designed to minimise the environmental footprint of aquaculture. The company works closely with suppliers to grow responsibly-sourced ingredients and supply chains while finding ways to reuse by-products, like fish trimmings that would normally be discarded. "Together, we strive to identify and source novel ingredients that create even more sustainable feed, helping our customers and partners achieve our shared sustainability goals – and meet global consumer demand," Cargill said;

 

- Maximising - Utilising its extensive aquaculture feed experience, Cargill helps farmers do more with less to increase efficiency and maximise production while decreasing their impact on the planet;

 

- Caring - SeaFurther intends to safeguard farmed fish through nutrition solutions that protect and promote animal health, reducing the use of resources and the impact on the ocean at large.

 

While the company is starting with salmon, SeaFurther will expand, with an intent to add other species, like shrimp in the near future. This initiative builds on Cargill's extensive supply chain efforts which center around the belief that agriculture is how the world will help feed a growing population while protecting Earth's resources.

 

SeaFurther joins a fleet of Cargill's strategic partnerships, investments, research and technologies aimed at protecting oceans.

 

"The health of the world's salmon is ultimately linked to the health of our oceans," said Jan Dieleman, president of Cargill's ocean transportation business. "Large-scale carbon reduction requires commitment across the global supply chain and we're working with partners to develop solutions to reduce our impact on the environment. As one of the world's largest vessel charterers, Cargill continues its push to reduce emissions and raise industry standards."

 

"Cargill has an opportunity to drive real, positive climate impact for people and the planet," said Cruz. "With our global footprint and view across supply chains, sustainable oceans and sustainable seafood can become a reality if we are all in, partnering with farmers, working across the industry and pulling in the same direction."

 

- Cargill