Eye on Europe: ‘Carbon footprint’ a better yardstick than ‘food miles’

So says a U.K. study which is mapping each stage of the food chain to pinpoint the most environmentally-friendly production methods

by NORMAN DUNN

A new carbon mapping project for food in Britain claims that global sourcing of hog feed could be more effective against climate warming than using grain from nearby fields.

In the University of Northumbria study, CO2 equivalents produced by each stage from feed growing through hog feeding, slaughter, pork processing, distribution and selling in the stores is mapped to pinpoint the most environmentally-friendly production methods. This has produced a “carbon footprint” for each part of the process and the aim of the project is to use this information in marketing at the retail level.

Better Pork - August 2008