Discover your next big idea in food packaging & processing this Sept.
Experience a breakthrough in food packaging & processing—explore solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries at PACK EXPO Las Vegas.
REGISTER TODAY & SAVE

Identifying the cost of sustainable farming

True cost accounting enables the food industry to understand the current challenges by identifying, categorizing, quantifying and pricing different costs and benefits.

The food industry needs to raise awareness among consumers about the true cost of food. Photo: Steph French/ Sustainable Food Trust.
The food industry needs to raise awareness among consumers about the true cost of food. Photo: Steph French/ Sustainable Food Trust.

To date, intensive farming systems are causing significant damage to the environment and public health—damage that consumers unknowingly pay for in hidden ways, according to Patrick Holden, executive director for Sustainable Food Trust, UK, in partnership with the Sustainable Food Alliance, Allentown, Pa.

“For instance, we pay for the cleanup costs from intensive agriculture through water treatment, healthcare and wrongly directed agricultural subsidies. You could even say that we are deferring the payment by passing costs on to future generations, as is currently the case with climate change and soil degradation,” adds Holden. “So, although our food appears to have never been cheaper, when we look beneath the surface, we have been paying more for it than we might possibly imagine.”

When it comes to agricultural costs in food processing, one of the biggest problems is that the price of raw materials doesn’t necessarily reflect the true cost of production.

As a result, “this distorted economic climate has resulted in the rise of a food system [that] contributes significantly to environmental decline, impacting hugely on one of our most precious resources—the soil,” says Holden. “The economic cost of global soil degradation is enormous, with past estimates calculating an expense in the region of $400 billion per year.”

Another external cost associated with today’s food system is the impact of sustainable farming on public health.

“There is now increasing evidence that there are direct links between the intensification of our food production systems and the rapid rise of a range of diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, allergies, some cancers and diseases of the immune system, resulting in increasingly unaffordable treatment costs,” says Holden.

Proteins Innovations Report
Discover cutting-edge protein packaging innovations from PACK EXPO International 2024! Our editorial team spotlights hygienic equipment and materials designed for the demanding protein sector. From IP66-rated washdown systems and all-servo chub packaging to advanced auto-bagging technology and compostable trays replacing EPS, this report reveals how manufacturers are addressing clean, safe design while improving efficiency.
Take Me There
Proteins Innovations Report
Food safety excellence on a budget: The smart approach
When material costs rise and margins shrink, efficient cleaning becomes critical. Learn cost-effective sanitation strategies that enhance food safety while reducing resource consumption.
Read More
Food safety excellence on a budget: The smart approach