{"id":8984,"date":"2021-07-14T11:30:34","date_gmt":"2021-07-14T15:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mtechsystems.io\/?page_id=8984"},"modified":"2022-12-12T14:13:31","modified_gmt":"2022-12-12T19:13:31","slug":"increasing-sustainability-in-the-poultry-industry","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mtechsystems.io\/es\/show\/agcelerate\/increasing-sustainability-in-the-poultry-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"AGcelerate: Increasing sustainability in the poultry industry"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Increasing sustainability in the poultry industry <\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Welcome, everyone. This is <\/span>MT<\/span>ech <\/span>AGc<\/span>elerate<\/span>. My name is <\/span>Nikolay <\/span>Shchetikhin<\/span> and I have Jim Johns<\/span>t<\/span>on with me as usual, and we have a guest would have Padmini <\/span>Persaud<\/span>. Welcome, everyone. Hi, Nick. Hello. Thank you for having me. Hi. Good to see you.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>

[00:35] Yeah, hey, we got some <\/span>really topical<\/span> subject today for<\/span> the<\/span> AGc<\/span>elerate<\/span> show. We’re talking about sustainability. And we’re talking with Padmini, <\/span>who<\/span> is MTech\u2019s<\/span> new environmental engineer<\/span> that<\/span> just started with the business on the first of June. <\/span>That’s right. Great st<\/span>uff. Welcome to the team. Thank you.<\/span> Thank you for having me.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[01:00] Yeah. And today we’re going to discuss sustainability. It’s a very interesting topic. But before we get into it, <\/span>Padmini<\/span> would you like to<\/span> t<\/span>ell us a little bit about your story?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>

[01:13] Sure, sure. <\/span>So<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span> got my <\/span>bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Florida. And then I also have my Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, from the University of Tennessee. And <\/span>all of<\/span> the work that I’ve been doing has had to do with the environment in <\/span>some way. It started, you know, with water and wastewater research. And then progressively I went on to do more urban stormwater research, basically in green infrastructure planning. And now I’m focusing primarily on sustainability, with my role in MTech.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

[01:55] Fantastic. So, you know, that’s <\/span>a <\/span>really good<\/span> career so far in terms, a lot of learning <\/span>at a<\/span> university <\/span>so<\/span> why particularly agriculture and sustainability<\/span> why choose this as your career<\/span>?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>

[02:12]<\/span> So<\/span> I, I’ve always been intere<\/span>sted in sustainability practices, I <\/span>actually feel<\/span> like it starte<\/span>d w<\/span>hile I was at <\/span>the <\/span>University of Florida, I took a class on LCS lifecycle analyses. And when you think about agriculture, and sustainability, it’s all just one big lifecycle process. And a lot <\/span>of the analysis that’s done for sustainability in agriculture has to do with that. And <\/span>so<\/span> I really feel like I just enjoyed the whole process of looking at a <\/span>process’s<\/span> lifecycle, and the inputs and outputs that go into it. And <\/span>so<\/span> it seems like a very great<\/span> fit for me to come to MTech and do that as well. And I was really taken aback by how interested the company is in pursuing sustainability, as well.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[03:02] S<\/span>ustainability is<\/span> a big topic, it’s everywhere, it’s o<\/span>n the news, it’s on <\/span>company websites<\/span>,<\/span> on social media, everybody’s talking about sustainability, and everybody’s trying to put strategies <\/span>in place <\/span>for it. But, from what I see, there is no one definition of sustainability, what it is, how to achieve it, whe<\/span>re to get it, <\/span>how to get there. So maybe you could just tell us a little bit about that. <\/span>So<\/span> what is your definition of sustainability?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>

[03:37] So<\/span> to me, sustainability is about your resources, right? It’s being able to provide for a need without jeopardizin<\/span>g a <\/span>huge population<\/span>,<\/span> the<\/span> pursuit of satisfying that need, you know, so it all comes down to what kind of resources we <\/span>have, and<\/span> making sure that what we’re using is not going to be depleted into the in the future for what future people need. And <\/span>so<\/span> I feel lik<\/span>e sustainability also should include an element of resilience to it as well. There’s a lot of change happening environmentally <\/span>and <\/span>climatically for everyone in the world. And <\/span>so<\/span> the term resilience could also be added to it just to add a more dynamic nature<\/span> to how we think about things. <\/span>So<\/span> resilience would mean basically, how can you recover? or <\/span>How<\/span> can you manage and adapt to changes that are happening? So, to me, it’s a <\/span>twofold<\/span> Answer. Sustainability is not just thinking about the resources you currently<\/span> have, but also thinking about how you’re going to change to your conditions in the future as well.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>

[04:48] Yeah, hey, that’s, that’s a nice subject. You know, I mean, the poultry industry that we’ve been working in for quite <\/span>a number of<\/span> years is, is <\/span>g<\/span>ood at change, you know, and adapts to <\/span>the <\/span>change<\/span>s <\/span>the consumer wants and <\/span>require<\/span>s<\/span>. The industry has adapted over the years and the sustainability issue is, is <\/span>the next level of change that we need to embrace. And that’s the next journey<\/span>.<\/span> W<\/span>hy do you think this whole sustainability drive is important to the world? What’s your view <\/span>on <\/span>that?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

[05:23] Well, I feel like, you know, now, we are feeling a lot of the effects of climate change. <\/span>In particular, you<\/span> know, you have a lot of extreme<\/span> weather happening everywhere, there’s a lot more rain, there’s droughts, there’s these intense heat waves that are happening. And now, you know, the <\/span>sustainability concept, the sustainability movement is taking up a bigger role, because people are now<\/span> feeling the effects. You know, these are things that, <\/span>have been<\/span> building up, you know, for the past couple of decades, and now we’re finally understanding why it’s so important and why we need to care. And it’s because we physically feel it now, you kno<\/span>w, you feel the heat<\/span>,<\/span> you feel when<\/span> your cities are flooding, or, you know, <\/span>when <\/span>you have intense droughts. And so globally, that’s why it’s important, you know, to kind of combat what’s been happening, and try to figure out how to move forward as a <\/span>s<\/span>ociety as a whole<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[06:22]<\/span> Right? Yeah, we <\/span>definitely can<\/span> feel it sometimes now. And companies big and small, are also feeling it, they<\/span> are<\/span> feeling it in the way they produc<\/span>e and <\/span>in the <\/span>way<\/span> consumers react to the changes in their products. And many poul<\/span>try companies, big and small, producing retailing, all kinds of companies now are claiming their strategies to sustainability to carbon neutrality. And some of them are <\/span>pretty aggressive<\/span>. Right? And what do you think how <\/span>really realistic<\/span>, those claims are <\/span>to be carbon neutral, <\/span>by <\/span>2030 or 2040?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

[07:09] Well, honestly, it’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of things that need to change in every element of processing from you know, the things that you do in growing crops and raising chickens and processing chickens an<\/span>d packaging, <\/span>to<\/span> you know, any kind of product you have in agriculture<\/span>.<\/span> I<\/span>n general, it’s going to take a lot of effort, not just from these companies that will be investing money, but also on the part o<\/span>f <\/span>individual farmers and <\/span>society as a<\/span> whole<\/span>. There’s, I feel there is a big push for sustainability, as people are becoming more and more aware of the issues, I think there just <\/span>has to<\/span> be more of a shift in priorities as well. <\/span>So<\/span> no<\/span> it’s not impossible, it’s just going to take some ada<\/span>ptations in thinking, I think, and it’s going to be more of a mental hurdle than it is going to be a physical hurdle to <\/span>get over in terms of becoming fully carbon neutral.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[08:16] Okay, and yeah, so it’s quite an exercise to measure yourself, I guess, an<\/span>d then to look at how you can improve and it’s a whole new area that business<\/span>es<\/span> need<\/span> to start <\/span>getting<\/span> comfortable with and understand how to manage it. But <\/span>so<\/span> what are the areas that we need to quantify then Padmini? I mean, <\/span>how do<\/span> you quanti<\/span>fy a company’s level of sustainability.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[08:40] So<\/span> it all comes down to your emissions and your resource usage, right. <\/span>So<\/span> the easiest thing for companies to do is to focus on their greenhouse gas emissions and their <\/span>CO2<\/span> production. And you know, <\/span>there’s a lot of international or national programs that are available for people to pledge themselves to. And through those programs, there’s an accountability aspect to it, you <\/span>have to<\/span> follow guidance and protocols for measuring <\/span>all of<\/span> these emissions th<\/span>at you’re producing. And that’s the most direct way to go about understanding, <\/span>first of all<\/span>, what you are emitting, and then secondly, how you can improve as well.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[09:28] I guess there will be quite a lot <\/span>needed especially for the <\/span>farmers and for those people that are <\/span>actually working<\/span> on the ground because they have never been doing anything like <\/span>that<\/span> they’ve been just producing feed<\/span> or producing chickens and never measuring any emissions or anything like that. <\/span>So<\/span> this would be more of <\/span>a mindset change <\/span>for them <\/span>as well.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[09<\/span>:53] Right. That\u2019s<\/span>, it’s <\/span>more societal based. I mean, we have the technology to do all<\/span> the<\/span> Measuring. But you know, it’s up to individuals to commit themselves to the change as well.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>

[10:09] But I mean, it’s an industry t<\/span>hat is used to measuring things. I mean, we measure a lot, you know, as a poultry industry or swine production. We measure an awful lot. And we have heaps of data, I suppose it’s about finding a way to leverage that data because a lot <\/span>of the data<\/span> has already been, you know, coll<\/span>ected<\/span> and<\/span> by production companies certainly <\/span>we<\/span> have the ability of utilizing that to be able to start <\/span>to measur<\/span>ing<\/span> our sustainability <\/span>and<\/span> carbon footprint.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[10:44] Absolutely. And you know, <\/span>it doesn’<\/span>t really take a lot of, you know, complex numbers to get to an idea of what’s going on, you know, even things, things simpl<\/span>e as<\/span> how much electricity <\/span>you <\/span>use on a farm or how many miles you <\/span>have to<\/span> travel to transport things. It’s<\/span> not<\/span> a very complex calculation, it’s just a matter of just punching the numbers really<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[11:09] Y<\/span>eah, grabbing all that data and being able to process it. And <\/span>so<\/span> you get logical and credible answers at the end of the day. <\/span>So<\/span> it’s becoming a really important is<\/span>sue, you know,<\/span> I noticed <\/span>B<\/span>RF ha<\/span>s<\/span> just gone public with their target, is it carbon zero, by 2040? I think it was. And just a couple of months back, I saw Tyson there, you know, they’ve s<\/span>et their<\/span> very public targets for<\/span> being zero carbon. And it’s a <\/span>really big<\/span> topical area in <\/span>consumers’<\/span> minds<\/span> right<\/span> now. As well, as you know, retailers, foodservice chains, all going public on these numbers and setting targets very public targets<\/span>. So, <\/span>It\u2019s<\/span> good to learn h<\/span>ow do we start<\/span> to do this, and it’s great to have you on board as <\/span>a<\/span> specialist<\/span> and part of the team that can really understand <\/span>it and<\/span> helps us and our customers understand it much<\/span> better<\/span>. Right. But I guess, you know, it’s been <\/span>really good<\/span> talking t<\/span>o you today, I think, you know, we’ve been through, <\/span>your passion for the subject. I think that’s always fantasti<\/span>c to hear <\/span>your background, your education, but the fact you’re passionate about sustainability and industry is <\/span>really cool<\/span>. So that came<\/span> over very nicely today. <\/span>And,<\/span> we work with a lot of customers who<\/span> have data and measure<\/span> the<\/span> data. <\/span>So<\/span> this is like adding an additional capability <\/span>to that data and being able to crunch it so we help them measure the level of sustainabi<\/span>lity and we <\/span>can<\/span> help them improve <\/span>going forwards <\/span>in this very important area. <\/span>Many thanks for your time today. It’s been great to talk to you. Yeah. Thank <\/span>you, guys,<\/span> for having me on this podcast.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

[13:06]\u00a0Yeah<\/span>. <\/span>Thanks for being here. And Jim, I <\/span>think we need to have another goal of our sustainability game<\/span> n<\/span>ow we have a specialist onboard. Good idea. All right. For those who are watching us, and don’t want to miss any new episodes, please follow us on social media. We are on LinkedIn on Instagram<\/span> and on Twitter and don’t forget to check our website and <\/span>we will <\/span>see you in the next episode. Okay, see you next Cheers.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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