BASF, Boortmalt and SAI Platform partner for sustainable barley production
19th November 2020
- Malted barley supplier Boortmalt improves sustainability throughout their value chain with AgBalance® from BASF
- Independently benchmarked FSA Add-on module to the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment now integrated in AgBalance
From farmer to retailer, every player in the food value chain wants to reduce their impact on the environment while maximising their efficiency. That is why Boortmalt, the world’s leading barley malt provider for the brewing and distilling industries, is implementing BASF’s sustainability assessment tool AgBalance® with more than 800 barley growers in Ireland. A new collaboration between BASF and the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform), will also make it easier for the farmers to achieve independent verification for the sustainability of their crop production.
“Our customers in the beverage value chain are demanding more proof that we supply malted barley that is produced sustainably,” said Max Potterton, barley agronomist at Boortmalt in Ireland. “That is why we want to measure and drive sustainability in crop production. One of our sustainability goals is to source 100% sustainable barley in Europe by 2030.”
“AgBalance is an easy-to-use digital tool that allows you to take a holistic view on the sustainability criteria of your farm operations – not just your carbon footprint or water usage, but also other important parameters, such as yield, soil health and biodiversity,” says Julia Harnal, Head of Global Sustainability and Governmental Relations at BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division. “We are excited to be working with Boortmalt and SAI Platform; creating a partnership between food value chain, and industry, to help find the right balance between environmental protection, farm productivity and societal acceptance.”
AgBalance uses data from the farm’s current operation and compares them to a benchmark of other farms in the region to show where the farmer can improve to reach environmental goals while improving efficiency and productivity on the farm. With SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) module now integrated into AgBalance, the tool will help Irish barley growers supplying Boortmalt to verify their farm operations more quickly and easily.
“The Farm Sustainability Assessment module in AgBalance enables farmers to see instantly which level of FSA performance they are reaching. It will help them to achieve an even better understanding of how to manage sustainability on their farms.” said Joe Rushton, FSA Programme Manager at SAI Platform.
BASF launched AgBalance in 2011. It is tailored individually to each customer, based on their specific needs and goals. BASF is working with customers worldwide, including a major coffee producer in Brazil and cereal growers in China.
About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division
With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Working with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others, it is our role to help make this possible. That’s why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline and broad portfolio, including seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we connect innovative thinking and down-to-earth action to create real world ideas that work – for farmers, society and the planet. In 2019, our division generated sales of €7.8 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.
About Boortmalt
BOORTMALT is the world leader malting company with 3 million tonnes production capacity. The group is present on 5 continents with 27 malting plants. Boortmalt’s expertise is widely acknowledged by brewers and distillers who rely on the supply of top-quality barley malt. Boortmalt local sourcing programs contain and promote continuous improvement of farming practices and methodologies which enhance financial profitability and are environmentally sound and beneficial to the local communities. For more information, please visit www.boortmalt.com
