As seen in the Grocer this week, a report from leading sustainability charity WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) into the financial implications for farms of reducing food surplus and waste has shown that the average farm has the potential to increase profits by 20%.

The analysis was developed by WRAP alongside the team here at Birnie Consultancy, and modelled five farm enterprises - apples, strawberries, potatoes, carrots and eggs. The models were built to consider input costs, product prices, contracting costs, likely product yields and percentage of food surplus and waste and showed that the following potential profit gains if all farmers achieved best in class performance: Carrots 33%, Eggs 24%, Potatoes 23%, Strawberries 19% & Apples 15%.

The report urges the entire supply chain to engage with the issue of on-farm waste and surplus as many of the drivers of this on farms could not solely addressed by growers.

“The financial analysis highlights that measuring food surplus and waste on-farms provides important business benefits,” explained Wrap sector specialist Will McManus.

“After two years of collaboration with farmers and growers, we have a robust approach for supporting measurement. Now we really need businesses and policymakers to back this approach and help upskill the sector as a whole.”

Speaking about the project, Birnie Managing Director Dr. Jonathan Birnie said

“We would like to thank Will and the team at WRAP for engaging us in such an interesting, important piece of work which sits along with other environmental work currently being completed by the consultancy for ARCZero, Foundation Earth and WWF. This is an area the team is passionate about, and we look forward to continuing our work in the sector”