Page 13 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Food Frontier and alternative protein labelling
what its true aims are. The Red Meat Advisory Council drew attention to Food Frontier’s close as- sociation with groups such as manufactured plant pro- tein company Impossible Foods, which is a member of the newly formed Al- ternative Proteins Council. Impossible Foods in a recent job advertisement described livestock as “the most dangerous tech- nology on Earth” and its stated mission is to “com- pletely replace the use of animals as a food-produc-
FOOD Frontier, a self- described independent think tank and expert advisor on alternative proteins in Australia and New Zealand, has jumped into the spotlight as the debate around the labelling of plant-based protein alternatives to meat heats up.
group for the plant-based protein sector and an anti- meat activist group.
and that it and a group of leading plant-based product manufacturers have collectively estab- lished a new representative group called the Alterna- tive Proteins Council.
still provide strategy input but will move to a more guiding role.
It is an issue many in the meat sector take seriously and feel strongly about, expressing concern about seeing large commercial food manufacturers de- velop and market food products with labels in- cluding terms such as beef, chicken and pork – despite containing no meat.
Food Frontier is recog- nised as a ‘health promo- tion charity’ according to the ACNC and is listed as an institution “whose pri- mary activity is to promote the prevention or control of diseases in human beings.”
Plant-based meat alterna- tives stocked in the super- market today carry highly visible product claims – 100 percent plant-based, beefless burger, veggie mince and meat-free sau- sages as examples.
“This key hire will en- able us to further accel- erate our reach and impact during the organisation’s next critical phase of evo- lution.
From descriptions on its website and public state- ments by its leaders, Food Frontier is an educator established to champion plant-based and lab-grown alternatives to meat in Australia.
Supporting documents describe Food Frontier In- stitute Pty Ltd as a com- pany established for the public charitable purposes of advancing health, en- suring future food secu- rity, reducing animal suf- fering and preventing en- vironmental damage.
Food Frontier’s Thomas King’s background cam- paigning for Animals Australia, suggesting Food Frontier is at its heart an anti-meat activist group.
Food Frontier chief executive officer Thomas King.
Photo: LikeMeat
Australian Pork Newspaper, August 2021 – Page 13
Since it was established in 2017, Food Frontier has funded a range of reports to support the uptake of plant and cell-based alter- natives to animal protein, has positioned itself as a go-to source for media commentary in favour of plant-based proteins and has gained representation on agricultural working groups discussing truth in labelling policy.
The principal activity will be to promote the pre- vention and control of car- diovascular disease, bowel cancer and type 2 diabetes, by increasing awareness of the research demonstrating consumption of animal products as a major con- tributing cause of these diseases, encouraging consumers to reduce con- sumption of animal prod- ucts, and promoting and supporting the increase in supply of healthier alterna- tives.
Food Frontier supports the use of these clear qualifiers on plant-based products, which are proven to work – just as chicken sausages, pork mince and lamb burgers are used by animal protein equivalent products.
Since then it has estab- lished itself as a key facili- tator and educator in the category.
The new CEO will gradually assume key re- sponsibilities as Mr King transitions to executive chair within six months, ensuring a smooth change- over that best serves Food Frontier’s partners across the agriculture and food industries, government and others engaged in Aus- tralia and New Zealand’s alternative proteins eco- system.
How Food Frontier itself is labelled has also gener- ated discussion, with the group objecting to being referred to as a lobby
Food Frontier explained that it is not a lobby group
Its state of the industry report is the industry go-to for the latest on the Aus- tralian market.
ASF vaccine launch for the Philippines
THE Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Industry in the Philippines has been testing two potential vaccines against African swine fever.
concern the new vaccine could spread infection further.
Tests were carried out at 10 locations across the country and the results will be released late Au- gust.
More testing is required prior to the vaccine being rolled out to market – blood sampling is to be completed for the animals in the current trial and then the vaccine adminis- tered to ASF-infected pigs to test for recovery.
While pig owners are enthusiastic at the pros- pect of a vaccine against ASF, protecting their pigs from the devastation the disease causes, there is
With the country being in a state of calamity due to the ongoing ASF situ- ation, the outcome of the vaccine tests is greatly an- ticipated.
The outcome of the vaccine tests held in the Philippines is greatly anticipated.
www.porknews.com.au
Food Frontier is a not- for-profit, independent think tank existing to pro- mote alternative proteins and has been granted reg- istered charity status by the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Com- mission.
The intention of this group is to ensure the col- lective voice of the plant- based products sector remains strong and uni- fied on matters of mutual interest, including the de- velopment of plant-based product labelling guide- lines.
“Since its inception, Food Frontier has taken a nimble yet wide-reaching approach to executing our mission of growing the young and promising field of alternative proteins,” Mr King said.
Similarly, plant-based dairy alternative such as soymilk and coconut yoghurt use the same ap- proach.
King launched Food Frontier as the plant-based and alternative proteins sector started to gain mo- mentum.
The new CEO will ex- pand Food Frontier’s ca- pacity to deliver a con- tinually increasing scope of projects, partnerships, and thought leadership en- gagements, as well as fur- thering the organisation’s fundraising and develop- ment.
While Food Frontier characterises its activi- ties as non-threatening and even complementary to the meat industry, red meat industry leaders take a different view and believe there is more to the story of how Food Frontier operates and
After four years leading Food Frontier, Thomas King is stepping down as chief executive officer to becomeitsexecutivechair.
tion technology.”
RMAC also pointed to
“I will continue to pro- vide considered input to Food Frontier’s strategy, while at the same time gaining more space for deep work and thinking to help guide our new CEO and highly capable team.”
In the last two years it has delivered a series of reports, policies, and re- search.
Mr King said he will