Caring for the planet

Through improved management of biological cycles and development of production yields. It is also about limiting the use of chemical inputs. The development of alternative biological methods of prevention of health risks, such as the use of bacterial flora into livestock buildings, makes it possible to limit the development of pathogenic microbes naturally and effectively. The composting of livestock by-products makes it possible to use them as agricultural fertiliser. This approach significantly reduces effluent and waste.
Methanisation also makes it possible to recover livestock effluents by producing renewable energy and organic fertilisers while reducing gas emissions.

Global warming is mainly due to the greenhouse effect. Our planet is surrounded and protected by a gaseous atmosphere. It allows us to breathe while protecting us from the sun and the cold. Since industrialisation, human activities release large quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This changes the chemical balance of the atmosphere, which becomes denser, and retains more of the heat emitted by our star on Earth.

By improving production efficiency! For Groupe Grimaud, this means continuing to make genetic progress on the feed efficiency of our animals and their meat yield. In animal production, the feed consumption ratio (amount of feed needed to produce a mature animal) is decisive. Over the last 20 years, genetic progress has allowed a gain of 0.4 kg of feed per kg of live poultry or pork produced, which, extrapolated to global production, is equivalent to the annual cereal production of nearly 50 million hectares of farmland. These genetic advances enable the production of animal proteins that are much more economical in terms of natural resources, but also more affordable in price. Better for the planet and for human health!

Livestock by-products are mainly composed of organic matter. Manure or hatchery waste, for example, can easily be composted and ’sanitised’. This natural process is triggered by specific bacterial complexes such as the Filaflor product developed by Groupe Grimaud.

To complete the ecological cycle, the compost produced can be returned to the soil as fertiliser. Groupe Grimaud is working to advance regulations at this level and adapt them to changes in our businesses and to environmental requirements.

Human health, the health of the planet and of animals are interconnected. These interconnections lead to us striving for an improved balance in the environment of living beings. Convinced that the study of nature and biology must be key to the innovation of our products, we have created the ‘Natural Concept’ approach.

It aims to commit our businesses to a more sustainable production and is based on 5 key principles:

1/ Feed humanity while respecting the planet,
2/ Help improve the food and human health sectors,
3/ Balance production sector performance with sustainability,
4/ Use biology and science as action levers to meet these challenges,
5/ Create a momentum towards progress.

Insect farming is part of a value-added circular economy. How is this possible? Agricultural by-products (e.g. brewery draff) that are not or only slightly used by industries represent an efficient food source for some insect larvae such as Black Soldier Flies. Flies dramatically convert by-products into body mass: their larvae multiply their weight by 10,000 in only 12 days! These larvae are then dried and transformed into different products for animal feed, in the form of insect protein meal (e.g. in fish farming or in pet food), oils or for agriculture (frass used as fertiliser). This circular economy with a negative carbon footprint and low resources consumption reduces the impact of animal production.

With its company ‘Fly Genetics’, Groupe Grimaud is the first operator in the world to dedicate its activity to the genetic selection of insects.

Cultured Meat is a meat product obtained by the multiplication of animal cells in a bioreactor, outside the animal. Cells are initially taken (once) from the animal and then fed in a tank with ingredients identical to what the animal’s body normally processes for its growth: amino acids, iron, vitamins, mineral salts.

The cells are then harvested to obtain the cultured meat. This process, similar to the brewing of beer or the fermentation of yoghurt, aims to produce meat that consumes fewer natural resources and farmland.

In the same way as continuous improvement towards greater sustainability of conventional livestock farming, cultured meat is one of the solutions explored by Groupe Grimaud to improve the production of animal proteins, via our « Vital Meat » business line. Cultivated meat will be part of tomorrow’s supply of animal proteins, not ‘instead of’ but ‘in addition to’!

Along with more sustainable conventional meat and other alternative proteins (plant based, insects), it will help meet the growing global demand, while reducing the environmental impact.

Agricultural activities often require large operating areas. We are working to reduce our carbon impact by self-generating part of our energy. After equipping the roof of our headquarters with photovoltaic panels in the early 2010s, we are now deploying a photovoltaic power plant project on large surfaces located on our production sites. The coverage rate (the share of electricity produced in relation to the total electricity consumed on the sites) will be close to 25%. It is still far from perfect, but we’re getting better every day!