Viewpoint: Joseph Cameron Booth, Rainforest Alliance

CONSUMER POWER…
I am so passionate about buying sustainable products. When I buy sustainably sourced tea, for example, I’m aware that the relative impact of a few tea bags is small in the grand scheme of things, but what I am ultimately trying to do is signal to the retailer, manufacturer and producer that there is a market demand for these products. In the long run, through purchasing decisions, we can promote best practice throughout the wider industry.

THE COST OF INDUSTRIAL-SCALE AGRICULTURE…
Another area, linked to deforestation, that is heavily impacted by industrial scale agriculture is biodiversity loss. You may have read the Living Planet report by WWF, which recently highlighted that since 1970 humanity has wiped out 60% of all mammals, birds, fish and reptiles. Protecting forest ecosystems, the habitat for thousands of species, is key to ensuring their survival and is at the heart of the Rainforest Alliance’s mission.

Read the entire interview in the latest issue of Speciality Food, available to download for free here.