June 2023 – Investing in Sustainable Agriculture & Food

By investing in the development and scaling of alternative proteins, we could reduce GHG emissions, create economic opportunities, and contribute to sustainable development. In addition to the environmental benefits, they offer other potential advantages. Plant-based proteins can be produced with significantly less land, water, and other resources than traditional animal agriculture as well as improve animal welfare.

Global meat consumption is expected to grow over the next decade. The changing global climate poses significant risks not just to the growth, but to the fundamentals of the industry. From the rising price of feed to desertification of grazing lands and increasing regulation to reduce GHG emissions, climate-related risks require an extra layer of analysis for asset allocation in the sector.

2022 was a breakout year for organic agriculture. Consumer demand for organic food continued its steady rise, with strong prices for producers, rising land values and excellent returns for investors. Beyond these results, three significant trends were sharply apparent last year that will continue to affect not only organic farming but the entire agriculture sector including investor interest in sustainable farmland practices.

Trillium’s Sustainable Opportunities thematic suite of public equity strategies aims to address global sustainability challenges in three core areas: climate solutions, economic inclusion, and healthy living. As an intersecting theme, sustainable food and agriculture, cuts across these issues. Since 2008, Trillium has identified companies benefiting from the shift to a more sustainable economy.