Intertek's Assurance in Action Podcast Network
Intertek's Assurance in Action Podcast Network
Vegan Food Series: Regenerative Farming and Sustainability in Vegan Food
In this episode, we are diving into the future of plant-based food and sustainable practices. Hosted by Patrick McNamara, this episode brings together leading voices on three essential topics:
1️⃣ Regenerative Farming – Dr. Vincent Walsh from Regen Farm Co. unpacks how regenerative agriculture strengthens plant-based food systems.
2️⃣ Biodiversity and Sustainability – Intertek’s VP of Sustainability, David Muil, highlights why biodiversity is crucial in sustainable food production.
3️⃣ Round the World – Thiago Cremonese from our Intertek Brazil team gives an insider’s view of the growing trends in Brazil’s vegan market.
Tune in to hear these experts explore sustainability’s future, innovative practices, and global trends in veganism!
Visit our website to learn more about our Vegan Food Programme
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Welcome back to another Assurance and Action podcast episode. Today we are excited to bring you the fourth episode in our vegan food series where we have been exploring the dynamic trends and key players reshaping the plant-based world. In today's episode, our host, Patrick McNamara, will be delving into critical aspects of veganism and sustainability with three incredible experts. First, we'll hear from Dr. Vincent Walsh from Region Farm Co , who shed light on regenerative farming and how it connects to plant-based food systems. Then David Mule , our VP of sustainability, we'll discuss the importance of biodiversity in sustainable food practices. Finally, Tiago from our Intertech Brazil team will bring us an inside look at the vegan market in Brazil. I hope you guys enjoyed today's episode. Over to you, Patrick.
Speaker 2:When consumers asked about their reasons for moving to vegan or plant-based diets, concerns about the ,
Speaker 1:That was fascinating. Look at regenerative farming and its role and sustainable food
Speaker 2:Systems. The link between diets
Speaker 1:The plant based to another essential aspect of sustainability biodiversity,
Speaker 2:Let's , that has been established in the public mind. Recent reports from the I-P-C-C-F-A-O and Wealth Health Organization on the impact of food production, on climate change support, both the need for changes in consumer behavior and in agriculture. Arguably, the most important area of focus in this context is regenerative agriculture. And to tell us more, I'm delighted to be joined by regenerative agriculture expert and founder of Regen FarmCo , Dr. Vincent Walsh. Welcome, Vincent.
Speaker 3:Good to be here.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much. Now let's start by asking, where does our understanding of regenerative systems come from?
Speaker 3:Good question, Patrick. Our understanding in my , my own understanding of where regenerative , uh, regenerative systems come from is really our understanding of the earth system, in particularly the biosphere and the biosphere is a region of the earth system where all life resides , um, and that the biosphere has evolved for basically billions of years. Um, and the biosphere, through its development of living systems, has enabled to develop a range of ecosystems. And then ecosystems are woodlands, forests, mangroves, even coral reefs. And these are ancient ecological systems. Way before we were here, they have been developed. Um, so when I think of regenerative systems, I'm thinking of systems that are highly adaptive, highly sustainable, highly flexible , um, and that really cool , all our knowledge comes from understanding of , of them, them systems. So when we think about regenerative systems, what I'm thinking of is the biosphere, the region of the earth system, where all life resides, and how the system has evolved. Very complex ecosystems like forest, woodlands, mangroves, and coral reefs. So our understanding of regenerative systems really comes from the understanding of the earth system and how it has evolved into a regenerative, circular, ecological system. Actually, what we call it is energetically open, materially closed, ecological life support systems. That's what we understand our earth system is.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's interesting. Now , um, what would you consider to be then the most ipo important part of a regenerative system?
Speaker 3:Well, that question's really interesting as well, and I think all elements of an ecosystem or highly important. But it would seem that the biosphere, the earth system, has given us some gifts of knowledge. For example, when water came into the biosphere , uh, it was around 4.5 billion years ago. We call this time in cosmology, the late bombardment. So it seemed within the biosphere, how it developed, the first thing it did is it produced water. Um , then about 10 billion years later, about 3.5 billion years ago, something else significant happened. It's called photosynthesis. And then 1.5 billion years ago, something else significantly happened, and that's called the emergence of fungus. And then only 450 million years ago, soil emerged. So soil is like the , the youngest out of the four systems , if , if you like. Um , so when I think of the most important part of an ecosystem, when I design ecosystems, always I start with water. And he always start with water because that's how the biosphere , um, started. It first had to have water in to create every, everything else. So even though every part of an ecosystem is important, I personally think hydrology water is the most important part of an ecological or regenerative design system.
Speaker 2:Okay. I mean , um, yeah, I think water quality, and I think you've , you've spoken about that and written about it at length as well, which is, is really, really important. Now , I think we can safely say just bringing this more into the present perhaps, and , and there's been some fascinating things about the, the origins of the ecosystem, et cetera. Uh , I think we can safely say that our current food chain is complex. How do we build food systems which also provide all ecosystem services?
Speaker 3:Very good question again, and , and , and that is a real trick of the 21st century is a real thing that we have to try to understand. If we're gonna produce food, we need to produce food on a global scale , um, for the global community , uh, for humanity. But you also need to do that in a way that also creates , uh, the right conditions for life. For everything else. You know, we are not the most important thing on the bio in the biosphere , um, you know , worms, bees, termites, ants, et cetera . The smaller things actually are the most important. Um, so when we think about farming systems, future farming systems, landscapes and farms that produce food, we also need to create ecosystems that also , um, um, create the right conditions for , for other , other life. Um , so for example, on my farm , um, you know, 37 hectares in, in North Yorkshire was predominantly a sheep farm. And now what we're doing, we're transitioning that farm. Uh , we've 56 water features , um, 14 acres of meadows, 8,000 copies , trees , um, a range of ecosystem features while producing a range of different crops in the Agroforestry system. So the trick I think, for future landscapes and farms is not just to produce food, it's to produce a landscape which provides all the ecosystems and services like putting carbon in the soil, raising the biodiversity, but also at the same time producing food, which is ideal for the landscape and the , an ideal for our climate. I think that is the real trick of the 21st century.
Speaker 2:So realistically, what we're saying is that for each type of land and each use of land, there is a best environmental outcome , some of which is growing food, and some of which is other activity that benefits all life forms , in fact.
Speaker 3:Exactly. We can't just produce food anymore. We need to produce food in an ecological way that develops the right conditions for other life to live there, but also produce food.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, that , that's brilliant. Um , I have one other question for you , Vincent , which I did want to ask because , um, I think Cop 28 in Dubai was probably the first time that food production really made it onto the schedule in a big way. And I know you spoke at Cop 28 , um, with Cop 29 in Baku . Now imminent, are you optimistic about progress and climate change?
Speaker 3:Yes, because I'm an optimist, you know, and, and , um, and I, I think we can do better. I think we are in a, in a where we , we are at the most exciting part of , uh, or , uh, intersection of how do we kind of create more sustainable adaptive food , food systems. Uh , and all the food companies that I work with, small ones and large ones , uh, are all focused on being able to transition. The transition is, is a huge challenge, but there is also huge benefits that come out, come out of it. So I understand that , that that , that it's not gonna happen overnight. Um , but my glass is always half full rather than half empty. So I think the fu the future of food is exciting, but we do have to transition and we have to transition as quickly as we can.
Speaker 2:Spoken, spoken like a true believer there , Vincent. I, I think that that breeze that we heard in the background is a collective sigh of relief from the listeners at Home <laugh> . Um, but that is brilliant to hear. Um , Dr. Vincent Walsh, thank you so much for joining us today. It's been an absolute pleasure to speak to you.
Speaker 3:Thanks for your time , Patrick.
Speaker 2:And for those listening in, if you have an interest in regenerative agriculture, please follow Vincent online or head over to Ridge and Farm , do co.com .
Speaker 1:That was a fascinating look at regenerative farming and its role in sustainable food systems. Now let's shift gears to another essential aspect of sustainability biodiversity. Let's dive in.
Speaker 2:As the latest climate change conference, COP 29 gets underway in Azerbaijan, we are naturally focusing on sustainability and progress made on some of the targets set by previous conferences. One of the key initiatives is the 30 times 30 target set by the global biodiversity framework, which aims for at least 30% of land and sea areas to be effectively managed through well connected conservation systems. Now, supporters have described the framework as a linchpin to enhance both biodiversity and climate change mitigation, but what exactly is meant by biodiversity in this context? Why is it so critical and what can we do to protect it? And helping us to clear a path through the forest of information on this subject is David Mo InTech's , VP of Sustainability. Welcome, David.
Speaker 4:Thanks, Patrick. Glad to be here.
Speaker 2:Now, biodiversity is a term we hear a lot, especially when discussing conservation, climate change, et cetera , but what exactly is meant by the turn ?
Speaker 4:Well, thanks Patrick, for the intro. Uh, well, let's start with the basics , uh, to, to have a ground level understanding. So biodiversity refers to the variety of life on earth, essentially in all its forms. Uh, this includes not just animals that you typically see in TV and those types of things , but also plants and fungi and microorganisms, and even genetic diversity within species . In fact , uh, biodiversity is easily understood it when you break it down into three different levels. So there's common concept of levels here. So there's species diversity, and that's the variety of different species within an ecosystem, whether it's a rainforest , um, desert or coral reef. Uh, there's genetic diversity, and that's the variation within species, which helps populations adapt to changes in the environment. And then there's actually the ecosystem diversity, and that's the range of, of , of different ecosystems from forests and oceans to, to wetlands and, and things like tundras, for example. Yep . And , you know, to together these, these kind of consolidate and kind of form what we call the web of life, they're interconnected, meaning if one part of this system is disrupted, it can have a ripple effect , uh, across the entire planet.
Speaker 2:Okay. Okay. And I mean , biodiversity has been a real focus for climate change experts, climate change reports. Why exactly is it so important to us?
Speaker 4:Um , well , for starters, biodiversity provides us with essential services that's, that really support human life. These are often called ecosystem services. Um, for example, pollination. Let's take that one. We all know about that many of our crops rely on bees and butterflies and other pollinators. Um, clean air and water. It's a forest and wetlands , uh, that we have today help filter pollutants, purify air, and , um, purify the, the water we drink. Um, you know, climate regulation, ecosystems like rainforests act as carbon sinks, carbon sinks actually absorb carbon dioxide and help us regulate the climate that we're in today. And of course , uh, the other important reason for biodiversity is medicine. A lot of people don't realize that a significant portion of medicines that we use are derived from plants and animals and microorganisms found in nature. So, you know, biodiversity also provides us with food. A lot of people don't really draw the connection, but it's food and raw materials , uh, even operate in opportunities for recreation and tourism, believe it or not. But beyond the practical benefits of biodiversity , uh, it has the intrinsic value. Each species, no matter how small, has a role to play in the balance of the, of the ecosystems. And as part of earth's biodiversity, we humans really have a responsibility and an obligation to protect it .
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I , I think , um, when you explain it in those terms, David, and , and you look at the range of things that we benefit from, from good management of biodiversity, it's clearly of critical importance to us. So what threats , what threats do you think it faces at the moment?
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's, that's a good question. Um, unfortunately, many would consider biodiversity is under a serious threat at the moment. Uh , scientists suggest we're losing species at an alarming rate. We've heard that for many years. Some even say we're in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, <laugh> . I wouldn't know if I go that far, but I'm not a scientist. But , uh, the main, you know, you think about some of the main drivers and , and what's impacting it. If you look at things like habitat destruction, you know, as we clear forests for agriculture, urban development and industry, we are , we're destroying homes of countless species. And then of course, as we've already talked about climate change , uh, we have rising temperatures , um, altering weather patterns as of today. There's a , a second massive storm heading across Florida , uh, the , at the time of this recording , uh, extreme events like wildfires are stressing ecosystems and, and literally pushing species to the brink extinction , um, pollution , uh, we all know the challenges chemicals in our air, water and , and soil harm species directly and disrupt e ecosystems and over exploitation. Uh , what happens in the, with overfishing and poaching and unsustainable farming practices are depleting populations actually faster than they can recover. And evasive species , um, when species are in , when new species are introduced into environments, whether intentionally or accidentally, they can actually outcompete native species and disrupt ecosystems. So, I mean, these threats just don't affect individual species. They actually weaken the entire ecosystem, making them more vulnerable to further disturbances like diseases and natural disasters.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah . I , I think it's clear that , um, we really need to step up in terms of our responsibility of, of management and, and the range of ways in this, in which this affects our way of life. And our relationship with the, the biosphere, I think is , is critical. But what happens if biodiversity continues to decline?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean, that's a, that's a great question. It is far reaching. Um, I guess obviously the main key item is that ecosystems lose their ability to function. So when an ecosystem fails to function, any number of things happen. You've got an ecosystem collapse. If , if too many species are lost, for example, an entire ecosystem can break down , uh, leading to the loss of ecosystem services that humans depend on. Uh, a lot of people also don't draw the connection to food security threats with fewer species. Agriculture becomes less resilient crops and livestock become more vulnerable to disease pests and changing weather and patterns, for example. And of course, there's economic losses like we talked about earlier with tourism fishing. Uh, they rely heavily on ecosystems. And when there's a decline in, in biodiversity, this has a major impact on small, local and, and communities , um, that rely on tourism, fishing type things. And then you have health risks. Um, you know, we, as we encroach on wildlife habitats , uh, we're increasing our exposure to what's called zoo noses , diseases like COVID-19 , which, you know, can jump from animals to humans very quickly.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah , abs absolutely. I mean, you touched on food security there, which is something that, given what I do, it's something that we, we know is a , a serious risk , um, because of the way the current food prediction , uh, production system works . And I think any additional impact of biodiversity loss would be very, very serious. Now, David, we're at the beginning of the latest climate change conference, and in the last session I asked Dr. Vincent Walsh, is he still hopeful about climate change outcomes? So are you feeling positive about the future of biodiversity?
Speaker 4:Uh, absolutely. I mean, I'm a, I'm a glass half full kind of guy. Um, I always look at the positive and, and there's, there is still hope. It's not all doom and gloom. I mean, there, there is good news that are , there are many ways that we can protect, and even believe it or not, we can restore biodiversity if we put our mind to it. It does require action at every level. And when, I mean, every level, that's individuals and governments and international organizations to really take a stand and , uh, you know, have some strategies. You know, people often ask, what are some, what would be some of the strategies? How do you protect, how do you even restore? If you look at things like , uh, conservation focus and efforts, protecting areas rich in biodiversity that exist today, like Nat National Parks and Marine Reserves , uh, can help safeguard species and ecosystems. Uh, restoration projects are also essential for damaged habitats. Right? So identifying those and, and making sure we commit resources and , uh, and support to, to, to restore , uh, sustainable agriculture and fisheries practice like organic farming and agroforestry and sustainable fishing, can reduce our impact on, on ecosystems and maintain the resources we rely on. And of course, addressing climate change, which is the big focus right now globally , uh, reducing greenhouse gas, GHG emissions, transitioning to renewables and prote , and protecting our natural carbon sinks such as forests and , uh, are crucial for biodiversity and climate resilience. Yeah , and I think one of the most important things, and one of the first steps we have to look at is, is education. And that's, I think what your , your approach is today is, is getting people aware, making people understand why biodiversity is so important and what actions they can take no matter how small , um, can, can make a big difference. And this in this includes making good consumer choices and supporting environmental policies and , and becoming engaged in, in supporting the cause.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I , I would absolutely agree. I mentioned in the last session that , um, we , we talked about the three strands that the IPCC had pointed out in terms of mitigating climate change and they were less impactful agriculture maximizing the use of biotechnology and changing consumer behavior. And I think that last one sometimes gets left out a little. So I absolutely agree. I think moving to more sustainable consumer choices is absolutely critical. Now, this is a subject that you are clearly, personally passionate about, and I know that Insect is a business is also providing significant support to customers to help protect biodiversity. So what kinds of services are we currently offering in this area?
Speaker 4:Yeah, well, certainly at, at at Intertech, we are very well positioned with our sustainable sustainability solutions. Really end-to-end , uh, solutions that we can offer and support our clients with. And , um, certainly as they impact biodiversity is , is , um, you know, one of the key areas. So maybe I'll touch on a few topics here that kind of resonate back into the discussion we have, so, you know, GGHG identification and calculation and reduction strategies, we have a whole advisory service portfolio that , uh, handles that for clients. And again, we talked about protecting our carbon sinks, forestry, and all of these things. Well , eliminating GHG , uh, you know, and reduction strategies are absolutely key. So our team of, of consultants and advisors help to organizations to streamline that. We have audit programs and we can customize audit programs, but we have one, for example, our TGI think green initiative. And that focuses assessment criteria specifically on aspects of biodiversity. We have a whole division of testing and , and certification under water and sampling, soil sampling , uh, helps organizations assess impact, get a better handle on where the Im , where the , uh, risks are coming from. We have a biodiversity risk assessment to help businesses understand the potential impacts of their operations on local ecosystems. Uh, a big one for us is helping companies manage biodiversity within their supply chain. This is huge. This is a big area that's, it's not just what's in your four walls, it's all of those organizations that you network with, right? Yeah, yeah. And we audit suppliers to, and we put programs in place for making sure they've considered biodiversity and in all of their activities and in the parent company . So , uh, sourcing practices, we have a whole group of, of testing and, and certification around biodegradation and compostability testing of anaerobic and aerobic and marine, for example. And of course , uh, one area that we've been, you know, integral in, in many parts of the, you know, along the, along this activity is in the , uh, certification and compliance with, with core international standards such as ISO 14,001 for environmental management systems. So there's any number of , uh, solutions that we have. Those are, just to give you a , a kind of a , an idea in intro to them. But you know, when you think about it, bio biodiversity is actually the foundation of life on earth. That's how important this subject is. Indeed providing essential services that sustain ecosystems, economies and human wellbeing , uh, it, you know, it's, it's richness and robustness ensure the resilience of natural systems, helping them to adapt to changes and recover from disruptions. And, you know, really protecting biodiversity is not just an environmental concern. It's critical for ensuring food security, as we just talked about, regulating climate change, maintaining clear clean water, and supporting overall human health. And, you know, as we face global challenges like climate change and habitat loss, safeguarding diversity is, is probably more important than ever for the survival of and prosperity of species, really including our own.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. And I think as we look forward to the beginning of Cop 29 in Baku , I think that's about as an important a message as we can give , um, the critical nature of biodiversity to our continued existence. It doesn't get more critical than that, I think. Um, we're pretty much outta time, David, but thank you so much for being with us today and sharing your thoughts on this subject.
Speaker 4:Oh, my pleasure. Thank you.
Speaker 2:For those of you listening in, if you are interested in learning more about the topics David's covered today, you can head to intertech.com/sustainability for more information.
Speaker 1:That was great. Thank you all. Now for our final segment of the round the World discussion, we'll turn our attention to Brazil. Patrick, along with an expert from our Intertech Brazil team, will delve into the evolving trends in vegan food. Over to you, Patrick.
Speaker 2:Now , in a program where we have concentrated on environmental and sustainability issues, it might seem appropriate to take our tour of global vegan and plant-based markets to Brazil. So indeed we have, and joining me from Burrow Air in Brazil today is InTech's Regional Talent Attraction Coordinator. Tiago Crei . Welcome. Tiago.
Speaker 5:Oh , thank you very much for the opportunity, Patrick. It's a pleasure for me to talk with you
Speaker 2:Today . Thank you so much for being with us. It's great. Um, just talking about Brazil then, how would you describe the vegan and plant-based market in Brazil right now?
Speaker 5:Nice. I think that especially when you look at Brazil nowadays, I think that we can identify , uh, a growing trend of vegan options being offered to people in restaurant and markets and things like that. I think that , in my perception, is a movement that I have noted with vegan , I don't know , more or less the last 20 years. At the first moment it was , uh, uh, a timid , uh, movement, but now it's much more consolidated. Yeah . When you go to a <inaudible> market or a restaurant on these days , uh, it's much more possible to find vegan options being offered. So we think it's nice. And I think that also is increasingly common to find the restaurants and stores that are specialized at , at bigger market nowadays. When you are, for example, in the big city here in Brazil, it's much more common to find these kind of options and specialize in stores and markets. And Brazil is a very large country, but I can see that vegan options are being more and more common inside people reality nowadays.
Speaker 2:Yeah. That , that's, that's interesting. In a country like Brazil and in fact in South America generally, it's sort of grown in popularity. Yeah . And, and what do you think are the reasons behind that growing interest in vegan food , do you think?
Speaker 5:Well, I think that people are always impacted about that discourse when we talk about animal welfare and things like that. But man , uh, uh, uh, I also realize that people have , uh, looking for a balance of diet. Uh , and they are realizing that a balance of diet doesn't necessarily have to include animal meat in every meal. And I think that's a point that is important. And as the vegan marketing, the options for vegan people are growing. Uh , the possibility of people decided to include vegan options inside their diets are more and more frequently. Uh , and we have some campaigns, for example, that take place here as meatless Monday , for example, where people try to avoid meat from animals Sure . On the Monets . Yeah. And I think that this kind of movement is, is having more publicity nowadays with the growth of internet and social networks, and more people are being , uh, toted by this idea. More people are being more receptive about this idea of that you don't need to have animal meat options inside your diet in every meal that you have.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah . Yeah . That , that's good. It's interesting. Meatless mandate is , is that a , a government thing or is that just , uh, a popular culture thing? Is it driven by the government or is it,
Speaker 5:I I don't know how it has started, but I could have the meet people that you have this kind of , uh, behavior that not include meat on the mountain since I was a teenager. But I could realize that with the internet growing and the social network is being more and more popular , uh, this kind of movement could get more publicity and more people were , uh, trying to deal with this kind of , uh, option. Yeah. We were try not to meeting this more . And I think that is became more and more popular. Um , it's more common to have this kind of options nowadays.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is . It's good. I mean , uh, I suppose if you want to cut down the amount of meat you eat, having a day where you deliberately avoid it is a nice easy way to do it. Um, you mentioned that there are more restaurant options now for vegan consumers in Brazil. Yeah . But are food manufacturers as well responding to consumers so we can see more in the shops?
Speaker 5:Yeah, for sure. Uh , I think that when you look to manufacturers and restaurants, we have been more, more and more vegan options being offered for the customers here in Brazil. Uh , I could notice for example, nowadays that almost to all the restaurants and a lot of different markets that you visit , you will always have the vegan option on the menu. Yeah. And it can be, some restaurants have one option, two options, but we have also restaurants that are specialized and , and we also have markets that , that are specialized to vegan options. And we , you go to those kind of places and you have a lot of different , uh, vegan products being offered there for the clients. And I think it's really nice and something that we can get more and more often here in Brazil nowadays. Uh , there is, for example, a famous singer here in Brazil that is named Anita. Anita decided , uh, a few years ago to become a partner in a vegan meat company. And I can notice, for example, that the products of her brand are more and more , uh, common on the market here in Brazil. And Anita had offered a , a huge line of vegan products on the market. And I think that it , it was a movement that was nice because more and more companies started to explore , explore this kind of options , uh, trying to commercialize this kind of projects of the market . So nowadays we have the, the , the brains of Anita on the market, but we have also different companies that are competing with her in this segment too . And we have more options
Speaker 2:Of, there's nothing like popular culture to sell a movement. <laugh> , do you have a vegan food recommendation, maybe Tiago for visitors to Brazil? Anything particularly we should look out for?
Speaker 5:Yes, I do. I think that , uh, a famous proud to hear from Brazil is Asai and Asai , uh, is a fruit . Yeah . It's from the north region of Brazil. And when you go to the north region, we have a lot of different , uh, uses for Asai . Uh , but when you go out to over the Brazilian territory over the country , we have at the least ask the , the asay cream being offered as a dessert option for people. And also I would talk about two , uh, a famous Brazilian dish that we have that's Ada . And here Brazil is very traditional to have Ada being offered on the restaurants , uh, usually on we Wednesday and Saturdays. And when you go to vegan restaurants, you also have the option to have vegan fish water . And I love vegan fish water . I think that it's very tasty and I would , and just , I would recommend to people that I remember you to try the vegan fish water . 'cause it's really nice.
Speaker 2:I , I feel like getting on the plane to Rio right now, to be honest. Um , just very, very quickly 'cause I've , I've asked everybody on this particular podcast because we are coinciding with the climate conference and I suppose Yeah . And , and Brazil is a focus for, for climate change issues campaign . So I've , I've asked everybody else, are you feeling confident about climate change outcomes in Brazil?
Speaker 5:Yes. I think that's, it's a nice opportunity to Brazil to show to the world the initiative that we have here. And also we have like a , a huge part of the Amazon Forest here inside our country. And we nowadays have a lot of , uh, different movements to try to protect. This area is time more. And I think that when we have like the copy happening , uh, it's an opportunity to also give more voice to those movements and to, to alert people about the importance of the protect the environment and the , the responsibility is for everybody, not just for the politics. And everybody need to be , uh, have the consciousness about the importance of protect the environment for all the world , not just for Brazil or for some people, but it's, it's something that important for everybody.
Speaker 2:Yeah . It , it's a shared social responsibility, I think, for all of us. Sure . Yes . The one planet , the only planet we'll ever have ti Yes , it's true. We just have one unfortunately. Unfortunately, we're almost outta time just to say thank you, algo . Thank you so much for being with
Speaker 5:This today. Thank you . Pleasure . A pleasure to meet you and a pleasure to talk about this , uh, vegan options here in Brazil. And congratulations for your work and for the institute . It's a really nice movement that you are taking inside internet .
Speaker 2:It's very kind of you to say. So now for those people listening in, if you're interested in any of our work in Brazil, if you go to intertech.com/americas/brazil , that will give you context for Tiago and all his colleagues.
Speaker 5:Yes . Oh , no thanks.
Speaker 1:That wraps up our fourth episode in the vegan food series. We hope you found this Perspectives on region , area , farming, biodiversity, and the vegan market in Brazil. As inspiring as we did. Huge thanks to our guest speakers for today and to our host Patrick for sharing their expertise and insights. Stay tuned for more conversations on sustainability and vegan innovation in our upcoming episodes. Thanks for listening to Assurance and Action. Stay tuned.