Why this Australian seaweed farmer is setting his sights on Europe
London | Sea Forest, the emissions-busting Tasmanian start-up making cattle feed out of seaweed, is on the cusp of an international push into the British and European markets, according to founder Sam Elsom.
The fashion designer turned seaweed farmer has been in Britain and Europe this week talking to potential customers, who are hoping Sea Forest’s product will ease the looming squeeze on their farms.
Sam Elsom in the Sea Forest lab. Adam Gibson
The Netherlands plans to spend almost €1.5 billion ($2.5 billion) to shut down 3000 farms, while in Ireland there are reportedly plans to cull 200,000 dairy cows, as European governments frantically try to cut greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.
“These are very extreme measures, that are putting a lot of pressure on the industry. They’re under a very real threat of limits on their production, even declining production, as a result of reduced livestock numbers,” Mr Elsom told The Australian Financial Review in London.
“So we come along with a solution which enables farmers to get on with more or less business as usual, and also protect food security, as well as helping the governments to meet their emissions reduction targets. It’s very exciting.”
Macquarie-backed Sea Forest is growing asparagopsis seaweed on a 1800-hectare marine lease north of Hobart. Asparagopsis has been shown to cut methane emissions, in the form of burps and farts from cattle and sheep, when added in small amounts to feed rations.
Asparagopsis can reduce methane emissions from cows’ burps and farts by up to 90 per cent. Adam Gibson
Britain and Europe represent potentially lucrative terrain for Sea Forest. For starters, there are more cows: 86 million, compared with 26 million Down Under. Also,
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