Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Agro-industry's Own Environmental Research Center

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SAO PAULO, Sep 8 2007 (IPS) - The main entities of Brazil's agricultural-industrial sector announced last week the creation of ARES, the Institute for Responsible Agribusiness. “Sustainability demands impartial and very autonomous discussion, which shouldn't clash with the interests of agro-industry. That is why we decided to create an organization that has the freedom to generate information and dialogue with Brazilian society,” biologist Roberto Waack, president of the ARES Consultative Council, told Tierramérica.

The aim of the new organization is to propose public and industry policies, as well as disseminating information on best practices in farming and industry, and generate technical content to answer any unfounded criticism of the sector, said Waack.

Labor matters, environmental impacts, greenhouse gas emissions and agrarian land regulation are among the new institute's 10 priority issues.