AuctionsPlus announces Ruminati partnership at Beef 2024

A new livestock trading tool that automatically pulls through a producer’s environmental credentials has been launched on AuctionsPlus. As the supply chain increasingly focuses on emissions, the feature is expected to improve not only a producer’s potential customer base but send a wider message of industry innovations in sustainability. 

Recent advancements to AuctionsPlus’ Assessment Entry application enables livestock assessors to connect a producer’s PIC number with their Ruminati account, allowing their credentials — and their emissions baseline status — to be added seamlessly to the AuctionsPlus listing. 

Ruminati is a farmer-led online carbon emissions calculator to track and validate on-farm climate action. 

These advancements follow on the from the success of AuctionsPlus’ partnership with Greenham’s Meats to support their NEVER EVER program for cattle that is grass fed only; antibiotic, hormone and GMO free; traceable and free-range. That partnership, launched in October, has already seen more than 31,000 cattle assessed on the AuctionsPlus platform to date. 

Wyn Snyman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AuctionsPlus, said the success of the NEVER EVER program demonstrated the power of AuctionsPlus’ platform with regard to pulling through key features of a vendor’s lot, and this new product would provide another option for producers to market their stock. 

“We know that more and more of the supply chain is looking to market their sustainability credentials, and are seeking out stock that can support that,” Mr Snyman said.   

“Many farmers are already moving in this direction because they know that is where demand could grow in the future”.  

“Putting emissions data right at a buyer’s fingertips is going to make that process so much easier.” 

Will Onus, co-Founder of Ruminati, said that producers are increasingly aware of supply chain pressure to report emissions and that almost 1000 farmers, covering 4.5 million hectares, had joined the Ruminati platform. 

He believed the new climate assessed feature would help solidify the sustainability journey that so many companies in the supply chain were focusing on. 

“Adding a Ruminati tick opens up the field to a number of new buyers including some of the largest companies in the supply chain,” he said. 

Ruminati recently completed a successful trial of farmers spanning from Warrnambool   to Casino who banked with Commonwealth Bank of Australia customers. The trial was oversubscribed by Commbank customers and Natasha Greenwood, General Manager of Agribusiness for CBA, said it demonstrated there had been a shift in farmer sentiment from confusion to curiosity to intent.   

Commbank, along with Australia’s other big five lenders, has signed up to the Global Banking Net Zero Alliance, a commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of its lending portfolio.  

Supporting farmers with emissions baselining is a key plank in the bank’s sustainability strategy. 

"We want to put something in front of producers that enables them to measure their emissions, but importantly, then model abatement options, because that's where the opportunity is," Ms Greenwood said. 

"Once they can model those abatement options, and they can decide which action they might take, and we're right there to support them to optimise the opportunities that transition is going to bring." 

Mr Snyman said that as the supply chain evolved down this path, AuctionsPlus’ role would continue to be one that best connects Australian agriculture. 

“We always ask ourselves, what does that mean for our users? We’ve been helping them innovate and move with the times for 37 years. The times are moving again, and we have the tools to help them do that,” he said. 

Mr Onus said the sustainability journey was long one, and it may be a while before producers are financially rewarded for turning out low-emissions stock. But the experience of farmers on the Ruminati platform had demonstrated the power of collecting data and taking action on emissions. 

“We believe sustainability should be mentioned in the same breath as productivity. As we lower our emissions we start to become more efficient and more productive. It’s a win-win-win scenario. We can make a better, more sustainable future, build a more profitable business, and better serve supply chain stakeholders,” he said. 

“The benefits are not just about reduced emission but closely linked to efficiency and productivity. And there, the rewards are limitless.” 

To learn more about the Ruminati integration with AuctionsPlus click here