DENVER – Tim Amlaw, former vice president of the American Humane Association's "American Humane Certified" farm animal welfare program, has started a new company called Sustainable Food Development Inc. (www.SustainableFoodDevelopment.com). He is president and CEO of the new Denver-based venture.


SFD is described as an agricultural consumer food company with a production approach designed to help meet the food needs of the world today, and ahead to the year 2050 when 9 billion people will be in desperate need. He said the new company will capitalize on progressive agricultural practices, such as "Pure Protein" and couple those with the organization's understanding of consumer needs for safe, affordable and tasty food.

Through its access to nearly 18 million acres worldwide, SFD will deploy these practices to bring the highest integrity to land and resource design and engineering while ensuring that food is produced in a humane and sustainable way, he added.

The company is seeking operational and capital partners in ventures. One of its first projects is developing Australia's Northern Territory Beetaloo Basin with four sustainable elements: production, processing, distribution and market branding. The Beetaloo Basin, located about 600 kilometers south of Darwin, covers approximately 8.8 million acres and is a mixture of woodland and grassland with groundwater availability.

A large portion of the Northern Territory is supporting approximately 2 million head of beef cattle. The availability of water, favorable climate and proximity to the Pan-Asian region's fast-growing market for fresh food delivery makes the Beetaloo Basin one of the world's most exciting agricultural opportunities. The area can support animal production, greenhouse vegetables and intensive grain production.

SFD also offers consultation to companies in the agricultural sector on broadening their sustainable operations.

"Sustainability is the capacity to endure, but we would add this capacity must also include rigorous disciplines in measurement along with environmental, economic and social dimensions," Amlaw said. "In agriculture, it is required to have measurable metrics in well-being, stewardship, responsible planning and resource management.

“In animal agriculture, it is even more refined in the areas of humane care, handling and responsible, safe and pure food production,” he added. “We would also add sustainability must be actualized through a building process that allows for that endurance in food production to meet the world's growing food needs."

Amlaw has more than 35 years of experience in the agricultural and beef industries. He served as vice president of the American Humane Association and program manager of its American Humane Certified program. He also served as CEO of Denver-based Beef Plus Inc., a biotechnology firm working in the cattle industry in Latin America.

Amlaw created the first brand certification for tenderness by the US Department of Agriculture, and he developed contracts for the hotel, restaurant and institutions industries for the introduction of the first tenderness beef branded product for Nobel Sysco Inc.