Mike McMorris of the Livestock Research Innovation Corporation says the livestock industry needs far better surveillance to know as early as possible when a disease outbreak is imminent or happening, better biosecurity on all farms across all sectors, and better information sharing across organizations and agencies.
How the livestock industry can implement better disease surveillance
We may never be truly ready for the next wave of livestock disease, but more can be done to ensure we are as prepared as possible
Opinion: The protein shortage problem is real
The world has a protein problem. To be more precise, it has a protein shortage problem. Once digestibility and amino acid balance are considered, there is actually less protein than what’s needed to satisfy human requirements. This shortage can only get worse in coming years with rising populations, a desire by a growing middle class […] Read more
Opinion: Alternative proteins’ impact on the livestock sector
Growth in plant-based proteins has stalled, but effect of cellular production unknown
The future has arrived for alternative proteins. Consumers now have many plant-based options in addition to livestock products such as meat, milk and eggs, and the expectation of cellularly produced items in the near future. Plant-based options are far from new. There is a fascinating short CBC video from the 1970s on YouTube about pea […] Read more
Opinion: Communicating livestock research results
Economy, environment and food security are all part of the research story consumers need to hear from the livestock sector
There is a lot of research going on in Canada related to the big issues facing the livestock sector. This type of research needs to be highly focused which means that outcomes often are as well. Resulting news stories tend to use simple metrics, such as greenhouse gas emissions per unit of gross product, which […] Read more
Opinion: Disrupting the livestock sector
Creating the future, or “orderly disruption,” will require common ground amongst all stakeholders
I recently attended the annual general meeting of AgSights, an LRIC member organization dedicated to data collection, information and genetic evaluations. This meeting was special because AgSights is celebrating thirty years as a producer-led co-operative. Such a milestone is a great time to look back and recognize where you came from and celebrate success. It […] Read more
Opinion: Cows, oil and elephants
Livestock’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions needs to be put into context
More than 30,000 people met recently in Egypt for the 27th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP27) to deal with what many consider to be the single biggest challenge facing mankind: climate change. We created this crisis over many decades and there is no quick answer or silver bullet solution. COP27 is one of […] Read more
Opinion: Livestock, climate and a context embargo
Industry needs to lead the development of a balanced vision for the future
“We are living under a context embargo.” I recently heard that statement and thought it was a good way to summarize the tendency to focus on an issue at the expense of understanding the bigger picture. Unfortunately, those who try to bring attention to the bigger picture are often vilified. If you need proof of […] Read more
Comment: Planting a flag for livestock
The livestock sectors need to work collectively to tackle challenges
Where is a sound and powerful agreement in favour of livestock production, but it involves nuance and requires thought. In today’s world, people default to simple, so we need to be strategic in our approach when presenting the case for livestock. Planting a flag for livestock involves all livestock sectors coming together to make a […] Read more
Comment: Keep it to three key messages
The livestock sector needs to deliver its message in a way that will be noticed and understood
In today’s world, we are surrounded by simple messages, speaking points and slogans. We all fall prey to the comfort of understanding the simple — but at our peril. Now consider the messages dominating the public view of the livestock sector. They are simple, maybe none simpler than “Cows are the new coal”. Simple messages […] Read more
Comment: Double vision – The future of livestock
There is a bright future available for Ontario’s livestock sector, but it won’t happen on its own
I recently gave a presentation on the future of livestock focused on big things that will impact the future. Quantum computing will affect analysis of big data, drug development and many other aspects of livestock production. Genomics is already changing livestock production and that impact is sure to get much larger. Consumer demand and retail […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
