News release: Symposium focuses on telling the good story of livestock

Guelph ON, 8 May 2023 – The balanced story of the livestock sector is a good one – and the importance of sharing that story outside of the industry is the theme of the Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) annual symposium to be held June 1.

The event will feature two keynote speakers as well as the presentation of the LRIC Early Career Faculty Research Award. 

Hannah Thompson-Weeman, CEO of the Animal Agriculture Alliance in the United States, will focus on the hows and whys of getting out the balanced messages about livestock production to people who need to hear them, from policymakers to the general public. Her organization’s mission is safeguarding the future of animal agriculture.

University of Guelph food science professor Michael Rogers will present his fascinating research into how what food is made of plays a key role in how the human body digests and absorbs what we eat. Rogers will share his important findings on the human health impacts of eating a plant-based burger versus one that is animal-based – a story of meat that hasn’t previously been told. 

“There are many people and organizations telling the story of livestock today and their short, simple – and sometimes simplistic – messages are gaining traction with a general public that have little or no connection to livestock farming,” says LRIC CEO Mike McMorris. “The problem is that those messages don’t tell the balanced story of livestock and the critical role it plays in sustainability, human nutrition, food security and the economy – and it’s up to our sector to make sure the whole story is part of that public narrative.”

The symposium’s program also includes the presentation of the 2023 LRIC Early Career Research Award. Up to $70,000 is available annually to faculty from the University of Guelph who are participants in LRIC’s Early Career Mentorship Program and involved with a research project or program that will foster and build knowledge and capacity in the Ontario livestock sector.

The award is funded by LRIC, Grand River Agricultural Society (GRAS), Western Fair Association (WFA), Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) and Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). The award was launched last year, with funding provided to three recipients: Dr. Jennifer Ellis from the Department of Animal Bioscience at the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), and Dr. Nicole Ricker and Dr. Sam Workenhe, both in the Department of Pathobiology at OVC.

The symposium will be held June 1 at The Grandway Events Centre in Elora, from 10 am to 1 pm. Lunch will be provided. Deadline for registration, available on the LRIC website, is May 23. 

Established in 2012 with support from Ontario’s beef, pork, dairy and poultry sector organizations and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Livestock Research Innovation Corporation’s mission is driving innovation. The organization takes a value chain approach to research and innovation by providing leadership in research priority setting, coordination and process, identifying and communicating emerging issues, and strengthening networks across the sector. 

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For more information: 
Mike McMorris, LRIC CEO, 519-766-5464