Research & innovation key to successful future for Canadian livestock industry, report says

Results to be presented at annual meeting

By Lilian Schaer for Livestock Research Innovation Corporation

A new report puts research, innovation and a comprehensive policy approach as core pillars underpinning the successful future of Canada’s livestock industry. 

The Forces Impacting Animal Agriculture in Canada: A Synthesis report by the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) says that the complexity and interconnectedness of animal agriculture means its value and impact can’t be measured with simple metrics. Many of the challenges and opportunities are shared across members of the sector. 

“This report offers a compelling narrative of the challenges, opportunities and policy landscape that come together to shape the future of this vital Canadian industry,” says Mike McMorris, CEO of Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC), one of the organizations who sponsored the research. 

This means the industry needs common solutions to improve economic, environmental and social sustainability. These include growth-oriented policies, investment in research and innovation and in transportation and other infrastructure, and an enhanced data framework. 

At the same time, risks facing animal agriculture are growing, like disease, loss of land or markets, and extreme weather, and require greater focus and innovative policy solutions to provide meaningful impacts. 

“Canada is in a unique position to meet the growing global demand for proteins because of our land base, water resources, efficient production systems and low carbon emissions relative to other countries,” says report co-author Al Mussell, CAPI’s Director of Research who will be speaking about the report’s findings at the Beef Farmers of Ontario annual meeting on February 22. 

In fact, the report notes that Canadian animal agriculture has among the lowest emissions intensities in the world, so policies that integrate sustainability, food security and growth can help meet climate targets and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and build Canada’s comparative advantage on the world stage. 

Animal agriculture also has a key role to play in meeting the objectives of other initiatives, such as the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)’s Grow Ontario Strategy announced in 2022, which contains ambitious production and export growth goals for the agriculture sector. 

To help reach those goals, there is need to increase agri-food innovation and adoption through research infrastructure, ensure translation of research into practical solutions and encourage uptake of those solutions, and increase the use and measurement of data-driven solutions. 

The findings of the CAPI report support LRIC’s A2B approach to research and innovation – where are we, where do we want to go and what are the steps we need to get there, which can include innovation, research, regulation, policy and advocacy, for example. 

“Important for success is considering what matters to industry, to consumers and to government – and looking for commonalities,” says McMorris. 

For the industry, key issues are antimicrobial resistance, climate change impact and adjustment, emergency preparedness, labour, animal welfare, water, soil health and alternative protein consumption. 

Consumers, by comparison, care about their health, the health of the planet and animal welfare, for government, it’s the economy, the environment and food security that matters. 

To help bring all of that together, LRIC has been encouraging the sector and its stakeholders to view innovation as a circular system that includes funding, research priorities, project management, getting research into practice (GRIP) and commercialization. 

LRIC has also taken proactive approaches to help give the livestock sector the tools it needs for success. The LRIC Emerging Trends and Opportunities Committee provides direction to the LRIC board on creating and increasing awareness across the sector regarding emerging trends and their research and innovation requirements.

The LRIC International Research Advisory Committee provides input from beyond Canada’s borders, including helping ensure we are aware of global developments and how the Ontario livestock sector can adopt or adapt international research approaches toward improved progress. 

LRIC has also developed a mentorship program for early career faculty to help them make better connections with industry and bolster the relevance of their research to addressing real problems farmers face. And its Early Career Research Award is designed to foster more collaborative and cross-sector research. 

All of this is aligned with LRIC’s new five-year strategic plan, which has a three-fold approach: 
•    Provide members services and a centralized hub for livestock research, innovation, networking and mentorship.
•    Seek and stimulate continuous improvement of the innovation system by all stakeholders.
•    Be the trusted intermediary between industry, government and academia.

The CAPI study Forces Impacting Animal Agriculture in Canada: A Synthesis was funded by LRIC, Grand River Agricultural Society, UFA Co-operative, Dairy Farmers of Canada and Canadian Cattle Association. 

Livestock Research Innovation Corporation is funded in part by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial initiative. This article is provided by LRIC as part of its ongoing efforts to report on research, innovation, and issues affecting the Canadian livestock industry.

This article was originally published in the February 2024 edition of Ontario Beef.