Calgary (Rural Roots Canada) – Producers do not have to compromise performance and profitability for sustainability.
Dr. Patrick Ward, Applications Manager for Europe and Asia Pacific for Alltech, spoke passionately about balancing all three during a speech at Alltech ONE in Calgary.
“It does not mean that we don’t want sustainability, of course, we do. However, we have to make sure we’re taking into account that we get performance improvements and look after our profitability because we could do everything sustainably, but it would cost us a lot, and we would have no food, nothing generated,” Ward tells Rural Roots Canada.
LISTEN TO MORE: RRC Podcast Ep.1 – Alltech ONE Calgary
He says it’s important to make sure there is a performance benefit and that the farmers are able to capitalize on it.
Ward pointed to Agolin-backed sustainability research as an example of how sustainability can be achieved while still maintaining performance and profitability.
Alltech acquired a majority stake in Switzerland-based Agolin in May of this year and has already moved forward with leveraging its expertise and resources to help them find the balance between the three for farmers.
Case in point, Ward says they have been looking at the benefit of getting extra milk yield in dairy cows, improving the fat and protein corrective milk, and the feed conversion ratio, which has shown positive results in more ways than one.
“At the same time, we saw a decrease in our methane emissions in terms of absolute values and also in terms of our intensity. What it allowed us to do there is quantify the improvements that you’re getting from the performance, but then what you’re looking at in terms of reduction of your greenhouse gas emissions.”
“When you have both of those together. I think it’s a win-win, and that is the true message that we’re trying to bring with Alltech technology that we have is bringing that win-win to the farmers and to the agriculture industry as a whole.”
More than 300 farmers, ranchers and producers turned out for the Alltech ONE World Tour stop in Calgary. The tour continues with stops in Washington D.C. and Dubai amongst other stops later this year.
RRC Podcast Ep.1 – Alltech ONE Calgary
