The future of food and the implications for animal agriculture
Dr. Mike von Massow, University of Guelph
Recent years have seen significant changes in the food consumer landscape with supply chain disruptions, generational inflation, and significant new technologies among other things. This presentation will provide perspectives on the changes in consumer demand brought on by these factors and what they mean for animal agriculture. We continue to evaluate supply chain resilience and the implications for a consistent food supply. While trust in agricultural production is strong (particularly for producers), it is clear that the public does not have a detailed understanding of how their food is produced. This gap creates risk which provides an imperative for engagement. There has been some short-term adjustment in consumer preferences driven largely by higher prices, but these are not expected to be permanent. Technologies such as gene-editing and cellular agriculture also have the potential to disrupt the market. Despite all of these factors, animal agriculture will continue to be a key factor in providing protein requirements and food security in Canada and across the world.
Keywords: food, food prices, technology, protein, consumers.