Purdue’s Lusk: Poultry, livestock research funds needed

Jayson Lusk, distinguished professor and head of the Purdue University Department of Agricultural Economics, urged members of the United States Senate to make sure federal funding is available for research to improve the productivity of livestock and poultry.

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AleksKey, Shutterstock.com

Jayson Lusk, distinguished professor and head of the Purdue University Department of Agricultural Economics, urged members of the United States Senate to make sure federal funding is available for research to improve the productivity of livestock and poultry.

Testifying on September 25 before the Senate Committee for Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Lusk said that improvements to food animal productivity can improve producer profitability, customer affordability, and the sustainability of the U.S. Food Supply.

He referred to recent history to prove his point.

“Productivity growth is the cornerstone of sustainability,” Lusk told the Senate committee. “Had we not innovated since 1970, 11 million more feedlot cattle, 30 million more market hogs and 7 billion more broilers would have been needed to produce the amount of beef pork and chicken U.S. consumers actually consumed last year.”

Lusk added that innovation and technology saved the extra land, feed and water the livestock and poultry would have required to meet the current demands. It also made a meaningful difference in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, he added.

Funding for animal disease prevention research also needed

Lusk, during the Perspectives on the Livestock and Poultry Sectors hearing also told the committee of the need for funding to combat foreign animal diseases.

“I urge this committee to play close attention to emerging animal disease issues. African swine fever (ASF) has caused significant disruption to the Chinese hog supply and the impacts are reverberating through global agricultural markets,” he said.

Lusk said if a similar outbreak of ASF were to happen in the United States, hog producers could lose about $7 billion per year. Likewise, if an outbreak foot-and-mouth disease were to occur in the United States, or another outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza would take place, it could have similar devastating impacts.

Read more coverage from the hearing

Also during the Perspectives on the Livestock and Poultry Sectors hearing, witnesses discussed other current issues such as the labor situation, a shortage of veterinarians in some areas, and a recent beef plant fire’s impact on the industry.

Here are links to those stories:

NTF and Sen. Durbin: Ag worker shortage must be addressed

US turkey industry hampered by lack of veterinarians

Sen. Roberts: Tyson working hard after beef plant fire

 

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