Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), Media Release, 17 April 2023
Nine scientific research papers published today (April 17) in the world-renowned journal Animal Frontiers have confirmed the critical role red meat and livestock play in society, arguing that animal agriculture is key to the challenges around climate change and global food security.
Among the authors of the international papers are Australian scientists Dr Rod Polkinghorne, OAM, a leading innovator in the global red meat industry; Professor Neil Mann, a human nutrition expert with more than 30 years of clinical trial expertise; and Monash University’s Professor Paul Wood, AO, a leading expert on the future of cell-based proteins. The papers published in Animal Frontiers can be read online here.
“Our papers published today are much more than just important pieces of scientific works to be discussed among industry advocates,” Dr Polkinghorne said. “We want this major new analysis to inform public policy and education around meat production and consumption globally.”
Animal Frontiers is the official journal of four professional animal science societies including the American Society of Animal Science, the Canadian Society of Animal Science, the European Federation of Animal Science, and the American Meat Science Association.
“We are also calling for more scientists from all disciplines to engage with our industry so we can continue a healthy, balanced discussion on the future of animal agriculture globally – including nutritional health, the environment, the ethical consumption of meat, and global food security.”
The papers published today in Animal Frontiers formed the basis for discussion at a Dublin-based event held last year, the International Summit on the Societal Role of Meat, and for a Sydney-based event in March, The Good Meat Summit, hosted by AMPC and MLA.
Dr Polkinghorne said the Animal Frontiers papers also addressed the anti-meat rhetoric evident in some developed countries, including Australia.
“Our work will go a long way to communicating the importance of animal agriculture for our society, including red meat and livestock production here and around the world,” he said.
Further background
About Animal Frontiers
Animal Frontiers is the official journal of four professional animal science societies including the American Society of Animal Science, the Canadian Society of Animal Science, the European Federation of Animal Science and the American Meat Science Association. It is also the third most-cited journal in agriculture, dairy, and animal science.
The papers published today can be read online here.
The April 2023 journal edition’s guest editors and authors are among the nearly 1,000 signatories of a declaration warning that livestock systems “are too precious to society to become the victim of simplification, reductionism or zealotry.”
About the Dublin International Summit on the societal role of meat
The Summit was organised by an international committee comprising Peer Ederer, Founder, GOALSciences (Switzerland); Collette Kaster, CEO, American Meat Science Association (United States); Mohammad Koohmaraie, President of the Meat Division, IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group (United States); Frédéric Leroy, Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium); Rod Polkinghorne, CEO, Birkenwood International (Australia); and Declan Troy, Assistant Director of Research, Teagasc (Ireland). For more information about the Summit agenda and speakers, click here.
About the Good Meat Summit in Sydney
The Australian Meat Processor Corporation together with Meat & Livestock Australia brought nine scientists from around the world together on Tuesday March 21 in Sydney for a day-long summit to discuss the scientific evidence in support of red meat and livestock production in today’s society.
The Australian Good Meat Summit brought together industry leaders and producers from across the red meat and livestock sector to hear key messages ahead of the scientific papers published this week in Animal Frontiers.
AMPC’s chief executive officer Chris Taylor and MLA’s managing director Jason Strong said the summit was an Australian-based take on the summit held in Dublin and provided an excellent opportunity to bring industry leaders, producers and scientists together under one roof.
About Meat & Livestock (MLA) and Australian Meat Processors Corporation (AMPC)
MLA’s purpose is to foster the long-term prosperity of the Australian red meat and livestock industry. MLA is a service provider to the red meat industry, not an industry representative body or lobby group.
AMPC is the specialist research and development (R&D) provider for Australian meat processors – wherever they are, whatever their markets, no matter their size. AMPC’s mandate is to provide research, development, and extension (RD&E) services that improve the sustainability and efficiency of the sector.
