Knowledge Transfer: USA Case Study

Dragana LazovicSilvia Pixner

Toni Marie Ebbole

Bosnia and Herzegovina

• 3.8 million people• Meat production 2013: 72,445 tonnes• Milk production 2013: 704,000 tonnes

Italy

• 59.8 million people• Meat production 2013: 4 million tonnes• Milk production 2013: 11 million tonnes

USA

• 318.5 million people• Meat production 2013: 42.6 million tonnes• Milk production 2013: 91.2 million tonnes

Challenges in the USA

• Sustainability• Security• Waste

Food Security

Access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.

• An estimated 14.3 percent of American households were food insecure at least some time during the year in 2013

• Children and adults were food insecure at times during the year in 9.9 percent of households with children

To meet the fruit, vegetable, and whole-grain recommendations, ERS estimates that domestic

crop acreage would need to increase by 7.4 million harvested acres.

111 billion more pounds of milk and milk products would be needed each year for

Americans to meet the dairy consumption recommendations.

Potential Options

• Increase production…?• Increasing sustainability to increase food

security– Water management– Waste management– Feed and energy efficiency

Sustainable Agriculture

• “The term sustainable agriculture means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:– satisfy human food and fiber needs;– enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base

upon which the agricultural economy depends;– make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and

on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls;

– sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and– enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.”

Water management

• Initiative to reduce water use in animal production:– Set a limit of liters of water/animal/hectare– Farmers who exceed the limit pay a tax– Farmers who meet the limit receive a bonus

Integration Phase

1. Conduct research to determine a reasonable and sustainable amount of water/animal taking into account all steps of production and origin of feed

2. Farmer training on the means to decrease water use and education regarding why it is important

3. Determine tax penalty/benefit

Short term effects

• Decrease in water consumption– Increase in sustainability of animal production

• Increased awareness about resource limitations

Long term effects

• Increased production with the same amount of resources

• Sustained food production and more efficient land use

• Less environmental impact per unit

Risk analysis

• Farmer disapproval– Education and assistance

• Decreased welfare of animals/decreased production– Careful research to ensure that basic needs are

met– Inspections