Reactive nitrogen requirements to feed the world in 2050 and potential to mitigate nitrogen pollution.

The accurate quantification of the carbon footprints of animal products and the related development of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation strategies are of interest to consumers, the general public, and the academic community. The objective of this review was to summarize recent advances in GHG emission quantification, life‐cycle assessment applications, and mitigation technologies for animal production in the USA, to assist the development of system‐based solutions for mitigation of GHG emissions from animal production. The GHG emissions from animal production mainly come from feed production, enteric fermentation, and manure management. Opportunities to mitigate emissions from feed production largely rely on continuous improvements in animal and feed production efficiency. This is in general agreement with the economic interest of the industry. To mitigate emissions from manure, many technologies can be chosen, depending on the given economic and regulatory environments. It is possible to minimize GHG emissions from manure through manure energy recovery when this is economically feasible. For enteric emissions, there are limited opportunities to reduce GHG emissions through dietary manipulation, feed management, or feed supplementations. Improving environmental stewardship of consumers and reducing food waste will reduce animal protein demand and are important bottom‐line strategies to mitigate GHG from animal production systems. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Trends in greenhouse gas emissions from consumption and production of animal food products – implications for long-term climate targets

The increase in the consumption of animal products is likely to put further pressure on the world’s freshwater resources. This paper provides a comprehensive account of the water footprint of animal products, considering different production systems and feed composition per animal type and country. Nearly one-third of the total water footprint of agriculture in the world is related to the production of animal products. The water footprint of any animal product is larger than the water footprint of crop products with equivalent nutritional value. The average water footprint per calorie for beef is 20 times larger than for cereals and starchy roots. The water footprint per gram of protein for milk, eggs and chicken meat is 1.5 times larger than for pulses. The unfavorable feed conversion efficiency for animal products is largely responsible for the relatively large water footprint of animal products compared to the crop products. Animal products from industrial systems generally consume and pollute more ground- and surface-water resources than animal products from grazing or mixed systems. The rising global meat consumption and the intensification of animal production systems will put further pressure on the global freshwater resources in the coming decades. The study shows that from a freshwater perspective, animal products from grazing systems have a smaller blue and grey water footprint than products from industrial systems, and that it is more water-efficient to obtain calories, protein and fat through crop products than animal products

Given the large amount of food waste coming from households, reducing household food waste is essential to the mitigation of overall food waste and the provision of multi-faceted benefits for both people and the planet. This study identifies factors and management strategies for the reduction of household food waste in the Taiwanese household setting. Using snowball sampling, semi-structured interviews are conducted to collect data from 27 household food providers in Taipei. The research findings identify four critical motivators and four barriers to minimizing household food waste in Taiwan. The most frequently mentioned motivator for the reduction of food waste is a convenient shopping environment, and the most important barrier is lack of knowledge for assessing the edibility of food. Additionally, four major prevention strategies are identified to help reduce household food waste: (1) planned purchase schedule; (2) skills to keep food fresh and longer; (3) understanding family preferences and leftover management, and (4) sharing additional food and co-procurement and cooking. The results of this study not only help improve the understanding and application of Chinese household food waste reduction, but also demonstrate the significance of its socio-cultural impacts in future studies.

The literature on food waste reduction has often overlooked the complexities of household waste reduction and reuse behaviors. This study takes a novel approach by applying the norm activation model to explore households’ food waste behavior. A total of 214 responses were collected from various regions of India to ensure a diverse sample. Using a structured questionnaire based on the norm activation model, the relationships between the sense of community, the consequence of awareness, and food waste behaviors were examined. The results obtained highlighted the role of a sense of community and the consequence of awareness as significant antecedents of leftover food reuse (FR) intention and food waste reduction behavior. PLS-SEM mediation analysis revealed that reduction intention mediates the relationship between food waste antecedents and outcomes, while planning routines mediate between antecedents and reduction behavior. These findings highlight the utility of our model in predicting food waste reduction and reuse behaviors, thereby providing a comprehensive framework for household food waste strategies. Practically, the findings support the development of an app with gamified features to promote sustainable food management.

Dans les pays du Sud, la consommation des denrées d’origine animale a rapidement augmenté ces dernières décennies, particulièrement en Asie de l’Est et du Sud-Est, et ensuite en Amérique latine et aux Caraïbes. Cela a provoqué une profonde transformation structurelle de l’élevage des animaux terrestres et aquatiques ainsi qu’une surpêche, dans le but d’accroître l’offre de produits animaux et de maintenir les prix à la consommation à des niveaux relativement modérés. Les systèmes de production animale et d’exploitation des ressources halieutiques se sont donc intensifiés, industrialisés et spécialisés. Ils ont souvent intégré verticalement les services de transformation et de commercialisation aux unités de production dans la chaîne de valeur locale, régionale et internationale. Ils ont aussi tiré avantage des innovations technologiques, de la globalisation de l’économie, de la baisse du prix des aliments pour animaux, et des investissements publics et privés. Cependant, le développement de l’élevage intensif à grande échelle et la surexploitation des ressources halieutiques comportent autant d’opportunités pour les pays du Sud que d''externalités sociales, économiques et environnementales négatives. Dès lors, les défis actuels et futurs pour les pays en développement seront de mettre en oeuvre des pratiques alternatives qui garantissent des productions animales et des pêches efficaces et durables.

China's economic boom in recent decades has stimulated consumer demand for animal products and consequently, a vast expansion in animal production. From 1978 to 2006, the number of animals increased by 322% for pigs, 209% for poultry, and 2770% for dairy cattle. The objective of the present study was to quantify nitrogen mass flow in China's animal production system at the national scale and to elucidate potential environmental implications. A comprehensive analysis was performed combining statistical records with data from the scientific literature and supplemental survey information. Results indicate that approximately 18 Mt of N flowed through the Chinese animal production system in 2006. Nitrogen input to the system was from various feed materials, including 6.8 Mt (38% of total) from roughage, 4.4 Mt (24%) from byproducts, 2.3 Mt (13%) from cereal grains, and 1.6 Mt (9%) each from crop residues and oilseed cakes, with the remaining N (16%) obtained from other feedstuffs. Nitrogen outputs from the system included edible animal products (2.4 t, 13% of total), nonedible animal parts (e.g., bones, skins) (3.8 Mt, 21%), and excreta (12 Mt, 66%). At the national level, the excreta would average 28 Mg (as excreted) and 90 kg N ha(-1) of cropland. However, at the provincial level, it varied from 1 Mg ha(-1) (5 kg N ha(-1)) in Qinghai to 97 Mg ha(-1) (243 kg N ha(-1)) in Sichuan. In regions with excreta in the intermediate rate (e.g., Hebei Province, 115 kg N ha(-1)) or high rare (e.g., Sichuan Province, 243 kg N ha(-1)), animal manure contributes significantly to nutrients polluting groundwater and/or surface waters. It is crucial for China to develop and implement proper management practices to maximum the beneficial use of the 12 Mt excreta N while minimizing its environmental footprint.

Chapter Thirteen - Role of biotechnology on animal breeding and genetic improvement

امروزه کشاورزی زیستی به‌عنوان یکی از مناسب‌ترین نظام‌های تولیدی جایگزین نظام‌های کشاورزی رایج مورد توجه متخصصین علوم مختلف، عموم مردم حتی دولتمردان و سیاستگذاران نیز در سطح جهان قرار گرفته و تحقیقات وسیع در زمینه‌ی ابعاد مختلف این نوع نظام‌ تولیدی پایدار در حال گسترش هستند. در نظام‌های تولید زیستی تاکید زیادی بر تلفیق زراعت و دامداری شده است و معتقدند که در یک واحد تولیدی کشاورزی زیستی باید تولیدات دامی نیز وجود داشته باشد. فرآورده‌های دامی زیستی متعددی مانند گوشت، لبنیات و حتی محصولات زیستی حاصل ازفرآورده‌های جانبی مانند پشم دام‌های زیستی نیز مورد توجه و علاقه مصرف‌کنندگان قرار گرفته‌اند. درکلیه مراحل تولید، عمل‌آوری و بسته‌بندی تا زمانی که به دست مصرف‌کننده برسد باید استانداردها و معیار‌های معینی برای فرآورده‌های دامی نیز همانند فرآورده‌های گیاهی رعایت شوند. در کشور ما، بسیاری از سامانه‌های کشاورزی و تولیدات دامی و غذایی از اولویت و امتیاز برای تبدیل به کشاورزی و محصولات زیستی گواهی شده برخوردارند، از جمله‌‌ی این نظام‌ها می‌توان به مجتمع‌های صنعتی پرورش و نگهداری دام و نیز تولیدات عشایر کوچ‌نشین اشاره نمود که توانمندی‌های بالقوه‌ی بسیاری برای گواهی زیستی تولیدات آنها وجود دارد، ولی متأسفانه هیچگونه تشکیلاتی برای سامان‌دهی، گواهی و یا فروش محصولات تولید شده دامی و غذایی در این‌گونه نظام‌ها که عموماً در آنها اصول و قواعد تولید زیستی به‌طور طبیعی و ناخودآگاه اجرا می‌شود، وجود ندارد. معرفی نظام تولید زیستی به بخش پرورش‌ دام در کشور، مستلزم تدوین برنامه‌ای جامع و همه‌‌جانبه‌نگر است ضمن اینکه وجود استانداردهای ملی و نیز تأسیس مؤسسات دولتی و غیر دولتی گواهی کننده‌ی محصولات دامی و غذایی زیستی، جزو اولین و ضروری‌ترین اقدامات در این زمینه می‌باشند.

The world’s large and growing appetite for meat and other animal products has profound implications for One Health, given its impacts on human health, the environment and animal health and welfare. Accordingly, there is robust evidence that a reduction of animal product consumption is urgently needed in regions where these consumption levels are currently high. A shift away from industrial animal production should be prioritized, given the high levels of animal product consumption this kind of system enables, its relatively high environmental toll, linkages to increasing risks of antimicrobial resistance and zoonoses emergence and harm to animal welfare. Until recently, however, few governments addressed the issue. On the contrary, many governments actively support industrial animal agriculture through subsidies and other measures. Now, motivated by both environmental and public health concerns, policy makers in several countries are adopting regulatory and financial measures to address the overconsumption of animal products. Although these changes are clearly necessary and long overdue, it is crucial that they are planned carefully and inclusively to ensure a just transition. In lower-resourced and food-insecure settings, meat and other animal products can be a vital source of nutrients – particularly during infancy and childhood. In addition, meat supply chains support many livelihoods, and meat is an important part of many people’s social and cultural traditions. This means that policies that curtail common production practices, reduce meat output and raise meat prices could have significant impacts across society. A just transition approach can help ensure that the costs and benefits of the transition are more equitably distributed and protect the most vulnerable stakeholders. By doing so, it can also help increase public support for the transition. The concept of just transitions is well established in the energy sector but is only starting to be recognized in the context of the food system. Governments in the Global North should take the lead in this area, given these countries have very high levels of animal product consumption and more resources available to support a transition. In this Policy Forum, we lay out the case for a just transition in animal agriculture and identify five principles to guide policy makers in promoting a just transition away from systems of industrial meat production and overconsumption. One Health impact statement Drawing on expertise from health, climate, biodiversity and animal welfare policy and science across several regions, this Policy Forum demonstrates how current levels of animal product production and consumption threaten One Health. Although a transition to a healthier, more sustainable and more compassionate food system is clearly needed, such a transition will necessarily involve both costs and benefits for affected stakeholders. Identifying lessons from international and national climate policy, and energy policy in particular, the authors highlight the value of an approach that is holistic and centred on just transition principles to support a transition away from large-scale animal product production and consumption that is in line with the One Health approach, with an emphasis on transitioning away from the consumption and production of industrially-produced meat. This Policy Forum is relevant to policy makers, companies and civil society seeking to promote a shift towards food systems that emphasize public and planetary health.

Today, global agriculture feeds a population of approximately 6.4 billion and delivers a wide range of additional services. These range from waste management and water purification through delivery of fuel, fibre and chemical products to recreation and the conservation of biodiversity. Significant

Recent developments in mammalian biotechnologies that have been driven largely by medical bioscience, offer new opportunities for livestock industries. Major impacts may be expected in the area of reproductive, genomic and cell technologies that could lead to improved animal breeding strategies or animal production and health applications. In particular, the use of advanced reproductive technologies to select animals at very early stages of life, possibly as early as a 4-day embryo, combined with genomic technologies to predict genetic merit, could lead to significantly increased rates of genetic gain. Such advanced animal breeding technologies will depend strongly on conventional quantitative genetic evaluation systems. Genetic modification in the near future will offer targeted animal improvement options for control of health and production. Long-term impact of genetic modification on animal production systems will depend on consumer acceptance, and its perception by social, environmental and animal welfare groups. However, the opportunity to develop animal products beyond conventional boundaries may prove too attractive with genetic modification eventually being accepted as the norm. The naturally synergistic effect of ex vivo transgenic modification of embryo stem cell or somatic cell lines, combined with nuclear transfer present potentially high value propositions for development of novel and high value products. Opportunities for the mass production of elite males for use in extensive animal production systems will be possible.

Animal products, i.e. meat, milk and eggs, provide an important component in global diets, but livestock dominate agricultural land use by area and are a major source of greenhouse gases. Cultural and personal associations with animal product consumption create barriers to moderating consumption, and hence reduced environmental impacts. Here we review alternatives to conventional animal products, including cultured meat, imitation meat and insects (i.e. entomophagy), and explore the potential change in global agricultural land requirements associated with each alternative. Stylised transformative consumption scenarios where half of current conventional animal products are substituted to provide at least equal protein and calories are considered. The analysis also considers and compares the agricultural land area given shifts between conventional animal product consumption. The results suggest that imitation meat and insects have the highest land use efficiency, but the land use requirements are only slightly greater for eggs and poultry meat. The efficiency of insects and their ability to convert agricultural by-products and food waste into food, suggests further research into insect production is warranted. Cultured meat does not appear to offer substantial benefits over poultry meat or eggs, with similar conversion efficiency, but higher direct energy requirements. Comparison with the land use savings from reduced consumer waste, including over-consumption, suggests greater benefits could be achieved from alternative dietary transformations considered. We conclude that although a diet with lower rates of animal product consumption is likely to create the greatest reduction in agricultural land, a mix of smaller changes in consumer behaviour, such as replacing beef with chicken, reducing food waste and potentially introducing insects more commonly into diets, would also achieve land savings and a more sustainable food system.

PurposeOvercooking and overbuying are two main causes of food waste in households. Therefore, this study tests whether two interventions, aimed at cooking planning versus purchasing planning, can reduce food waste in households by using self-report direct measurements. Because measuring household food waste can impact how much food is wasted, the effects of the mere measurement of household food waste over time were assessed as well.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 80 households was distributed into three groups (control, purchasing planning and cooking planning) and their household food waste was weighed over a period of 166 days. After the first 91 days, behavioral interventions were delivered to purchasing planning and cooking planning groups. Repeated measures ANOVA, linear regression and a two-level mixed model were used for data analysis.FindingsResults showed that the interventions were not effective in influencing the participants to reduce household food waste beyond the reduction in the control group. However, there is evidence of a mere measurement effect that caused household food waste reduction over time.Originality/valueThis study's experimental period is longer than most of the studies that tested behavioral interventions for household food waste reduction. This enabled the authors to assess the effects of repeated measurement and discover that measurement alone can bring behavioral change.

This quantitative study examines the impact of app-assisted meal planning on food waste reduction and cost savings among Filipino families using secondary data from UNEP’s Food Waste Index and DOST-FIES (2023). Employing descriptive, economic, comparative, and projection analyses, the study estimates potential household benefits of adopting meal planning applications. Results reveal that Filipino households generate approximately 2.95 million tons of food waste annually, leading to substantial economic losses. The analysis suggests that mobile meal planning apps could reduce household food waste by 15–25%, translating to average annual savings of around Php 2,000 per family. The study recommends future research using primary data to validate these findings and determine the most effective implementation strategies for app-based food waste reduction.