GREENFIELD, Ind. — On Sept. 14, 2021, Elanco Animal Health, in partnership with Agri-Pulse, will convene hundreds of global leaders in animal agriculture for the Sustainable Solutions for Zero Hunger Forum. The forum, which will take place in Washington, D.C., and virtually, will focus on animal agriculture’s role in ensuring sustainability while achieving zero hunger by 2030.
This solutions-focused event will assemble business leaders, policymakers, producers, processors, NGOs and other key stakeholders to collectively tackle the critical issue of sustainably combating climate change, hunger and improving the resiliency of the global animal protein food chain. The timing for this forum, directly in advance of the United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit, is critically important to highlight animal’s role as a constructive solution to climate change.
“According to the UN, we’re facing a doomsday clock on climate. If we do not curb emissions in a few short years, we will see irreversible damage to the planet,” said Jeff Simmons, president and CEO at Elanco. “Meanwhile, a full 30% of the world’s population lacked year-round access to adequate nutrition in 2020, leading to problems ranging from hunger to obesity to malnutrition.”
The nutrient density of meat, milk, fish and eggs can provide a powerful remedy to address hunger and malnutrition and utilize natural cycles to achieve climate-neutral animal protein production, the company said, adding that this gathering will focus on the potential for animals to be a solution in both improving the sustainability of food production and ensuring the industry’s ability to fight hunger and create supply chain durability.
“Animals are at the center of solutions to both hunger and climate issues, and it is time that we take on the challenges together,” Simmons said. “Our industry is uniquely positioned to make a positive impact, finding ways to feed a growing global population while balancing the urgency to produce more food with the imperative to use fewer resources to combat climate change. This is a pivotal moment for our global animal protein industry to convene, discuss ways we can collaborate and concrete independent action plans participants could take to drive the critical innovation that will bridge the hunger gap, achieve climate goals and unlock a new frontier of value for producers.”
Discussion at the forum will center on sustainable nutrition creation and agriculture policy and will feature senior industry leaders’ perspectives on gaps and opportunities to accelerate the industry’s sustainability journey while creating value for all.
The event will include keynotes from: Agnes Kalibata, the UN secretary-general’s special envoy to the 2021 Food Systems Summit; Sen. John Boozman, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture; and Jewel Bronaugh, deputy secretary of agriculture.
The event creates a unique opportunity to interact directly with leaders of the UN Food Systems Summit and important policymakers to share the work producers are already doing to reduce environmental impact and highlight actions to accelerate progress, Elanco added. The forum provides an opportunity for the industry to be at the global table helping to solve these problems in collaboration with policymakers, not each working in isolation.
“Nutrient-dense animal proteins provide a powerful remedy to address hunger and malnutrition,” said Sara Wyant, Agri-Pulse editor. “This will be a great opportunity to discuss how farmers and ranchers are reimagining the way they grow animals to improve environmental performance, reduce and reverse carbon utilization, and build a more inclusive and resilient food supply for those most in need.”
