Food Economics And Consumer Choice White Paper

Technology’s Role in the 21sT cenTuRy:Food Economics and Consumer ChoiceWhy agriculture needs technology to help meet a growing demand for safe, nutritious and affordable foodJeff Simmons, elanco Animal healthIntroduction Executive SummaryToday there are nearly 1 billion hungry people around the globe. yet • The U.N. projects world population will reach 9+ billion in only 50 years, our growing global population will require an esti-by mid-century and has called for a 100 percent increase mated 100 percent more food than we produce today. unfortunately, in world food production by 2050. According to the U.N., this doubled food requirement must come from virtually we will certainly not have 100 percent more high-quality land avail-the same land area as today.able to grow twice the amount of grain or two times more livestock. The u.n. Food and Agriculture organization (FAo) reports that • The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) further states that 70 percent of this additional food supply must added farmland will help produce only 20 percent of the additional come from the use of efficiency-enhancing technologies.food our planet will need in 2050, and 10 percent will come from increased cropping intensity. Accordingly, the FAo concludes that 70 • Driven by food production efficiency, agriculture can achieve the “ultimate win” for consumers percent of the world’s additional food needs can be produced only worldwide — affordability, supply, food safety, with new and existing agricultural technologies.sustainability and ample supplies of grain for biofuels. Three key concepts — collaboration, choice and The consequences of failing to use these science-based technologies technology — emerge as the pathway to this success.and innovations will be disastrous. Food producers in industrialized and developing nations alike require technology to ensure a sustain-able supply of safe, nutritious and affordable grains and animal protein to satisfy a rapidly growing demand. For this reason, and many others, we all share in the responsibility to ensure that new agricultural technologies — as well as those proven safe and effective over decades — continue to be available.Key Data50 ▲▲70% In years,100% the world populationmore food,1 andof this food must come fromwill requireefficiency-improving technology3Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 1Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 1Feeding Our 3 “Worlds”9 Will global population growth outpace our ability Economists classify our world into three to meet the demand for food?socioeconomic groups:some argue it already has. In December 2008, an estimated 963 First World (W1): Affluent, industrialized nations and million people around the world didn’t get enough to eat.3 About 42 regions including the United States, Western Europe, percent of these chronically hungry people live in two of the world’s Japan, South Korea and Australia. most populous developing nations: India and china.4 Because of Total estimated population, malnutrition, one in four children in second- and third-world 2008: < 1 billion.nations (W2 and W3) is underweight for his or her age.5 W1Second World (W2): Nations where the key challenge is balancing W3This is an unacceptable situation today and will require a resources and needs; these include new approach to food production to avert an even worse China, India, Eastern Europe and W2scenario in the coming decades. Latin America. Total estimated population, That’s because world food demand is expected to increase 2008: 3-4 billion. 100 percent by 2050.1 consequently, the u.n. FAo projects Third World (W3): Nations that are that global production of meat and dairy protein will almost consistently in dire straits, such as Bangladesh, double by 2050.6 This increased global demand will be driven by Haiti and most of Africa. a steady increase in population growth from today’s 6.7 billion to Total estimated population, 2008: 1-2 billion.9+ billion at the midpoint of the 21st century.7Population estimates used for this graphic: W1 = 0.9B, W2 = 3.8B and W3 = 1.8BThis rise in population will be characterized by a growth in afflu-ence, primarily in W2 nations, that will create the largest increase in global meat and milk consumption in history. Much of this increase parallels a rise in living standards in developing nations where more people can afford to replace low-cost grains in their daily diet with higher-cost sources of protein. china is a prime example of this trend. compared to other W2 nations such as India, china has made more progress in reducing hunger among its growing population. In 1985, meat consumption in china was roughly 44 pounds per person per year. By 2000, this had increased to 90 pounds per person annually, a figure that’s projected to more than double again by 2030.8 Land: the one resource we can never produce more ofcoinciding with increases in worldwide demand for animal protein is the reality of growing constraints on natural resources, with land a key limiting factor.13 Based on u.n. FAo projections,2 13 percent more land in developing countries will be converted to agricultural use over the next 30 years. on a global basis, this represents a net increase in available cropland of only 1 percent — from the 39 percent of global land area used in 2008 to a total of 40 percent. This land expansion will account for only 20 percent of future increases in food production. According to the u.n., 70 percent of the rest must come from increased use of new and current yield-enhancing technologies. About 10 percent will come from increased cropping intensity (har-vesting more crops per year from every acre).2 With respect to increasing output, there is good news. During the last half of the 20th century, agricultural productivity in many W1 nations expanded at a phenomenal rate. For instance, the average yield of corn in the u.s. rose from 39 to 153 bushels per acre14 (Figure 1). In addition, 2Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 CrSimmons-Goldbereative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber Paper:2782-17945 g Simmons-GoldberPaper:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber v16.indd g v16.indd February 18, February 2009 18, 3:18 2009 PM 3:18 PM Page 2Page Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 3a comparison of u.s. farm A Growing Consensus:output for 1948 -1994 showed Figure 1The growing challenge of feeding the worldsubstantial productivity U.S. Corn Yield per Acre: 1950 -2000(USDA Economic Research Service Data)What a few experts have to say: increases for all livestock and 200“ Science and technology must spearhead agricultural grain products, including an 153production in the next 30 years at a pace faster 88 percent increase in meat 150than the Green Revolution did during the past three production and a 411 percent e 100Yield increased 292%in only 50 yearsdecades.”{increase in the output of eggs Bu/acr5039– Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General, Food and and poultry. combined, these Agricultural Organization of the United Nations10improvements resulted in a 019502000“ Policy responses to protect the poor from food price 145 percent increase in total The USDA calls new technologies a “primary factor” rises are urgent and need to be designed in a way factor productivity (TFP)* for in improvements in agricultural productivity, such as that is conducive to stimulating greater agricultural the u.s. agriculture industry a 292 percent increase in U.S. corn yields from 1950 production in the long run.”to 2000.14(Figure 2).15 – Dan Leipziger, World Bank Group Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management11This should give us ample reason to believe we can meet the world’s growing need for food. Why? Because according to the usDA “ Backyard vegetable gardens are fine. So are organics … But solutions to the global food crisis will economic Research service, the development of new agricultural come from big business, genetically engineered crops technologies — including advances in genetics, nutrition, disease and and large-scale farms.”pest control and livestock management — was an important factor – Jason Clay, World Wildlife Fund12in these 20th-century productivity improvements.14,15 Refining these technologies, and discovering new ones, will be critical to our success in expanding on productivity improvements in this century. With respect to optimizing land use for agriculture in the coming decades, however, the news is not so encouraging. The reasons for this are many and complex, but two of them are of paramount impor-tance. First is the growing need to balance the use of agricultural land with the need to minimize the impact of agriculture on the global environment—Figure 2particularly with regard to greenhouse U.S. Farm Output & Productivity: 1948 -1994gas emissions, soil degradation and the (USDA Economic Research Service Data)protection of already dwindling water 600Changes in technology helped to more than double output of livestock products Increases in output supplies. Few would argue against the 1948511resulted in a 500and crops during the second half 1994of the last century145 percent increase in imperative to employ only those agricul-TFP for U.S. agriculture400tural technologies that have a neutral or utput (1948 = 100) 300positive impact on our environment. To 250245213arm O188200do otherwise is to sacrifice our long-term 132survival in favor of short-term gains.100Change in F0Dairy ProductsMeatPoultry & EggsAll Livestock All CropsTotal FactorThe second reason involves the conflicting Products Productivity*pressure to reallocate the use of current With 1994 farm output for livestock and grain products more than doubling the baseline output cropland from growing food to producing of 1948, total factor productivity (TFP) for U.S. agriculture during the last half of the 20th century improved by nearly 150 percent. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), grains for biofuels (see sidebar on page 4). this difference in TFP resulted from factors including changes in technology, efficiency and scale of production.15 successfully responding to both these * Overal rate of productivity is most commonly expressed as total factor productivity (TFP), a ratio of outputs to inputs (both measured additional challenges — protecting the as an index). TFP captures the growth in outputs not accounted for by the growth in production inputs. environment and balancing the world’s need for energy and food — will require a complex and multifaceted approach. For now, regardless of how we respond to these challenges, both will inevitably affect the cost of food in W1, W2 and W3 nations alike.3Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 CrSimmons-Goldbereative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber Paper:2782-17945 g Simmons-GoldberPaper:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber v16.indd g v16.indd February 18, February 2009 18, 3:18 2009 PM 3:18 PM Page 2Page Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 3The consumer perspectiveWhen it comes to the global food supply, what does the average person think about? Does he or she worry daily about food safety and agricultural technologies and methods? experts continue to FArminG in 2050 debate the answer to this question. on the one hand, food contamination scares — such as those in-Will OCCupy Only volving milk from china, peppers from Mexico, beef from some AbOut 1 pErCEnt mOrE u.s. meat processors and peanut products from georgia — have created understandable consumer concern about the safety of the lAnd thAn iS uSEd world’s food supply. in 2008. on the other hand, a 2008 survey by the International Food Informa-– BASED ON U.N. FAO PROJECTIONStion council revealed that when consumers are asked about specific food concerns, half indeed cited “disease and contamination” at the top of the list. yet only 7 percent reported that they worry about agricultural production methods, and 1 percent cited biotechnology as a top-of-mind concern (Figure 3).17 Figure 3Consumer Concerns Regarding Food Safety5050ernonc 40This C2930iting 2013onsumers C 107% of C10Disease/ContaminationHandling/PreparationFood SourcesAgricultural ProductionBiotechnologyThough research shows most consumers aren’t overly concerned about food safety, when asked to share potential worries, 50 percent cite disease and contamination. In contrast, only 1 percent cite biotechnology as a food safety concern.17Grain for Food or Grain for Fuel:Research also shows that most people are not greatly concerned about food safety, nor about modern food production technologies. u.s. Can we have both?and international consumer research, involving a total of 45 focus The USDA projects that about one-third of the 2009 U.S. groups conducted in 2001, 2004 and 200818 — and including a quan-corn crop will be converted into ethanol.16 Still, this new titative survey of 741 Americans taken in 2008 — revealed that most technology for revolutionizing energy production has also consumers (nearly 70 percent in 2008) assume the meat and poultry produced worldwide debate about the trade-offs in using they buy is safe. The research also showed that consumers care little cropland to produce fuel rather than food.about the origin of meat they purchase. And only 17 percent of the Consider: when U.S. ethanol production began ramping up consumers surveyed in 2008 expressed a strong interest in knowing in 2005, corn was less than $2/bushel. Within two years, about modern food animal production, while nearly 60 percent had this had doubled to $4 and a year later peaked at nearly $8/ bushel, resulting in significant pressure on the food little or no interest, preferring instead to trust the food supply chain industry.to ensure the food they consume is safe.Can we raise enough food to feed the world while helping Whom do consumers trust most to ensure science-based food safety? the U.S. and other nations achieve a higher level of energy Perhaps not surprisingly, it’s the food producers — those who rely on independence? If history is any guide, the answer is yes, modern technologies to help them grow food safely and efficiently. but only as long as we continue to invest in the technology necessary to make ethanol production, grain production Interestingly, consumers trust producers to help maintain food safety and food production even more efficient.to a much greater degree than they trust advocacy groups (Figure 4). 4Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 CrSimmons-Goldbereative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber Paper:2782-17945 g Simmons-GoldberPaper:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber v16.indd g v16.indd February 18, February 2009 18, 3:18 2009 PM 3:18 PM Page 4Page Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 5lessons from the European Center Figure 4of Competitive ExcellenceWhom Do Consumers Trust to Ensure Food Safety?(1 = Trust Least, 10 = Trust Most)In 2003, a think tank called the Center of Competitive Excel ence was assembled to assess a number of chal enges. Advocacy Groups4.83One of these was to evaluate the European meat industry Federal Regulatory Agencies5.07and develop strategies for enhancing its competitive State Regulatory Agencies5.08position across Europe and in the global marketplace. Surveys and panel discussions by highly respected Food Companies/Processors5.33agricultural experts, veterinarians and food producers from Restaurants5.66across Europe were conducted by the Center. Three key insights emerged: 25 Grocery Stores5.961. it’s crucial to have a credible, authoritative Farmers/Producers6.56regulatory body. The model for this is the U.S. Food and Drug 1234567Administration (FDA), a regulatory body that, despite With regard to ensuring food safety, consumers put the most trust in farmers and food producers.22 some criticism, remains a highly respected authority by consumers in the U.S. and around the world. A central authority such as the FDA helps maintain consumer Protecting the confidence and trust consumers place in the food confidence—something Europeans recognized the supply chain is critical. Although consumer confidence remains rela-need for as they addressed food contamination and tively strong, research shows it is decreasing slightly.17 high-profile animal disease issues. Ultimately, they created the food recalls almost certainly helped to erode this confidence. But is centralized Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) and the the emergence of genetically modified (gM) foods also to blame? European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).Probably not.2. Allow use of approved technologies and modern farming techniques to continue.Research reveals that, unprompted, consumers do not put gM As an example, U.K. farmers learned in the 1990s that products high on their list of food worries.19 Moreover, in the eu — rewriting laws to appease the political demands of a an area of the world that typically champions organic farming — few vocal minority is a recipe for economic disaster. A decade consumers actually avoid gM foods when shopping. In fact, regard-after yielding to pressures to ban (or not approve) growth enhancers, biotech products, GMOs and certain less of what consumers say about gM foods in opinion polls, the vast production practices, the U.K. has transformed from majority of them readily buy the few available gM foods without a key global leader and competitor to a high-cost, apparent hesitation.19 It should be noted, however, that global demand low-productivity domestic producer that now relies on for organic products continues to grow. Worldwide sales of organic poultry and beef imports to meet consumer demand.products doubled from 2000 to 2006, with the eu emerging as one of 3. Food producers should avoid “differentiating the top three import markets for organic goods.20, 26on the negative.” Labeling food products with claims such as NO additives, NO this, NO that, etc., results in a costly contest among Consumers want high-quality, affordable foodmanufacturers to “out - NO” each other while only so if most consumers trust their food to be safe and accept gM foods confusing consumers who neither understand, desire, with little concern, what do they worry about? When asked open-nor prefer these types of foods. Further, this practice ended questions about what they want most in their food, consumers can create an unfounded fear among consumers that consistently say they want it to be high-quality and affordable. As one products without such labels are less safe when, in fact, they can be even safer to consume. In any case, it’s the example, recent polling in the u.s., u.K., germany, Argentina and consumer who should make the final decision about china found that taste, quality and price were the top considerations which food products to purchase.when choosing food products.21 of these, affordability continues to move to the forefront as the global economy remains in a state of heightened volatility. According to an october 2008 survey by the center for Food Integrity, 60 percent of respondents are more concerned about food prices than they were just one year ago22 — “the highest level of concern … since World War II” according to the center’s ceo, charlie Arnot.5Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 CrSimmons-Goldbereative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber Paper:2782-17945 g Simmons-GoldberPaper:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber v16.indd g v16.indd February 18, February 2009 18, 3:18 2009 PM 3:18 PM Page 4Page Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 5Figure 5Figure 6Consumer Agreement that today’s Consumer Concern Food Supply is Safer than it Was About Food pricesduring their ChildhoodrECEnt pOllinG in 414Low level of Low level of thE u.S., u.K., GErmAny, agreement36concernMedium level 6036Ambivalent ArGEntinA, And ChinA of agreementlevel of concern50High level of High level of agreementconcernFOund thAt tAStE, quAlity And priCE WErE Sixty-four percent of Americans believe today’s food supply is even safer than it was when they were young, though 60 percent express a high level of concern about food prices.22 thE tOp COnSidErAtiOnS WhEn ChOOSinG Consumers want choiceFOOd prOduCtS.21of course, affordability matters less to some consumers, particularly those in affluent W1 countries where food costs account for only 10 percent of the average income.23 This includes consumers who prefer foods that are produced organically, i.e., with the use of few (if any) modern agricultural tools and technologies. organic food produc-tion, however, typically requires more resources and produces less food — which currently makes it a questionable solution to meeting the world’s growing food supply needs. As we prepare to enter the second decade of the 21st century, most organic foods remain a high-cost luxury that three-quarters of the world’s population cannot afford, particularly those in developing nations where food costs consume 50 percent of the average income.23needless to say, consumers who desire organic foods — which help the food industry satisfy demand and capture more value — should have that choice. likewise, consumers who need an abundance of efficiently produced, high-quality and affordable food deserve that choice as well. All consumer preferences can and should be protected. Most of all, the undernourished in developing nations who are improving their diets by increasing consumption of animal proteins, deserve the affordable foods that can be produced with carefully monitored, efficiency-improving agricultural technologies. High food prices will worsen the global food crisisThe question of how food is grown became even more relevant in 2008, when the entire world saw pressures on food production accel-erate as never before. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), world market prices for food commodities rose more than 75 percent from early 2006 to July 2008.23 of course, any increase in grain prices inevitably causes meat, egg and dairy costs to rise, because grain is used to feed livestock. As painful as these increases are in 6Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 CrSimmons-Goldbereative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber Paper:2782-17945 g Simmons-GoldberPaper:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber v16.indd g v16.indd February 18, February 2009 18, 3:18 2009 PM 3:18 PM Page 6Page Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 7industrialized (W1) nations, they can be devastating in poor nations where even modest increases in food prices can mean the difference between sustenance and starvation.Josette sheeran, head of the World Food Programme, reports that “hiGh FOOd priCES from 2002 to 2007 the cost of procuring basic foods for her program increased by 50 percent — and then by another 50 percent only one ArE nOt Only CAuSinG year later. As a consequence of these unprecedented cost increases, sheeran warns that “high food prices are not only causing a humani-A humAnitAriAn CriSiS, tarian crisis but also putting at risk the development potential of but AlSO puttinG At millions of people.”24The challenge of helping these millions of people requires us to ask riSK thE dEvElOpmEnt ourselves: can we afford not to use the technologies at our disposal pOtEntiAl OF milliOnS to produce food as efficiently as possible?OF pEOplE.”Why is technology such an important key to meeting the global demand for food and consumer choice? – Josette Sheeran There are a wide variety of answers to this question, and here are World Food Programmethree of the most important:1. Technology enables food producers to provide more high-quality grains and protein sources using fewer resources. Ironically, those who believe “all-natural” farming techniques (e.g., pre-1950) were superior to those used today could not, in many ways, be more mistaken. For example, a combination of modern feeding practices and efficiency-enhancing feed additives enables today’s cattle growers to use two-thirds less land to produce a pound of beef as it takes to produce a pound from “all-natural” grass-fed cattle.26 In addition, we can now produce at least 58 percent more milk with 64 percent fewer cows than dairy farmers could produce in 1944.27 Researchers have also found that nationwide use of an FDA-approved swine feed additive could enable the u.s. to main-tain pork production levels while raising 11 million fewer hogs. This would also reduce demand for cropland used to grow feed grains by more than 2 million acres.28 similarly, for every million dairy cows managed with another widely used technology, the world saves 2.5 million tons of feed that would have required 540,000 acres of land to produce. This increase in efficiency saves enough electricity to power 15,000 households29 and can substantially lower milk prices. Technology has also played an important role in the poultry industry, which has seen a four- to six-fold increase in the slaughter weight of broiler chickens since 1957. Researchers attribute this increase to careful genetic selection and improvements in nutrition.30 7Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 CrSimmons-Goldbereative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber Paper:2782-17945 g Simmons-GoldberPaper:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber v16.indd g v16.indd February 18, February 2009 18, 3:18 2009 PM 3:18 PM Page 6Page Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 72. Technology can help keep food affordable while ensuring tEChnOlOGy CAn maximum consumer choice — especially in developing nations.hElp SiGniFiCAntly organic foods are a fine option for people who can afford to pay a pre-rEduCE AnimAl WAStE mium for them. According to usDA researchers, these premiums can average 100 percent or more for vegetables,31 200 percent for chicken prOduCtiOn thAt and nearly 300 percent for eggs.32 on a global scale, however, most consumers can’t afford to pay such premiums and instead demand CAn thrEAtEn vitAl less expensive food choices. WAtEr rESOurCES in It bears noting that not all organic production methods are less ef-ficient and provide foods that invariably cost more. According to a dEvElOpinG nAtiOnS u.n. FAo report, in some countries, well-designed organic systems WhErE mOdErn can provide better yields and profits than traditional systems. In Madagascar, for example, farmers have increased rice yields fourfold pOllutiOn-COntrOl by using improved organic management practices. In Bolivia, India and Kenya, farmers have shown that yields can be double or triple StAndArdS And those obtained using traditional practices.2 tEChnOlOGiES ArE nonetheless, the report also recognizes the need for more research to solve technical problems faced by organic growers, and suggests that nOt in uSE.organic agriculture could become a realistic alternative to traditional agriculture over the next 30 years, but only on a local level.2 still, given the magnitude of the food crisis the world faces in the coming decades, efforts to maximize choice and achieve high produc-tion efficiencies (and lower costs) for all foods — including organic products — deserve the support of all constituencies in the global Figure 7food chain. Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions per Lb. of Beef (excludes NOx) 3. Technology can help minimize the global environmental 12Grain-fed cattle produce impact of increased food production. t 1038% fewer greenhouse 11.16gas emissions thanConventional alen{8grass-fed cattlegrain-fed7.94 using modern production methods and technologies not only Equiv 6O 26.93Natural grain-fedhelps produce more high-value protein from less land, but can also . of C 4Organic grass-fedLbshave a net positive impact on the environment. For instance, what 20today’s beef producers call “conventional” (i.e., modern) produc-tion techniques can actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions Today’s conventional production methods help reduce total greenhouse gas emissions compared to organic methods.26per pound of beef by 38 percent compared with an “all-natural” production method26 (Figure 7). Moreover, technology can help significantly reduce animal waste production that can threaten vital water resources in developing nations where modern pollution-control standards and technolo-gies are not in use. case in point: use of an FDA-approved feed additive for swine can reduce manure production in pigs by 8 percent.33 Feeding this additive to every hog harvested in the u.s. in 2002 would have reduced annual production of swine manure by more than 3.4 billion gallons28 — or enough to fill about 5,600 olympic-size swimming pools. 8Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 CrSimmons-Goldbereative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber Paper:2782-17945 g Simmons-GoldberPaper:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber v16.indd g v16.indd February 18, February 2009 18, 3:18 2009 PM 3:18 PM Page 8Page Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 9Conclusions 1. the global food industry needs technology. Without advancements in agricultural technology, humanity would likely not have progressed through the 20th century without major famines or devastating food wars. Will we be able to say the same thing at the end of this century, given that a food crisis is already here? I believe the answer is yes, because I concur with the u.n. that 70 percent of this food must come from the use of new and existing technologies and methods. And these technologies and methods must have no negative impact on the environment, animal welfare or food safety.2. Consumers deserve the widest possible variety of safe and afford-able food choices. In general, consumers trust food producers to keep the food supply safe, and they’re more concerned about food contamination than about technology used on the farm. Instead, one of the most pressing human concerns about food is affordability. For this reason, consumers from all classes and geographies — from those who can afford organic foods to those who struggle to maintain a diet that sustains them — must be allowed to choose from an abundance of safe, nutritious and, most importantly, inexpensive food options.3. the food production system can mitigate the food economics chal-lenge and achieve an “ultimate win.” Facing a global food crisis, the world is at risk through the midpoint of this century. We already see the signs: our population consumed more grain than we produced during seven of the last eight years.34 The good news: an “ultimate win” is still possible. What will it look like? Five key achievements will mark its success: 1. Improving the affordability of food by using new and existing technologies and optimal productivity practices. 2. Increasing the food supply by instituting a vastly improved degree of cooperation across the entire global food chain. 3. Ensuring food safety with a combination of technology and high-quality standards and systems, coupled with a greater measure of worldwide collaboration. 4. Increasing sustainability through a highly productive and efficient Jeff Simmons is the President of Elanco Animal Health, the animal health division of Eli Lilly and Company. Jeff is system that simultaneously protects the environment by means of a member of the Animal Health Institute’s (AHI) Executive sensitive and efficient use of natural resources.Committee and serves on the Board of Directors of both 5. Producing more biofuels to reduce dependence on fossil fuels while AHI and the International Federation for Animal Health creating no negative effect on global food supplies.(IFAH). He is also a member of the Harvard Business School’s Private and Public, Scientific, Academic, and Consumer Food In summary, three key concepts — collaboration, choice and tech-Policy Group (PAPSAC) committee and the 2009 Chairman nology — emerge as the pathway to success. not only will they provide of the FFA Foundation Board. Jeff received a bachelor’s the direction, they will be necessary requirements for an “ultimate win” degree in Agricultural Economics and Marketing from in the food economics challenge.Cornell University in 1989. 9Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 CrSimmons-Goldbereative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber Paper:2782-17945 g Simmons-GoldberPaper:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber v16.indd g v16.indd February 18, February 2009 18, 3:18 2009 PM 3:18 PM Page 8Page Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 910This page intentionally left blank.Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 CrSimmons-Goldbereative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber Paper:2782-17945 g Simmons-GoldberPaper:2782-17945 g Simmons-Goldber v16.indd g v16.indd February 18, February 2009 18, 3:18 2009 PM 3:18 PM Page 10Page Creative:Clients:Elanco:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg Paper:2782-17945 Simmons-Goldberg v16.indd February 18, 2009 3:18 PM Page 11