Calgary in Canada on Monday, July 4, played host to the third stop of the Alltech ONE World Tour (ONE), a series of international events bringing the ideas and inspiration of the annual Alltech ONE Conference to the world.

ONE Calgary welcomed more than 300 attendees from across Canada to explore collaborative solutions to the greatest challenges facing the agri-food industry, especially as they relate to the Canadian marketplace.

Changemakers and thought leaders throughout the ag value chain united at the event to explore opportunities for agriculture to innovate and take a leading role in nourishing both people and the planet.

The Alltech ONE Conference has been held in Lexington, Kentucky, home of Alltech’s global headquarters, for the past 38 years.

In 2023, the global leader in agriculture is bringing the conference to its partners, customers, suppliers and friends across the globe, providing the opportunity for more people than ever to experience the power of ONE.

“As our customers and partners continue to face many challenges and uncertainties, we determined that 2023 would be dedicated to meeting them in their market,” said Dr Mark Lyons, president and CEO.

“This special edition of the ONE endeavours to deliver global expertise to locally relevant issues. In the midst of economic and political uncertainties that fuel regionalisation, this ONE reflects the responsibility we have as a global company to be a connector of people and ideas, ever advancing our purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™.”

Alltech ONE Calgary featured global and Canadian experts discussing agricultural trends, animal nutrition and business, including keynote presentations from Dr. Mark Lyons and renowned motivational speaker, Chris Koch, and a Sustainability Insights panel discussion.

Moderated by Dr Kayla Price, Canadian technical manager for Alltech, panellists included Tara McCarthy, global vice president of ESG at Alltech; Melissa Downing, director of regulatory and sustainability for the National Cattle Feeders Association; John Barlow, vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Parliament; and Al Mussell, research director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI).

“Our industry is navigating unprecedented disruption yet remains confident and committed to evolving toward a more sustainable food system,” said McCarthy. “The key to success will be the development of innovative solutions, but even more critical is the capacity of the industry to work together across the value chain.”

Alltech recently launched a global value chain engagement study seeking industry input. Though the complete Alltech Sustainability Insights report will be released later this summer, the initial findings include:

• There is a world of shifting and, depending on geography, quite divergent priorities. There is a very real series of crises facing the agri-food industry and, for the most part, an acknowledgement and realistic view of the gravity of those challenges. In the face of all that, there is a strong level of optimism and positivity with 85% of respondents agreeing that the food system can rise to the challenge.

• Respondents were similarly realistic about the need for support for the primary producers of the food that the eight billion people on this planet eat. 66% agree that unless the farmer is incentivized, things will never change.

• There is recognition that we won’t be able to resolve the challenges ahead without a huge degree of innovation and harnessing technology to enable us to feed ourselves sustainably, with 92% of respondents believing that technology and innovation are key to more sustainable food systems.

• There is a near-universal recognition that we need a collaborative conversation and effort across the value chain, with 93% of respondents agreeing that we all have to work together to create a better food system for the future.

Dr. Mark Lyons presented the 2023 Alltech Canada Planet of Plenty Award to Laurie Stanton, owner of Stanton Farms in Ilderton, Ontario.

This award recognises Canadian farmers, producers and ranchers across the country and their efforts of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty.

“Alltech Canada is proud to honour and thank the people and organizations that work hard every day to feed our country while implementing innovative and sustainable practices for the future of Canadian agriculture,” said Lyons.