Opinion: Circling back to meat

As I walk by a storefront that once housed the city’s largest ‘plant-based butcher,’ the irony hits me. The new sign announces that this will soon open again — as a beef burger cafe.

It brings to light the complexity of understanding Canadian consumers and their varying wants and needs. Protein in all sources is good for us, and indeed the majority of the global population derives their protein from plants, but meat and poultry still play an important role, especially in Canada.

Despite our historical cultural preference to meat-based meals, this is changing There is a growing population in Canada, one in six persons, who identify as flexitarians or those that eat meat on occasion. I see this often with my friends who prefer a plant-based diet yet enjoy ordering meat or poultry when eating out.

The plant-based food industry in Canada is worth nearly $1 billion, with an expected growth of eight per cent per year. Globally, the concept of plant-based foods and plant-based economies are gaining political traction and sales are expected to reach $161 billion by 2030.

In some areas of the world, this growth has spilled over into policy.

My favourite treat as a child was canned bacon from Denmark. A family friend would gift us a couple of tins each Christmas and we savoured these tiny strips of heaven.

The protein came from a country that has produced pork for export for 125 years and the primary supply of pork for the European Union still comes from Denmark’s 28 million pigs.

In terms of economy, pork sales make up nearly six per cent of the Danish export economy and the sector employs 60,000 people.

It sounds like a secure industry and it has published its vision, which includes climate action, to 2050, but the Danish government has recently committed to agricultural transformation through support of plant-based food growth. The goal is to set Denmark apart as a leader in this field and employ 27,000 people.

The math does not entirely work: to threaten the 60,000 established jobs and 5,000 pork producers to support the employment of 27,000 persons. Reading a little deeper into the press release and the available documents, it became clear that this “transformational” agricultural policy was actually an avenue to climate goals at the expense of the meat and poultry industry. Similar plans to reduce livestock farming to achieve climate goals have recently been launched in Switzerland and Germany.

This is concerning. Rather than address a whole-of-government approach reflective of a circular economy, we see specific areas of focus in the name of climate change.

According to the latest research, the Danes still prefer to eat animal protein. They have sectorial strategies to mitigate climate challenges. The importing clients are buying. This is an industry worth working with and enhancing.

As the sectors in Canada work together on important projects such as the National Index on Agri-Food Performance, the four pillars of environment, economy, societal well-being and food integrity are being addressed. And it helps government and industry to see into the possible without sweeping transformational changes that threaten one sector over the other.

Here at home, the mandate letter of the current federal agriculture minister is broader and does not specifically call for an action plan of plant-based over livestock and poultry-based protein.

Reliance on exports in countries such as Canada and Denmark does give us cause to consider the importance of increased value adding within our borders, keeping the animals in play as an important part of the climate solution.

Shifting out of livestock production in countries that are perfectly suited for it and have high standards of safety and care, simply leaves the barn door open for a nation without the resources, health and safety regulations to fill the gap.

Walking past the shop that was once a growing concern in plant-based meats and seeing its transformation back into animal-based offerings suggests that consumers are not sure, but food safety is a priority.

There is an opportunity to support all of agriculture. It is important that all future directives protect everything from pork to pumpkins.

Consumers have the right to eat what they want and enjoy food that is culturally appropriate.

We cannot judge as contributors to the food chain. But we must work together to ensure that there is resounding climate consciousness, action on farms to mitigate risk and policy that enhances and protects all types of farms and food systems.

– Brenda Schoepp works as an international mentor and motivational speaker. She can be contacted through her website at brendaschoepp.com.