POLICY RESEARCH

Livestock farming faces the challenge of balancing high productivity with sustainability. Policies exist and are constantly evolving to promote sustainable ruminant production systems and food security. Policymakers often demand an understanding of the long-term effects of dietary changes on animal health. A balance of promoting productivity while addressing environmental and safety concerns is essential for the farming industry's future.

Our pitched solution involved a genetically modified feed additive or plant with anti-methanogenic properties, and would, like other feed additives and GMOs, be subject to regulatory scrutiny before implementation could occur.

Methane is 34 times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to climate change, making its reduction a key priority in global environmental policy. The Global Methane Pledge, signed by over 150 countries, including Canada and the USA, aims to address this by committing to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 [1]. The pledge outlines a concrete plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, with an additional 1% reduction each year thereafter, highlighting the global commitment to curbing methane emissions as a critical component of climate action [1]. To meet his commitment, governments must be ready to adapt investment and policy for novel methane-combatting technologies.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) enforces regulations to ensure the safety and nutritional quality of animal feed in Canada, primarily through the feeds regulations, which govern the manufacture, sale, and importation of livestock feeds [2].

The CFIA also mandates a rigorous safety assessment process for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) used in animal feed [3]. This assessment, required before any GMO feed can be approved, evaluates both the nutritional adequacy for livestock and the potential environmental impacts, including effects on biodiversity, ensuring compliance with national feed safety standards [3].

In Canada, different antibiotic regulations are applied to different livestock types. Dairy is in Canada is promoted as being antibiotic-free and subject to rigorous testing [4]. Of note, ionophores have been used as feed additives for Canadian dairy for decades, despite in some contexts being classed as an antibiotic type [5]. Milk is tested for ionophore traces to ensure it does not exceed maximum allowable concentrations [5].

A scale of 1-4 is widely used for antibiotic classification, with 1 being most critical for human healthcare interests, and 4 being a product irrelevant for human patients [6]. Ionophores belong to class 4 in Canada, however, as in the case with dairy, is sometimes permitted in cases where in classic antibiotics are not [5].

Beef is subject to a more cumulative effect of antibiotics should they be necessary for animal treatment, therefore some minimal levels are allowed.

In the case of BovEco, it is unclear whether the Canadian government agencies would class a lytic enzyme and an antibiotic due to its biodegradability as a protein. Should it be classed as an antibiotic, it would, like ionophores, fall into the class 4 category due to its specific targeting of archaea which are not associated with pathogenicity to humans. PeiR is not expected to contribute to any meat bioaccumulation as a rumen-native soluble protein product [7].

Food, environmental, and safety-based policies vary depending on country and region. This was a recurring theme of discussion with the various industry experts we had conversations with. The United States, for example, has generally had less stringent agriculture regulations than Canada. For instance, the United States allows use of recombinant bovine somatotropin, a growth hormone produced in genetically engineered E. coli [8]. This, however, is not permitted in Canada due to hormone safety and ethical concerns [8].

The EU is another key regulator. It has provided environment-focused subsidies for farmers and was quick to approve the novel 3-NOP methane reducing chemical feed additive after animal testing trials, completed in 2022 [9]. Brazil, one of the top countries in terms of cattle population, approved 3-NOP even earlier in 2021 [9]. In the wake of climate change and novel products falling in a classification space outside of traditional feeds or medical therapeutics, we can expect new policy approaches to occur across the globe.

1. GMP. (2024, September 23). Homepage: Global methane pledge. Homepage | Global Methane Pledge. https://www.globalmethanepledge.org/
2. Agency, C. F. I. (2024, July 3). Government of Canada. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/livestock-feeds/regulatory-overview-livestock-feed-canada
3. Agency, C. F. I. (2020, February 24). Government of Canada. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-varieties/plants-novel-traits/gene-editing-techniques
4. Plc, D.-. (2021, June 1). 8 facts you should know about Canadian milk and antibiotics. Dairy Farmers of Canada. https://dairyfarmersofcanada.ca/en/dairy-in-canada/dairy-excellence/canadian-milk-antibiotics-facts
5. Canada, H. (2024, January 22). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/veterinary-drugs/maximum-residue-limits-mrls/list-maximum-residue-limits-mrls-veterinary-drugs-foods.html
6. Radke, B. R. (2023, February 13). BC in-feed antibiotic report 2002-2021. Use of Antibiotics in BC Livestock and Poultry Feed. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/agriculture-and-seafood/animal-and-crops/bc_in-feed_antibiotic_report_2002-2021.pdf
7. Einspanier, R., Lutz, B., Rief, S., Berezina, O., Zverlov, V., Schwarz, W., & Mayer, J. (2004). Tracing residual recombinant feed molecules during digestion and rumen bacterial diversity in cattle fed transgene maize. European Food Research & Technology., 218(3), 269–273.
8. Dohoo, I. R., DesCôteaux, L., Leslie, K., Fredeen, A., Shewfelt, W., Preston, A., & Dowling, P. (2003). A meta-analysis review of the effects of recombinant bovine somatotropin: effects on animal health, reproductive performance, and culling. Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche veterinaire, 67(4), 252–264.
9. Vinco, E., Bourassa, J., Arman, N., Morrison, N., & Lhermie, J. (2022). Additives and offsets: a partial life cycle analysis of 3NOP supplementation in Alberta beef production . University of Calgary, The Simpson Centre. https://www.simpsoncentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Additives-and-Offsets-A-Partial-LifeCycle-Analysis-of-3NOP.pdf