Aviagen Peru team also engaged with attendees in virtual booth
CAMPINAS, Brazil – On Oct. 5, Aviagen® Group’s Anne-Marie Neeteson, Global Vice President of Welfare, Sustainability and Compliance, and Tim Burnside, Global Manager of Welfare, Sustainability and Compliance, teamed up to share their knowledge on “Breeding welfare and sustainability to feed the world” at the online AVEM Poultry Congress in Peru, which took place Oct. 4-7. The Aviagen Peru team was also on hand at the event with a “virtual booth” to supply customers with “on-demand” news and information.
“We are committed to the success of our respected customers in Peru and throughout Latin America. As the global pandemic continues, the AVEM Congress gave us a valuable opportunity to meet with them virtually and provide the latest flock management tools in their local language,” explained Cesar Muro, General Manager of Aviagen Peru.
Breeding Sustainability for the planet and its people
Both Neeteson and Burnside discussed global trends influencing the industry, highlighting how animal welfare and sustainability improve continuously, and that a wide array of breed choice is available to serve producers and consumers around the world.
They also talked about areas where poultry meat can make a difference for sustainability, focusing on the five United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) prioritized by the International Poultry Council to generate benefits for people and the planet. These five SDGs were cited in the 2019 Declaration of São Paulo (Brazil), which Aviagen has endorsed.
“Breeding Sustainability has been a major theme since 2020. At Aviagen, we have defined our Top 5 Commitments, which align with the five SDGs selected by the IPC and show our dedication to breeding for welfare and sustainability. We are passionate and work hard each day to improve the welfare, health and productivity of our birds to help feed a growing global population with an affordable, valuable source of protein and eliminate hunger in communities worldwide, while ensuring the sustainability of our planet for generations to come,” emphasized Neeteson.
Burnside added that the key driver of sustainability is Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR). “Due to a breeding program that balances bird health, welfare and performance with feed efficiency, we’re currently seeing an annual 1.5- to 2.5-point improvement in FCR, resulting in a 1% reduction of the industry’s global warming potential worldwide”. He adds: “And all of our year-on-year performance, health, welfare and sustainability improvements add up, leading to significant progress in these areas.”
Committed to sustainability, globally and locally
Apart from a commitment to sustainability on a global level, Aviagen local teams around the world are taking steps to preserve the earth for future generations. Aviagen Latin America recently made a significant donation to the JBS Fund for the Amazon.
"The JBS initiatives promote the sustainable growth of communities and businesses within the Amazon Biome, putting forest preservation first," commented Ivan Pupo Lauandos, President of Aviagen Latin America. "Aviagen takes a balanced and responsible approach to poultry breeding, making Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability a top priority.”