Alltech Symposium: Press conference highlights

The Aquaculturist wraps up the key points of the Alltech Symposium press conference.

Speakers include Pearse Lyons, Alltech; Tim Gannon, co-founder Outback Steakhouse; Karl Dawson, Alltech.

Is an agriculture degree useful?

Ag, biochemistry, marketing innovations, Alltech's focus is very much on these things.  The students are the future of agriculture and of feeding the world.

Alltech in Brazil

Pearse Lyons: Brazil is always a very special place for Alltech.  It is the power house of Latin America.  the question now is how to make it a quality machine.

What are the challenges facing business as world demand for food increases?

Tim Gannon: Cost is a big thing.  Grain and corn prices are being used as biofuel so they are more expensive

So then we turn to poultry and fish.  So we'll probably shift a bit towards that but we are a steakhouse

Safety is the number one thing and how we can feed 130m people a year safely. 

How are you going to produce 70% more food?

Pearse Lyons: We are not that efficient.  Growing of the plants themselves: we have stretched it to the limit with fertilisers.  If we start looking at plants and the feeding of plants we can significantly increase yields.  We need to improve productivity of our land.

Are you going to invest in Central America?

Karl Dawson:  We want to set up research alliance programs.  We are looking for partners for that in Central America and have two in the pipeline.

Can you give some more information about your work with Sanders-Brown Center for Aging?

Karl Dawson: It is embryonic in terms of development.  we are a little bit tight-lipped on our clinical trails for drug development.  we have out first meeting with the FDA in two weeks.

 

This blog is written by staff at International Aquafeed Magazine which is published and supported by Perendale Publishers Limited. To get your copy of PPL's web application, 'PPLAPP' click here.