The Challenge To Meet Global Need For Protein Sources For Animal Production

Professor, School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, United States

Summary

Increasing prosperity in populous countries has accelerated animal production at a much higher rate than the growth in human population. The current annual global feed need is 1 billion tons and there is an emerging crisis for increases in high-quality protein feed sources to support animal production. Today, animal production is reliant on soybeans, which form the bulk of world commerce of feed protein. Current trends and needs show that soybean and alternative protein crops will be needed to keep pace with demands for global livestock feed. Biotechnology using new synthetic biology methods can provide the means to enhance soybean production and develop new feed sources by reconfiguring other crops as protein production platforms comparable to soybeans.