Faltering
farm biodiversity overlooked by tribute
By
Cathy Holtslander
The United Nations has declared
2010 the International Year of Biodiversity, and on May 22 the world
celebrated International Biodiversity Day.
This recognition of the importance
of biodiversity to the planet is timely because around the globe species
from all walks of life are disappearing at roughly 1,000 times the natural
rate. The term biodiversity, which simply means variety of life, instantly
conjures images of rich natural ecosystems like tropical rainforests
and coral reefs. Abundant and endangered ecosystems such as these earned
plenty of media attention on Biodiversity Day, and rightly so. But life’s
diversity is not confined to the wilderness. Since the dawn of agriculture
humans have painstakingly cultivated an abundant assortment of crops
and livestock that have proven their worth over time by providing for
our very survival. And this irreplaceable inheritance is in greater
peril than one might think.
Over the last half century
modern commercial agriculture has opted to cultivate relatively few
breeds and varieties of species in its single-minded pursuit of cost
savings and efficiency. For livestock producers, this has meant an emphasis
on breeds that meet a narrow range of characteristics such as the animal’s
size, growth rate and ability to withstand the crowded conditions found
on a typical factory farm. As a result, throughout the world breeds
of farm animals are disappearing at a rate of one per month.
Historically, farmers set
great store in other qualities when selecting livestock. Breeds that
thrived under local climate conditions or on available feed were encouraged,
as were those that gave birth to young with few complications. Chickens
that made great layers and broilers were prized rather than one or the
other. Likewise cattle that could be milked for years before they went
to slaughter. And hardy livestock naturally resistant to ailments and
disease were also sought after.
Over centuries, the broad
spectrum of characteristics valued by farmers throughout the world produced
an amazing variety within domesticated species. These “heritage
breeds” form a legacy that today is increasingly threatened by
extinction. Worldwide, roughly 30 per cent are at risk.
Meanwhile, intensive livestock
operations, which have been expanding since the 1970s and now dominate
animal agriculture, increasingly rely on a very narrow gene pool of
factory farm-adapted breeds that grow fast, produce at a younger age
and can survive crowded conditions. The loss of biodiversity among industrial
livestock creates problems such as excessive aggression, inability to
breed naturally, brittle bones and poor immunity. The reliance on just
a few breeds makes these intensive production systems highly vulnerable
to massive disease outbreaks due to the genetic uniformity of the susceptible
animals or birds. Because these operations dominate our food production
system, they eliminate farmers that raise biodiverse heritage breeds
on a smaller scale and outdoors. The resulting irreversible loss of
biodiversity diminishes both our heritage and our options for the future.
As factory farms proliferate,
traditional farms raising heritage breeds disappear and with them names
like Canadienne Cow, Barred Rock Hen, Tamworth Pig and Broad Breasted
Bronze Turkey may end up being consigned to the history books. This
phenomenon extends beyond our borders as Canadian factory farmed exports
also compete with and undermine heritage producers abroad.
Diminishing livestock diversity
affects more than producers. Options at the dinner table are reduced
as well — chefs have a smaller palette of flavours to work with,
and the range of options for specialty foodstuffs like cured meats and
cheeses is limited.
When biodiversity suffers,
we all do. We forfeit our heritage along with our prospects and future
potential in return for a world where the variety of life and the wealth
that springs from it is diminished. But we can easily influence the
state of biodiversity here in Canada and around the globe, for better
or worse, every time we choose what to eat. It’s food for thought.
Holtslander has been involved in environmental advocacy with a focus on agriculture and food since the mid-1990s. Based in Saskatoon, she is a founding member of Beyond Factory Farming — a national advocacy group that promotes socially responsible livestock production in Canada. For more information, including sources of meat and eggs from heritage livestock breeds, see www.beyondfactoryfarming.org
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